Plant Medicine Article 3

I welcome all that have decided to read this article, Part three on plants that are known to help those suffering from joint pain. Many plants that grow upon Mother Earth can help with treating the diseases that attack the human body. Some may even cure the deases. If you have not yet read, “Plant Medicine” or “Plant Medicine” 2, you may also fine these articles to be helpful in dealing with severe joint pain as well. It is my intention to help as many as possible.

Always consult your Family Doctor before deciding to start on a new plan of treatment. This being said, I give you Plant Medicine - Joint Pain - Article 3.

Hop Tea

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The hop plant contains at least 22 constituents that have anti- inflammatory activities, including several that act through the same cellular mechanisms as steroid drugs. Four constituents have antispasmodic properties, and ten may act as sedatives. The fresher the plant, the better. Today, hop tea is a popular remedy for rheumatism.

Dosage and Directions: Place 2 or 3 teaspoons of hop leaves in a cup and fill with boiling water. Cover the cup and let stand for fifteen minutes. Drink the tea while it's warm. Drink 1 to 3 cups between dinner and bedtime as needed.

Licorice

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It acts in the body like cortisone, without the harmful side-effects. Licorice is believed to enhance the action of bupleuri. Licorice also has significant anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy activity.

Licorice components are able to bind to glucocorticoid receptors on cells and exert glucocorticoid-like effects. It has been used historically in the treatment of inflammation, allergy, asthma and other conditions that put added stress on the adrenals. Long-term use of licorice can cause an elevation of blood pressure. Take 2 capsules daily.

Mustard Plaster

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Mustard plaster is a popular counterirritant treatment for arthritis. The irritating substance in mustard is allyl- isothyocyanate. This constituent is not activated, however, until the seeds are crushed and mixed with some liquid. Only then does the mustard produce the irritation necessary for the counterirritant effect.

Dosage and Directions: Crush the seeds of white or brown mustard or grind them in a seed grinder-(for best results). Moisten the mixture with vinegar, then sprinkle with some flour. Spread your mixture on a cloth. Then place the cloth , poultice side down, on the skin. Leave placed upon the effected site no more the 15-20 minutes. If it becomes uncomfortable then remove. Once you remove the poultice wash the effected area.

Oregano

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Oregano, is a powerful antioxidant. The antioxidant activity of oregano and other medicinal mints is due in large part to rosmarinic acid, a compound with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiviral properties.

The antioxidants in oregano may help prevent the cell damage caused by free radicals. Free radical reactions are probably involved in inflammation, degenerative arthritis and the aging process in general. And evidence is accumulating that antioxidants may help relieve osteoarthritis and RA.

Pineapple

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Bromelain, a chemical in pineapple, helps prevent inflammation. Athletic trainers have been reportedly recommending pineapple to athletes to prevent and treat sports injuries. It is believed to have beneficial effect on arthritis also.

Bromelain can help the body get rid of immune antigen complex, compounds that are implicated in some arthritic conditions. It also helps digest fibrin, another compound suspected of being involved in some types of arthritis.

Red and Cayenne Peppers

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Red pepper interferes with pain perception. The pain-relieving chemical in red pepper, capsaicin, and triggers the body to release endorphins, natures own opiates. Red pepper also contains aspirin-like compounds known as salicylates.

Compounds in red pepper can also help relieve arthritis when you apply the herb to the skin. Researchers have discovered that you'll get significant pain relief if you apply capsaicin cream directly to painful arthritic joints four times daily. In one study of this treatment, the capsaicin cream reduced RA pain by more than half. Osteoarthritis pain was reduced by about one-third.

Dosage and Directions: Place 1 ounce of cayenne pepper in 1 quart of rubbing alcohol (a poison not for internal use). Let stand for three weeks, shaking the bottle each day. Then, using a cloth, apply to the affected area during acute attacks of pain. Leave the solution in place for ten to twenty minutes, then wipe clean. You can also use an OTC cream that contain capsicum like Zostrix or Capzasin-P.

Rosemary

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Drinking rosemary tea to treat arthritis is an American folk medicine practice. The plant's leaves contain four anti-inflammatory substances-earnosol, oleanolic acid, rosmarinic acid, and ursolic acid. Carnosol acts on the same anti-inflammatory pathways as both steroids and aspirin, oleanolic acid has been marketed as an antioxidant in China, rosmarinic acid acts as an anti-inflammatory, and ursolic acid, which makes up about four percent of the plant by weight, has been shown to have antiarthritic effects in animal trials.

Dosage and Directions: Put 1/2 ounce of rosemary leaves in a 1-quart canning jar and fill the jar with boiling water. Cover tightly and let stand for thirty minutes. Drink a cup of the hot tea before going to bed and have another cupful in the morning before breakfast. Do this for two to three weeks, and then take a break for seven to ten days before starting the treatment again.

It is my hope that this article (Plant Medicine - Joint Pain 3) may help those that have decided to seek alternative medicines.