The cold winds of winter bring snow and fun, but they can also cause joint pain to worsen. When joint pain becomes difficult to deal with it's easy to miss out on all the joy and love this wonderful season has to offer. Changes in the atmosphere's barometric pressure can cause minor joint and arthritis pain to become worse. Be sure to take time to nurture your joints this winter. A fantastic way to do this is to use Indian spices like turmeric, cayenne pepper, and ginger. Adding these spices to a curry (or any other dish for that matter) makes for a delicious meal that will help relieve and prevent arthritis and joint stiffness and pain. These ingredients are powerful cleansers as well as pain relievers, making them a beneficial addition to your diet throughout the year.
Turmeric comes to us from shrubs grown in India. It's bright yellow in color and gives food a bit of a bite. India's traditional Ayurvedic medicine considered Turmeric to be a symbol of prosperity and was used to cure digestive problems, fever, liver ailments, and arthritis. Today we have learned that this spice has a knack for lowering histamine levels, which in turn will lower the inflammation that comes with arthritis. This reduces the amount of pain that joints experience. Turmeric is also chock-full of antioxidants, making it a smart addition to almost any meal.
Cayenne pepper has long been known as a spice with a kick. This spice is often added to spicy foods for some extra flavor and bite. It's great for making spicy foods hotter, but it can also help reduce the pain you might feel from achy joints. The reason for this is capsaicin. Capsaicin is the compound that makes cayenne so spicy. It also lowers the levels of a chemical that communicates pain to your brain. Capsaicin creams are available, but I'd recommend adding cayenne pepper to a curry to make for a delicious, healing meal.
Ginger is another spice used in Ayurvedic medicine to address joint pain and inflammation. Today's research backs up what Indian medicine has known for centuries - people with arthritis who take ginger daily experience less pain than those who take prescription medications. This is great news, and it's made even better by the fact that ginger is so versatile. You can add it into so many soups and stews (or even a turmeric and cayenne pepper curry)! You can even try ginger tea for a soothing finish to a cold winter day. There's no end to the creative ways you can add this healthful herb to your diet.
One of my favorite ways to add these spices to my diet is to make a curry. At the most basic level a curry is a spicy dish that's filled with vegetables or meat. Curry is flavored with a mixture of spices called curry powder (easy to remember, no?). They're one of those meals that are easy to make exactly how you like it. Just add in the spices and vegetables you like the best and serve over your favorite rice. It's also the perfect meal to house all those joint healthy spices. Turmeric, ginger, and cayenne are all common spices in curry. They give the dish so much flavor and character it's almost as if the joint benefits are an added bonus! Curries are delicious, wholesome and so easy to put together - they're perfect for a blustery, busy night.
It's easy to get caught up in all the activities that winter brings and forget to nourish your body. It's more important than ever to fill yourself with healthful foods. Go the extra step to give your favorite foods some personality by adding the spices I've talked about here. Give curry a try for a stress free dinner, or add some kick to your favorite dishes. Your joints will thank you for it, and you'll be ready to embrace everything the season has to offer.
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