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The aches and pains of daily life usually have us reaching for the pill bottle. Over-the-counter pain relievers are cheap, plentiful, and widely considered safe. However, there are definite risks to medications like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen.
Regular use of OTC painkillers can cause some serious health conditions. Acetaminophen has actually become the number one cause of liver failure in the United States. And because acetaminophen is included in all sorts of different medicines, it is easy for people to lose track of how much they’ve taken. Classified as a mild analgesic (painkiller), some in the pharmaceutical field suggest that if acetaminophen were developed today, it would be much more closely regulated.
Ibuprofen and naproxen belong to a category of medications called NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). As the name implies, they relieve pain by reducing inflammation. Prolonged use of NSAIDS has been linked to serious heart complications, stroke, stomach bleeding, and ulcers.
Aspirin has been around the longest, since 1853, and medical professionals have always known that it carries with it a risk of internal bleeding. Still, for many years, a daily dose of aspirin has been recommended to people 50 and over to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. New evidence suggests that aspirin does not seem to help people who have not yet had a heart attack or stroke to avoid one, but it does increase the incidence of bleeding in the brain and gastrointestinal tract.
Another problem with regular consumption of these pain medications is that they become less effective the longer you take them. That’s another reason that people accidentally overdose. They forget how much they have taken because they aren’t feeling relief. For occasional pain these medicines are okay, but for chronic pain, they can become dangerous.
That’s why we are going to discuss a natural alternative that can reduce inflammation and relieve pain without any dangerous side effects. It is simple to make, store, and use. And since you apply it topically, it goes straight to the hurt area. There are three ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, rosemary essential oil, and Himalayan salt (or Epsom salt if you can’t find Himalayan). Before we get into the recipe, let’s look at each of the ingredients individually.
Extra virgin olive oil
We’ve known for some time that olive oil functions as a natural anti-inflammatory, but researchers have only just pinpointed the enzyme responsible. Named oleocanthal, this substance works much like NSAIDS only without the bleeding issues.
Interestingly, researchers only began looking into the anti-inflammatory properties of olive oil after they noticed that EVOO can irritate the back of the throat when people consume it. NSAIDS do this as well. The researchers were able to isolate the enzyme responsible for this reaction and discover that it is able to inhibit the inflammatory activity of Cox-1 and Cox-2 in the same way as anti-inflammatory medications. The ability to diminish this activity stops the chemical messengers that create pain and inflammation.
Rosemary essential oil
Rosemary has been studied recently for its effects on pain and inflammation. Results indicate that whether inhaled or absorbed through the skin, rosemary can help on both measures. Rosemary seems especially suited to reduce muscle pain and soreness, so you can add it to your bath or your humidifier after workouts for more comfortable recovery.
A 2015 mouse study determined that mice took longer to respond to painful stimuli when they were treated with rosemary oil first. More studies are needed to determine the exact mechanism, but it is clear that rosemary can be an effective addition to a pain relief regimen, whether that is completely natural or in combination with OTC analgesics. The study did determine that rosemary does not react negatively with NSAIDS.
Himalayan sea salt
This exotic salt is ancient, having existed in the primordial sea that once flowed where the Himalayan Mountains now stand, at the joining of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates. When the plates hit and pushed upward to form the mountain range we know today, the sea evaporated and left behind crystallized minerals that were named Himalayan pink salt.
This type of salt is much better for you than the processed, iodized, and bleached table salt we typically use. In terms of pain, the magnesium and trace minerals contained in Himalayan salt are known to do wonders on cramped muscles. When dissolved in a liquid medium, the salt penetrates the skin to heal muscle and soft tissue, as well as fortify hurt bones and connective tissue that can also contribute to pain.
Himalayan pink salt is truly a wondrous product, but if you can’t lay your hands on it, there is a much more common alternative. Epsom salt, otherwise known as magnesium sulfate, also works quite well in this recipe. Ready to make it?
How to Make and Use the Remedy
The process is quite simple, but you’ll need to prepare this remedy at least two days before using it. Following are the five steps to making and applying the treatment.
Collect 20 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 5 drops rosemary essential oil, and 10 tablespoons of Himalayan or Epsom salt.
Regular use of OTC painkillers can cause some serious health conditions. Acetaminophen has actually become the number one cause of liver failure in the United States. And because acetaminophen is included in all sorts of different medicines, it is easy for people to lose track of how much they’ve taken. Classified as a mild analgesic (painkiller), some in the pharmaceutical field suggest that if acetaminophen were developed today, it would be much more closely regulated.
