Millions of people suffer from joint pain due to arthritis, injury or overexertion. Not all your grandmother's home remedies work, but using cabbage leaves to help relieve joint pain just might. Along with other nutritional benefits, such as being high in Vitamins C and K and phytonutrients, the dark outer leaves of cabbage heads are bursting with glutamine, a powerful anti-inflammatory. Though there is no scientific proof, cabbage leaves have been used for years to treat joint pain.
Instructions
Cabbage Might Do the Trick
1. Place dark green cabbage leaves on a hard surface and cut the stem part out with a sharp paring knife. Using a rolling pin or wine bottle, roll over the leaves, slightly bruising them, to release some of the juice.
2. Set the leaves on a plate and cover them loosely with plastic wrap. Heat the leaves in your microwave for about 10 to 20 seconds, just until they are warm to the touch and somewhat pliable.
3. Wrap the painful joint with the warm cabbage leaves, layering them as you go along. (If they feel too warm, let them cool down to a more comfortable temperature.) Wrap the joint with the self-stick gauze to hold the leaves in place and wrap again with plastic wrap to help hold in the warmth.
4. Keep the cabbage wrap on the joint for at least one hour. You may want to repeat the process, using new leaves. Some people apply the leaves at bedtime and keep the poultice on overnight.
5. Discard used leaves and enjoy the possibility of less pain and more mobility. Since cabbage is relatively inexpensive, if this method works for you, it will be a cost effective way to manage your pain without the side effects that come with many pain medications.
Tags: cabbage leaves, joint pain, joint with, plastic wrap, with plastic