Saturday, July 3, 2010

Clay powder and Cabbage leaves as remedies for muscles ache


When you have trained very hard and you get muscular fever, or if you caught a flu and all muscles hurt, you should not hurry taking pain killers. Instead, you may choose to apply clay or other herbs compresses, with a relaxing effect. Clay has anti-inflammatory effect

Clay powder is a well known remedy in arthrosis, with an anti-inflammatory effect. It may also be used is alleviating muscles ache, no matter the cause. All you need is 4-5 tablespoons of powder clay, in which to add warm water and keep stirring until obtaining a homogeneous paste. This paste can then be applied directly on the entire surface of the painful muscle, or only at the ends, near the joints, in a 5 centimeter layer. Leave it on for 20 minutes to 2 hours. This remedy is also very efficient for back aches.

Cabbage leaves, old but efficient remedy
This is a very old remedy, that our grandparents used to apply on joints affected by arthritis. Besides it being very helpful in muscular aches, it is also very easy to use. All you have to do is smash some cabbage leaves and apply those directly on the affected area, leaving them on for about 30 to 40 minutes. You may use as well oak, birch, walnut or willow leaves.

Warm baths, followed by compresses
Warmth enlarges blood vessels and stimulates the bloodstream, therefore helping aching muscles to relax. That is why a warm bath is more than welcomed in cases of muscles ache. To obtain an even more relaxing effect, add to the bath sweet flag (calamus) or willow bark extract. The extract is prepared by boiling a tablespoon of each plant (add only when the water is boiling) in a liter of water, for about 10 to 15 minutes. The liquid is filtered and poured in the bath tub filled with warm water. The bark or plants remained may be applied on the muscles after the bath.
Very useful in cases of muscle fever is also St John’s wort (hypericum perforatum) or lavender soak applied directly on the affected surface. Raw potatoes or powder mint poultice (cataplasm), mixed until obtaining a homogenous paste can be applied on gauze and afterwards on the muscle.
And remember: a simple exercise often helps reducing muscular fever!

Labels: