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Painkillers in Your Kitchen

“To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” Buddha

designByTómasBolliHafTHorssontomasbolli@gmail.com

londonmarcH2012

06GinGer

08cloves

10cider vineGar

12Garlic

14cherries

16fish

18yoGurT

20Turmeric

22oaTs

24salT

26pineapple

28pepperminT

30Grapes

32waTer

34horse-radish

36blue-berries

38honey

40flax

42coffee

44TomaT juice

conTenT

make muscle pain a memory wiTh GinGer

Whendanishresearchersaskedachypeopleto

jazzuptheirdietswithginger, iteasedmuscle

and joint pain, swelling and stiffness for up to

63percentof themwithin twomonths.Experts

credit ginger’s potent compounds called

gingerols,whichpreventtheproductionofpain-

triggering hormones. The study recommended

dose:addatleast1teaspoonofdriedgingeror

2teaspoonsofchoppedgingertomealsdaily.

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ginger

cure a TooThache wiTh clovesGot a toothache and can’t get to the dentist? Gently chewing on a clove can ease tooth

painandguminflammationfortwohoursstraight,sayUclaresearchers.Expertspointtoa

naturalcompoundinclovescalledeugenol,apowerful,naturalanesthetic.Bonus:sprinkling

a¼teaspoonofgroundclovesonmealsdailymayalsoprotectyour ticker.scientistssay

this simpleactionhelpsstabilizebloodsugar,plusdampenproductionofartery-clogging

cholesterolinaslittleasthreeweeks.

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cloves

heal hearTburn wiTh cider vineGarsip1tablespoonofapplecidervinegarmixedwith8ouncesofwaterbeforeeverymeal,and

expertssayyoucouldshutdownpainfulboutsofheartburninaslittleas24hours.“cider

vinegarisrichinmalicandtartaricacids,powerfuldigestiveaidsthatspeedthebreakdown

of fats and proteins so your stomach can empty quickly, before food washes up into the

esophagus,triggeringheartburnpain,”explainsJosephBrasco,m.d.,agastroenterologistat

thecenterforcolonanddigestivediseasesinHuntsville,al.

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cider vinegar

erase earaches wiTh Garlic

Painfulearinfectionsdrivemillionsofamericans

todoctors’officeseveryyear.Tocureonefast,

justplacetwodropsofwarmgarlicoilintoyour

achingeartwicedailyforfivedays.Thissimple

treatmentcanclearupearinfectionsfasterthan

prescriptionmeds,sayexpertsattheUniversity

of new mexico school of medicine. scientists

say garlic’s active ingredients (germanium,

selenium, and sulfur compounds) are naturally

toxic to dozens of different pain-causing

bacteria.Towhipupyourowngarlicoilgently

simmerthreeclovesofcrushedgarlicinahalfa

cupofextravirginoliveoilfortwominutes,strain,

then refrigerate for up to two weeks, suggests

Teresa Graedon, Ph.d., co-author of the book,

BestchoicesfromThePeople’sPharmacy.for

an optimal experience, warm this mix slightly

before using so the liquid will feel soothing in

yourearcanal.

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garlic

chase away joinT and headache pain wiTh cherrieslateststudiesshowthatatleastoneinfourwomenisstrugglingwitharthritis,goutorchronic

headaches.ifyou’reoneofthem,adailybowlofcherriescouldeaseyourache,withoutthe

stomach upset so often triggered by today’s painkillers, say researchers at East lansing

‘smichiganstateUniversity.Theirresearchrevealsthatanthocyanins,thecompoundsthat

givecherriestheirbrilliantredcolor,areanti-inflammatories10timesstrongerthanibuprofen

and aspirin. “anthocyanins help shut down the powerful enzymes that kick-start tissue

inflammation,so theycanprevent,aswellas treat,manydifferentkindsofpain,”explains

muraleedharannair,Ph.d.,professoroffoodscienceatmichiganstateUniversity.Hisadvice:

Enjoy20cherries(fresh,frozenordried)daily,thencontinueuntilyourpaindisappears.

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cherries

fiGhT Tummy Troubles wiTh fish

indigestion,irritablebowelsyndrome,inflamma-

toryboweldiseases...ifyourbellyalwaysseems

to be in an uproar, try munching 18 ounces

of fish weekly to ease your misery. repeated

studiesshow that the fattyacids infish,called

EPaanddHa,cansignificantlyreduceintestinal

inflammation, cramping and belly pain and,

in some cases, provide as much relief as

corticosteroids and other prescription meds.