Ibuprofen and naproxen belong to a category of medications called NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). As the name implies, they relieve pain by reducing inflammation. Prolonged use of NSAIDS has been linked to serious heart complications, stroke, stomach bleeding, and ulcers.
Aspirin has been around the longest, since 1853, and medical professionals have always known that it carries with it a risk of internal bleeding. Still, for many years, a daily dose of aspirin has been recommended to people 50 and over to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. New evidence suggests that aspirin does not seem to help people who have not yet had a heart attack or stroke to avoid one, but it does increase the incidence of bleeding in the brain and gastrointestinal tract.
Another problem with regular consumption of these pain medications is that they become less effective the longer you take them. That’s another reason that people accidentally overdose. They forget how much they have taken because they aren’t feeling relief. For occasional pain these medicines are okay, but for chronic pain, they can become dangerous.
That’s why we are going to discuss a natural alternative that can reduce inflammation and relieve pain without any dangerous side effects. It is simple to make, store, and use. And since you apply it topically, it goes straight to the hurt area. There are three ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, rosemary essential oil, and Himalayan salt (or Epsom salt if you can’t find Himalayan). Before we get into the recipe, let’s look at each of the ingredients individually.
Extra virgin olive oil
We’ve known for some time that olive oil functions as a natural anti-inflammatory, but researchers have only just pinpointed the enzyme responsible. Named oleocanthal, this substance works much like NSAIDS only without the bleeding issues.
Interestingly, researchers only began looking into the anti-inflammatory properties of olive oil after they noticed that EVOO can irritate the back of the throat when people consume it. NSAIDS do this as well. The researchers were able to isolate the enzyme responsible for this reaction and discover that it is able to inhibit the inflammatory activity of Cox-1 and Cox-2 in the same way as anti-inflammatory medications. The ability to diminish this activity stops the chemical messengers that create pain and inflammation.
Rosemary essential oil
Rosemary has been studied recently for its effects on pain and inflammation. Results indicate that whether inhaled or absorbed through the skin, rosemary can help on both measures. Rosemary seems especially suited to reduce muscle pain and soreness, so you can add it to your bath or your humidifier after workouts for more comfortable recovery.
A 2015 mouse study determined that mice took longer to respond to painful stimuli when they were treated with rosemary oil first. More studies are needed to determine the exact mechanism, but it is clear that rosemary can be an effective addition to a pain relief regimen, whether that is completely natural or in combination with OTC analgesics. The study did determine that rosemary does not react negatively with NSAIDS.
Himalayan sea salt
This exotic salt is ancient, having existed in the primordial sea that once flowed where the Himalayan Mountains now stand, at the joining of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates. When the plates hit and pushed upward to form the mountain range we know today, the sea evaporated and left behind crystallized minerals that were named Himalayan pink salt.
This type of salt is much better for you than the processed, iodized, and bleached table salt we typically use. In terms of pain, the magnesium and trace minerals contained in Himalayan salt are known to do wonders on cramped muscles. When dissolved in a liquid medium, the salt penetrates the skin to heal muscle and soft tissue, as well as fortify hurt bones and connective tissue that can also contribute to pain.
Himalayan pink salt is truly a wondrous product, but if you can’t lay your hands on it, there is a much more common alternative. Epsom salt, otherwise known as magnesium sulfate, also works quite well in this recipe. Ready to make it?
How to Make and Use the Remedy
The process is quite simple, but you’ll need to prepare this remedy at least two days before using it. Following are the five steps to making and applying the treatment.
Collect 20 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 5 drops rosemary essential oil, and 10 tablespoons of Himalayan or Epsom salt.
- Mix ingredients in a mason jar and seal it up.
- Store the mixture for about 48 hours before first use.
- Apply the oil to painful areas, massaging it gently into the skin.
- After 20 minutes, wipe off any remaining oil with a clean, damp cloth.
That’s it! This natural pain remedy is super easy to make and it can be stored for several years. Just makes sure to discard any mixture that has changed color or taken on a funky smell. Some people find that it takes a few applications to get results, but others notice improvement in just a few minutes.
Use it in an effort to reduce or eliminate your dependence on OTC medications, and you’ll be doing your body a favor by slashing the risk of dangerous side effects. We hope you feel better soon!
