What is Arthritis pain?
Arthritis, as we all know, is an extremely painful condition which results in inflammation of the joints. This is caused by a slow, but steady loss of cartilage and in some extreme cases, weakening of bones. Various data on arthritis shows that it occur in humans of any age group and normally affects joints like hips, hands, legs, spine etc. The diagnosis is quite easy as the patient will suffer from severe and sustained pain over a prolonged period of time. It can get quite worse if kept untreated.
Treating Arthritis
Other than proper medication, the treatment course for arthritis includes physical exercise, weight loss and strict adherence to a recommended diet. Now, the diet part is quite important for the management of arthritis pain.
Food for arthritis pain management
Doctors advise a diet rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants etc to allay pain caused by arthritis. However, how many of us know that the fiery hot red chilli can be your perfect partner in managing arthritis pain? Sounds too good to be true, right? But it is.
As per the American Physician’s Desk Reference, red chilli is a natural pain killer due to the copious amounts of Capsaicin present in the spice. There are almost 3000 scientific papers that have been included in the US National Library of Medicine related to the medicinal properties of red chilli.
Red Chilli- a natural healer
Globally, Red chilli production has seen a phenomenal rise ever since the medieval ages. Although, they form a major part of cuisines in many continents, it has always found medicinal uses. It is believed the ancient Rishis were aware of the healing properties of red chilli and hence included it in many healing potions specified in Ayurveda in India and few other countries. The history of medicine that traces its roots back to the early BC’s attests to the medicinal properties of this spice.
Red Chilli as pain killer
Capsaicin, an ingredient in red chilli, is responsible for its pain relieving properties. The composition of Capsaicin may vary in different grades of red chilli. For instance, dry red chilli in India has one of the highest capsaicin content. This is one of the reasons why most people source it from chilli suppliers in India. This way they can be assured of high capsaicin content, thus better application as a pain killer.
Other than its applications as a pain killer, it can also be used as a blood circulation booster, clot buster, heart food, blood pressure reducer, cholesterol fighter, lung-friendly food, antiviral, antibacterial, toxin remover, digestive aid, weight loss aid, mood enhancer, anticancer, health stimulant, life sustainer, radiation protector, stomach ulcer prevention and so on.
The red chilli is also rich in carotenoids and other vitamins like Vitamin B1 and B2, calcium, iron, sodium, magnesium etc. although, it is highly beneficial when taken in limited amounts, care must be taken not to consume this spice in excess as it can cause gastritis and peptic ulcer.
So make sure that you include this spice as a preventive action for arthritis