Pain Relief with a Cherry on top…

Prescription or over the counter drugs and I don’t get along very well.  Something as simple as Tylenol or Motrin can make me sick for days so I am always on the hunt for an alternative method.

Just recently I injured my hip (running) and the doctor prescribed Motrin for at least 5 days straight.  I nodded my head and said, “Sure, I’ll do that.”  My usual doctor is deployed so this new doctor doesn’t know how reluctant I am to take any kind of “medicine.”  The deployed doctor would have seen right through me.

Side-note:  Do not get me wrong, if you are medicine, you should continue taking it and I would certainly take medicine if I absolutely needed it.  I’m not against the medical community at all.  I truly believe traditional medicine and alternative medicine can work side by side.

Anyway, the minute I arrived home, I started looking into alternative treatments for inflammation and pain.  I had an idea (from past aliments) but I needed to make sure this was going to work.

CHERRIES!   

Cherries are loaded with anti-inflammatory, antiaging, anticancer compounds.

Tart Cherries are used for conditions that involve inflammation and pain.

Remedy for:

Eliminating Gout  (lowers uric acid in blood)

Arthritis pain

Muscle pain

Back pain

Help maintain strength for those suffering from Fibromyalgia

Help ease pain after exercise

Retain more strength after weight lifting

Considered the new “sports drink”

Anthocyanins have been found to block two enzymes, COX-1 and COX-2, which play a role in the production of inflammatory compounds called prostaglandins. Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as naproxen and ibuprofen also work this way. -about.com (Alternative Medicine) 

Tart Cherry is available is many different forms:

Capsules

Concentrate

Dried

Fresh

Frozen

Hopefully, this weekend, I’ll be able to find some Tart Cherry Concentrate.  I’ve read that you only need ONE ounce twice a day (to reap the benefits) mixed in 7 ounces of water.  I’m sure I’ll have to experiment a little before I find the correct dosage.

Just in case you are wondering:  A single serving size is comparable to:  ½ cup dried or 1 cup frozen or 1-cup juice or 2 tablespoons juice concentrate.

**Caution:  Make sure it does not interact with any prescription medicines you may be taking.

I’m crossing my fingers it works for me and of course, I’ll keep you posted.