“EPaanddHaarepowerful,natural,sideeffect-

free anti-inflammatories, that can dramatically

improvethefunctionoftheentiregastrointestinal

tract,”explainsbiologicalchemistBarrysears,

Ph.d., president of the inflammation research

foundationinmarblehead,ma.forbestresults,

look for oily fish like salmon, sardines, tuna,

mackerel,troutandherring.

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Fish

prevenT pms wiTh yoGurT

Up to 80 percent of women will struggle with

premenstrual syndrome and its uncomfortable

symptoms,reportyaleresearchers.Thereason:

Theirnervoussystemsaresensitive to theups

and downs in estrogen and progesterone that

occurnaturallyeverymonth.Butsnackingon2

cupsofyogurtadaycanslashthesesymptoms

by48percent,say researchersatnewyork ‘s

columbiaUniversity.“yogurtisrichincalcium,

a mineral that naturally calms the nervous

system, preventing painful symptoms even

whenhormonesareinflux,”explainsmaryJane

minkin,m.d.,aprofessorofgynecologyatyale

University.

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Yogurt

Tame chronic pain wiTh Turmericstudies show turmeric, apopularEast indianspice, isactually three timesmoreeffective

ateasingpainthanaspirin,ibuprofenornaproxen,plusitcanhelprelievechronicpainfor

50percent ofpeople strugglingwith arthritis andeven fibromyalgia, according tocornell

researchers. That’s because turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin, naturally shuts down

cyclooxygenase2,anenzymethatchurnsoutastreamofpain-producinghormones,explains

nutrition researcherJulianWhitaker,m.d.andauthorof thebook,reversingdiabetes.The

study-recommendeddose:sprinkle1/4 teaspoonof thisspicedailyontoanyrice,poultry,

meatorvegetabledish.

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turmeric

end endomeTrial pain wiTh oaTs

Thetickettosoothingendometriosispaincould

beadailybowlofoatmeal.Endometriosisoccurs

when littlebitsof theuterine liningdetachand

grow outside of the uterus. Experts say these

migrating cells can turn menstruation into a

misery,causingsomuchinflammationthatthey

trigger severe cramping during your period,

plusaheavyachethatdragsonallmonthlong.

fortunately,scientistssayoptingforadiet rich

inoatscanhelpreduceendometrialpainforup

to60percentofwomenwithinsixmonths.That’s

because oats don’t contain gluten, a trouble-

making protein that triggers inflammation in

manywomen,makingendometriosisdifficult to

bear, explains Peter Green, m.d., professor of

medicineatcolombiaUniversity.

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oats

sooThe fooT pain wiTh salT

Experts say at least six million americans

developpainfulingrowntoenailseachyear.But

regularly soaking ingrown nails in warm salt

water baths can cure these painful infections

within four days, say scientists at california ‘s

stanfordUniversity.Thesaltinthemixnaturally

nixes inflammation,plus it’santi-bacterial, so it

quicklydestroysthegermsthatcauseswelling

andpain.Justmix1teaspoonofsaltintoeach

cupofwater,heat to thewarmest temperature

thatyoucancomfortablystand,andthensoak

theaffectedfootareafor20minutestwicedaily,

untilyourinfectionsubsides.

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salt

prevenT diGesTive upseTs wiTh pineapple

Got gas? one cup of fresh pineapple daily

can cut painful bloating within 72 hours, say

researchers at california ‘s stanford University

. That’s because pineapple is natually packed

with proteolytic enzymes, digestive aids that

help speed the breakdown of pain-causing

proteinsinthestomachandsmallintestine,say

Usdaresearchers.

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PineaPPle

relax painful muscles wiTh pepperminTsuffering from tight, sore muscles? stubborn knots can hang around for months if they

aren’tproperlytreated,saysnaturopathmarkstengler,n.d.,authorofthebook,Thenatural

Physician’s Healing Therapies. His advice: Three times each week, soak in a warm tub

scentedwith10dropsofpeppermintoil.Thewarmwaterwillrelaxyourmuscles,whilethe

peppermintoilwillnaturallysootheyournerves--acombothatcaneasemusclecramping

25percentmoreeffectivelythanover-the-counterpainkillers,andcutthefrequencyoffuture

flare-upsinhalf,saysstengler.

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PePPermint

Give your back some Tlc wiTh Grapes

Gotanachyback?Grapescouldbetheticket

to a speedy recovery. recent studies at ohio

stateUniversitysuggesteatingaheapingcup

of grapes daily can relax tight blood vessels,

significantly improving blood flow to damaged

back tissues (and often within three hours

of enjoying the first bowl). That’s great news

because your back’s vertebrae and shock-

absorbing discs are completely dependent on

nearby blood vessels to bring them healing

nutrientsandoxygen,soimprovingbloodflowis

essentialforhealingdamagedbacktissue,says

stengler.

