So many of us are so caught up on the “Tylenol” marketing bandwagon, that we have been trained not to even think of possible alternative remedies when we have a headache, cramps or inflammation. Believe it or not, there are some great natural alternatives for your pain, if you ever want to avoid the litany of drugstore painkillers polluting our waterways. Here are a few your might want to consider:

White Willow Bark: This bark contains “salicin” which was originally used to make aspirin (of course today Aspirin is 100% synthesized- surprise, surprise). It is also known as an “herbal aspirin” and is really good for headaches, pain relief, muscle aches, cramps as well as lowering fever. Most children are not allowed to take antibiotics when sick (or doctors don’t give it out very readily), so this could even be a more diluted solution for when your little-one is sick.

Turmeric: Ever wonder what this spice is good for besides in “curry”??? Well it actually is considered an anti-carcinogenic root and can do incredible work reducing inflammation throughout your body. It is also a mild blood thinner and is currently being tested on everything from Alzheimer’s to HIV. You can even add black pepper to your turmeric in cooking to bump up its bio-availability thanks to the piperine in there. If you are like me at hate the taste of turmeric, you can buy a natural turmeric extract called BCM-95. What is great about BCM -95…maybe even eat this after you have sprinkled some black pepper on your breakfast to increase its absorption.

Capsaicin: Otherwise known as cayenne pepper cream desensitizes pain receptors called C-fibres and really helps to reduce nerve and muscle pain on contact. I warn you, though, to keep this cream away from your eyes and mucous membranes: it’ll burn a lot!

Have you heard of any natural supplements that work miracles for you? Eco-Savy would love to hear about them! Looking forward to hearing your comments.