If you are suffering from excruciating pain, it could be that the inflammation is getting worse, which could damage the nerves and cause necrosis. You must control or get rid of the inflammation by going to your doctor and changing your diet. There are many reasons that cause inflammation in the body. I suffered injuries as the result of two accidents six months apart that left me unable to walk and in the worst pain. I needed surgery and none of the painkillers were working for me. I managed to control the inflammation and the pain by juicing in addition to my medication. However, if you are on prescription drugs do not drink grapefruit juice or eat grapefruits. Only juice organic produce from an organic health food store like Whole Foods Market, Bread of Life, Wild Oats, Trader Joe’s, etc. It is imperative to only use organic produce as regular produce has pesticides in them and drinking juice with pesticides goes directly into the blood and can poison the blood.
I stopped eating white rice, white bread, white refined sugars, and I stopped drinking store bought juices because of the high fructose corn syrup in them, and I never drink sodas. I drink water with apple cider vinegar first thing in the morning. I drink mostly water throughout the day and lemon juice in my water before bed. Water before bed prevents heart attacks and strokes while sleeping. Because the painkillers were not stopping the pain alone, I had to figure out how to control my blood pressure as it was going through the roof. Pain causes one's blood pressure to rise abnormally and ultimately can cause a stroke. That was one of the problems with which my doctors were concerned, so as they continued to change my painkillers, I was researching and praying for a remedy. So, I prayed and asked God to show me a better way, and He did. I created what worked for me but brought it to my doctor to make sure none of the foods, spices, and herbs would adversely affect the pain medication he had me on.
ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTORS FIRST, ESPECIALLY FOR FOODS, HERBS, AND SPICES YOU HAVE NEVER CONSUMED BEFORE.
Here are some of my remedies I tried until I found what worked best for me:
1. Green Juicing is very important, green juicing will stop the cycle of chronic inflammation and thus get your inflamed nerves back in shape. Juicing cucumbers, celery, kale, parsley, spinach, broccoli, wheatgrass, and any other greens will get you back on track. Stay away from white bread, processed foods, artificial colors and flavors, high fructose corn syrup, corn oils, fast food, and lots of caffeine (green tea is OK). Also green juicing can help her cleanse her body of toxins that might be causing her nerve pain.
2. Drink lots of water, water is the main ingredient in your body and without water, you can start the inflammation process, drink water even before you are thirsty. I reiterate, I drink a glass of water with a tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar first thing every morning on an empty stomach. Sometimes, I drink a shot of Noni juice before the water. Then, I drink another glass of water after breakfast, I drink another glass of water before lunch, a glass after lunch. I drink a glass of water before dinner and another glass of water after dinner. Then I drink a glass of water before bed with lemon or lime juice. Now, between those, I will have my homemade fruit and/or vegetable juice without sugar. Mom likes parsley tea and that is good too but no sugar. If she wants sweet tea or lemonade tell her to use organic raw honey, agave, or raw sugar from the cane or stevia plant and add cinnamon. Moreover, if she goes to a restaurant and has a dessert, tell her to ask for water without ice and lemon wedges. Tell her to always drink lemon water when eating out and eating desserts. The lemon or lime allows the blood to take the nutrients and then the enzymes from the lemons will excrete the toxins and sugars from the body. Cinnamon regulates the sugar.
3. Ginger is great for nerve pain and will help to get rid of inflammation and thus lower the inflammation of all the nerves in your body. I always put ginger in my juices and tea. Before my surgery when I was in excruciating pain, I made my own painkiller from ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, honey, cherries, and pineapple. Sometimes, I would even eat raw garlic because it would also help bring down my blood pressure.
4. Turmeric is one of the best roots/spices for inflammation and will stop the process and help you to feel like new again. I wrote root because I mostly got to the Whole Foods Market and have them juice the turmeric root and drink a shot. However, as you can see I do have the drops too. I put that in my coconut milk/water.
5. Herbs like Vervain, Wild Lettuce, Valerian, Cramp Bark, and St. John's Wort will also lower inflammation and help to relax and soothe your jangled nerves at the same time, plus help in the healing process of nerves and lower your stress level.
6. Omega 3 oils are very important, Omega 3 oils are full of great anti-inflammatories and will help to soothe away inflammation and start the healing process.
7. Skullcap helps to strengthen the nervous system and bring relief to inflamed nerves that need attention.
8. Lobelia is another herb that helps to soothe, relax, and get rid of tension caused by contracted muscles putting pressure on nerves.
9. Black Cohosh works great with some of the relaxing herbs already mentioned above, especially valerian. Helping to soothe and regenerate irritated nerves and get the body moving in the right direction for healing.
10. Damiana works wonders if your nerve pain is caused by exercising too hard or having an accident that caused trauma to some area of your body.
11. Antioxidants are important, start taking Acai Berry, Camu Camu Fruit, Grape Seed Extract, Avocado Seed Extract, and many more great antioxidants.
12. Bitters are important for the body and some say that taking Swedish Bitters (which you can order online) can help to heal nerve pain.
13. Acupuncture can start the process of getting the power of chi moving in your body. Also learning to move chi in your body can help, learn QiGong or Tai Chi, both of which help circulate and build vital energy.
14. Arnica, Peppermint oil and topical creams containing Capsaicin applied topically can work to fight inflammation and help with pain.
15. Take supplements (vitamin deficiencies can cause nerve pain) that promote nerve regeneration such as B Vitamins (especially B-1, B-6 and B12), Vitamins D & E, Zinc, Inositol, L-Carnitine, Lipoic Acid, N-Acetylcysteine, and GABA. Mom should know this because she was a nurse. It is imperative that she take a good multivitamin. Make sure you get a multivitamin with copper because when the body is deficient of copper it causes aneurysms, which could be fatal. I get my multivitamins from Whole Foods Market.
16. Meditate is important, meditate first thing in the morning and the last thing at night for 15 to 20 minutes. Meditation calms the mind/body causing inflammation to subside.
17. Walk, walking is not only good for the body, it also works great for the mind. Walking gets endorphins going in the body, thus, generating serotonin in the brain. So, slowly your aches and pains will start to diminish. I learned this in medical school when I earned my Specialization in Brain Research.
18. Yoga is great for nerve pain and will soothe away those burning sensations with easy stretching and get your mind and body on the right track.
19. Tai Chi Chuan is a slow martial arts similar to yoga that older people do for exercise and defense. I am a Black Belt in Martial Arts and I am trained in Krav Maga, but after my surgery, the doctor said no more running, mid-air flipping, and roundhouse kicks. So, I am looking into Aikido and Tai Chi Chuan. Tai Chi Chuan is low impact and puts minimal stress on muscles and joints, making it generally safe for all ages and fitness levels. In fact, because tai chi is a low-impact exercise, it may be especially suitable if you are an older adult who otherwise may not exercise. You might also find Tai Chi Chuan appealing because it's inexpensive and requires no special equipment. You can do Tai Chi Chuan anywhere, including indoors or outside, and you can do it alone or in a group class. Nevertheless, you need to do some kind of exercises because the inflammation will cause nerve damage if you do not exercise. Lastly, you need light weights (dumbbells), perhaps 5-10 pounds each (not too heavy) to keep your bones strong.
20. Get a good night's rest, without sleep you start the cycle of chronic inflammation, so make sure you are sleeping well and getting deep sleep. Sleep also repairs damaged cells.
To see a few samples of my natural remedies, click here.
Reference:
Dr. Paul Haider, Master Herbalist and Spiritual Teacher for over 20 years.