Page 30

graPes

wash away pain injuries wiTh waTer

Whether it’s your feet, your knees or your

shoulders that are throbbing, experts at new

york‘smanhattancollege,sayyoucouldkick-

startyourrecoveryinoneweekjustbydrinking

eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily. Why?

Expertssaywaterdilutes,andthenhelpsflush

out, histamine, a pain-triggering compound

producedbyinjuredtissues.“Pluswaterisakey

buildingblockofthecartilagethatcushionsthe

endsofyourbones,yourjoints’lubricatingfluid,

and the soft discs in your spine,” adds susan

m.Kleiner,Ph.d.,authorofthebook,TheGood

mood diet. “and when these tissues are well-

hydrated, they can move and glide over each

otherwithoutcausingpain.”onecaveat:Besure

tomeasureyourdrinkingglassestofindouthow

largetheyreallyarebeforeyoustartsipping,she

says.Today’sjuiceglassesoftenholdmorethan

12ounces,whichmeansfiveservingscouldbe

enoughtomeetyourdailygoal.

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water

heal sinus problems wiTh horseradish

latest studies show sinusitis is the nation’s

number one chronic health problem. and this

conditiondoesn’tjustspurcongestionandfacial

pain, it also makes sufferers six times more

likely to feel achy all-over. Horseradish to the

rescue!accordingtoGermanresearchers,this

eye-wateringcondimentnaturallyrevsupblood

flow to thesinuscavities,helping toopenand

draincloggedsinusesandhealsinusinfections

morequicklythandecongestantspraysdo.The

study-recommendeddose:oneteaspoontwice

daily(eitheronitsown,orusedasasandwichor

meattopping)untilsymptomsclear.

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horseradish

beaT bladder infecTions wiTh blueberriesEating1cupofblueberriesdaily,whetheryouoptforthemfresh,frozenorinjuiceform,can

cutyour riskofaurinary tract infection (UTis)by60percent,according to researchersat

newJersey’srutgersUniversity.That’sbecauseblueberriesareloadedwithtannins,plant

compoundsthatwraparoundproblem-causingbacteriainthebladder,sotheycan’tgeta

toeholdandcreateaninfection,explainsamyHowell,Ph.d.ascientistatrutgersUniversity.

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blueberries

heal mouTh sores wiTh honey

dab painful canker and cold sores with

unpasteurizedhoneyfourtimesdailyuntilthese

skinwoesdisappear,andthey’llheal43percent

fasterthanifyouuseaprescriptioncream,say

researchers at the dubai specialized medical

center in the United arab Emirates . raw

honey’s natural enzymes zap inflammation,

destroyinvadingvirusesandspeedthehealing

ofdamagedtissues,saythestudyauthors.

Page 38

honeY

fiGhT breasT pain wiTh flaxin one recent study, adding 3 tablespoons of ground flax to their daily diet eased breast

soreness for one in three women within 12 weeks. scientists credit flax’s phytoestrogens,

naturalplantcompoundsthatpreventtheestrogenspikesthatcantriggerbreastpain.more

goodnews:youdon’thavetobeamasterbakertosneakthishealthyseedintoyourdiet.Just

sprinklegroundflaxonoatmeal,yogurt,applesauceoraddittosmoothiesandveggiedips.

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Flax

cure miGraines wiTh coffee

Prone to migraines? Try muscling-up your

painkiller with a coffee chaser. Whatever over-

the-counterpainmedyouprefer,researchersat

thenationalHeadachefoundationsaywashing

itdownwithastrong12-ouncecupofcoffeewill

boosttheeffectivenessofyourmedicationby40

percentormore.Expertssaycaffeinestimulates

the stomach lining to absorb painkillers more

quicklyandmoreeffectively.

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coFFee

Tame leG cramps wiTh TomaTo juiceat least one in five people regularly struggle with leg cramps. The culprit? Potassium

deficiencies,whichoccurwhenthismineralisflushedoutbydiuretics,caffeinatedbeverages

orheavyperspirationduringexercise.Butsip10ouncesofpotassium-richtomatojuicedaily

andyou’llnotonlyspeedyourrecovery,you’llreduceyourriskofpainfulcrampflare-upsin

aslittleas10days,sayUclaresearchers.

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tomato juice

“To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” Buddha

published ByBolli-sUBBEn&Passionfood

marcH2012©2012Bolli-sUBBEn