From Health magazine
Two years into medical school, Laurie Steelsmith needed something for pain in her hands and arms. It wasn’t clear what was wrong, but it was a struggle just to braid her hair, take notes in class, and even drive a car. When high doses of ibuprofen prescribed by her doctors only made her ears ring, Steelsmith turned elsewhere—to all-natural medicine. Using herbs and other supplements, she says, her pain slowly but surely disappeared.
Seventeen pain-free years later, Steelsmith, 44, a doctor of Chinese and naturopathic medicine and author of Natural Choices for Women’s Health, is one of 90 million American women who regularly use supplements. “I really believe in this medicine,” she says. “It’s what my body needs.”
Which all-natural remedies are best for you? Health asked Steelsmith and other natural-medicine experts to identify safe and effective choices for women. Of course, as the word implies, any supplement is an add-on to a healthy lifestyle, not a substitute for eating well, exercising, or keeping your doctor’s appointments. Supplements are not cure-alls.
Next page: Best for pain and PMS
Comments (18)
This is a very useful page for just about anyone for one thing or another. Thank you so much!!! It is something I will probably refer to again and again!
It’s amazing!!! all the details will be very much
useful for the viewers….
“keep on giving us such valuable informations……….”
THANKYOU
Just one proviso – skip the peppermint if you have reflux, heartburn etc. Whilst it is good as a muscle relaxant for some stomach and digestion woes, this very quality makes it a no-no for things such GER.
Nice to see useful information. I believe the comment about Peppermint refers to drinking Peppermint tea. It can cause tremendous pain and people often think the pain will be cured by drinking more.
However, taking Enteric-coated Peppermint Oil allows the peppermint to be released in the intestines, not in the stomach.
Used in this fashion, it is a wonderful supplement, very helpful for pain and discomfort.
I believe in the natural remedies. People still have to ralize that they can be allergic to some of them. Talk to your doctor, mine didn’t understand the herbal methods, but now he understands more
Thank you for the great post!!!!! This is so helpful I will be stopping by the Health Food store today with my list
Thank you, the ones on pain are of great interest to me.
I am one of those people who has trouble sleeping and need ambien or I don’t sleep at all. I have tried natural products with no success, plus there are so many different brands it is confusing. Melatonin doesn’t work – I have tried liquid valerian – no luck. Any suggestions?
Hi,
I have tried everthing you can think of for sleep. Mothing worked!.Try 5htp in a low dose 25-50mg. YOu have to empty a little out as it is a capsule. It worked for me. I haven’t slept in 15 yrs while I was on Celexa. Just got off 2 months ago. So far this works. It makes me a little tired and I have a funny kind of head but nothing like I use to be when I took all the pharmacy drugs. Bruttle side effects.
Carol
Thank you for the info on herbs. I take several meds that have very bad side effects and would love to go to all natural. Keep up the good work for all of us.
i’ve found that an herb called skull cap is very helpful for pms or cramps when steeped in tea
Hey Lynn Malter – I don’t do well with melatonin either. You can try either trytophan (500-1000mg) or 5 htp (50-100mg) before bed. I have better success with 5 htp. Maybe 100mg of sublingual GABA if you wake during the night or have trouble falling asleep. Good luck to you, I know how hard it is when you have sleep problems.
Great advice on remedies that work. I love the herbal formulas but I always dread trying any new product since there is so much hype and scams out there. Appreciate your blog on what works:-)
One thing that was not mentioned to help a person fall and stay asleep is passion flower. This natural anti-anxiety has saved my life!!! I’ve tried both valerian and melatonin and have discovered passion-flower to be the best, namely in a natural pill form called Calms Forte, which includes hops and camomile. I recommend it for insomniacs like me.
I have had difficulty in sleeping ever since I went through menopause and also a malignancy. I have tried several natural herbs but they do not help. Ambien is the only medicine that works for me and I wish I didn’t have to take it. Thanks
I have trouble sleeping as well. I haven’t been able to get/lie in bed, turn off the lights and tv, and go to sleep successfully since I was in high school i think. I can’t go to sleep when i want to/should no matter how tired I may be or when the last night was that i slept. i only sleep about 4hrs or less a night 3-4 nights a week. I have tried over the counter sleep meds/aids such as tylenol PM, advil PM, Nyquil, and like Sleep Aid which rarely actually work for me. advil PM and Sleep Aid has helped me but only a couple times but after 4 or 5 nights of taking them I seem to become immune or something… ?? I have also been prescribed sedatives, anti-depressant/anxiety, tranquilizers and such from doctors but i dont wanna take cause of how highly addictive they are. I have tried organic stores’ brand sleep aids, candles, etc. but no help, is there any natural vitamin, tea, anything anyone knows of that may help??
It takes for ever for me to go to sleep; sometimes I take Ambien, it works, but I do not want to get use to it. I am 63 and I trie to do what have been recommended at the beginng of this article. Is it something natural that could help me. Thanks.
Actually there are quite a few side effects for valerian. An overdose or even prolonged use can cause depression, laziness, and a feeling of apathy, among others. Plenty of sources on that, including my personal experience.