Every human on this planet has experienced some type of physical pain in their lifetime. One of the great equalizers, pain knows no race, gender or creed.
It is often billed as an unfortunate occurrence to be avoided at all costs, but pain is actually quite useful— in the right amounts. Pain is here to warn us when things are out of balance – from an acute injury like a cut or sprain, to a chronic underlying condition like rheumatoid arthritis or a digestive disorder.
No matter what type of pain it is, one thing is for certain – there’s no reason for you to be in constant pain. Its primary function is to help our healing process and it should go away on its own or be easy to soothe with the right lifestyle practices… this is the focus of today’s piece.
Below are 3 rituals that you can easily implement into your everyday life that alleviate inflammation and pain.
Ritual #1 – The Body Scan Meditation
In 1999, doctors declared pain to be the 5th vital sign, along with: temperature, blood pressure, pulse and breath rate.
This meditation ritual will help you gain awareness of the location and intensity of pain throughout your body. Once you know the specific origin and underlying sensation of the pain you feel, it becomes much easier to dissolve.
Here’s how to do it:
Start by laying flat on the ground or sitting in a cross legged position. The goal of this practice is to quiet your mind and focus on the sensations of the body. You may find it helpful to grab pillows to support your tailbone, lower back or head.
Once you are situated in your desired position, take at least 5 deep breaths and begin to focus on your body.
Allow the trunk and branches of your body to grow heavy.
Relax any immediately noticeable tension.
Now, start by noticing your face and head. Are you clenching? Do your eyes hurt from staring at your phone all day? Is there aching anywhere? Throbbing?
If any of those things (or any other sensations) present themselves, take slow, deep breaths and focus on releasing your energy into that area.
Once you feel like that area is relaxed, move on to your neck. Then to your shoulders and arms. To your torso. To your legs. And finally to your feet and toes.
*I find it helpful to practice this ritual right before I start work in the morning, and then again before bed. Starting and ending with physical awareness helps you stay in tune with your body throughout the day.
Ritual #2 – Self Care: Epsom Salt Bath Soak
Self care is another term that has been trendy lately, but for good reason! Living in modern times means constant exposure to fear-based news media and all the other pitfalls that come with constantly being plugged in. This has led to a surge in mental illness and stress.
We need to take care of our physical and mental health now more than ever. And, for me, the pinnacle of self-care for pain and inflammation is an epsom salt bath soak.
Long practiced by the sports industry, an epsom salt bath relaxes your muscles, calms inflammation and helps you sleep more readily– which gives your body more time to recover.
If you incorporate herbal remedies, like essential oils or dried petals, you also gain those healing properties through the pores of the skin.
How to Draw a Pain Relieving Bath:
- Run hot water into a plugged bathtub
- Mix your bath soak blend: add 1 cup of salts and any desired herbs
- I suggest the following herbs for maximum analgesic and relaxing actions: lavender, chamomile, clove.
- Pour mixture into the tub and shut off the water when it’s full
- Wait 5 minutes: allow the salts to dissolve and herbs to release their medicine
- Jump in and relax!
Ritual #3 – Lifestyle : Anti-inflammatory Foods
Food is medicine.
If you’ve been following us for a long time, you know that this is something we stress to everyone.
But when you’re in chronic pain, it might be time to make bigger changes and focus on eating nutrient dense and anti-inflammatory foods.
Inflammation is the body’s way of trying to repair itself. When something is damaged, your immune system often releases white blood cells to begin repair. However, the extra blood traffic to a particular area pushes against nerve endings which is often what causes the pain.
Having a proper diet is often the best medicine.
Try to plan your meals to include:
-leafy greens
-turmeric (a powerful anti-inflammatory)
-salmon
-snacks like berries and nuts
-olive oil, instead of butter
-onions, garlic and ginger
Incorporating even one of these rituals can ease aches and pains, with very fast results. As we go into the holiday season where emotions are heightened, be sure to add these simple adjustments to your self care routine.
Stay curious,
Nick Polizzi
Host of Remedy: Ancient Medicine for Modern Illness
& Founder of The Sacred Science
23 Responses
Thanks Nick
Pain sucks for sure and these are great ideas to incorporate into your life. Are you familiar with the Bemer? It is an EMPF mat that stimulates your micro circulation by 30%. I bought one after fracturing my back and my pain was gone in a day. The circulation helped me a lot. I want to help others use this technology. I live in Boulder and heard Nick you do too. I would love to have a conversation with you on how to get this info out to the world so others can benefit from a pain free life naturally. I am a health coach and loved all your series. Remedy was fantastic. Let’s be in touch so we can share this incredible gift with others. If anyone else is interested in hearing more lets connect. I do sell them as it has changed my life and I love helping others live healthier!
Mr. Polizzi,
Thank you for sharing this information. I appreciate it very much though there is one thing I can put into practice, that is the life style one.
It really helps to know those good insights from you who want people to improve their health and feel good.
I love natural remedies, and always go for organic products. I haven’t bought anything out of your Sacred Shop because I owe lots of money on dental work, but I hope to get in line and purchase something someday.
I’m also grateful that I’m able to communicate with you using my email. I don’t ever want to be part of any of the many networks available.
I can’t thank you enough,
Ana
Thank you, Nick. I’ve taken the bath for years, especially after a flight and I don’t get flight sickness but go off to sleep like a baby. Sarah Tiers
Thank you Nick for your info and heart to help people heal naturally.
I recently just got a stye in my eye. Talk about pain.
It makes sense about the white blood cells trying to do there job and the lack of blood flow., causing pain.
I’ve done everything on the list of foods to fight this off but the salmon.
I’m sure it just takes time.
Stress … It took its toll on me this time.
Thank you, passing this info on to my daughter who has psoriatic arthritis and is in constant pain even on pain killers and hefty medicines.
Dear Nick, thank for this thoughtful message for healing.
I have RA , I am 73 years old , RA manifested around my 40 s . The pain has settled in my body , do I can really use this recipe for self care.
Hello Nick; Thank you so much for caring about helping your fellow human beings the way you do. It means so much in these hard times. I would like to add one thing that I have found helps me with my severe pain from Osteo-Arthritis & Degenerative Disc Disease. About 6 months age, my daughter suggested that I try CBD Oil from the Hemp strain of Cannibis plant. As soon as I took my first dose, the pain relief was almost instant. I have been taking CBD Hemp Oil every day since and have been able to get completely off of all prescription pain killers as well as prescriptions for Acid Reflux, COPD, & Depression/Anxiety. In addition to that, I’ve switched from eating highly processed & packaged foods that contain refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup and many other Genetically Modified foods that cause havoc in our bodies & make us sicker & have started eating much healthier foods, which also seems to be helping with my medical conditions. I hope this helps someone else as much as it has me.
Just thank you!
Thank you for all your beautiful work over the year. I’d like to wish you and yours, family and team, an inspiring time this Christmas, and a happy, healthy and creative new year 2019.
Best wishes
Thank you Nick for your caring and from your heart presented Information.The Bloodflow and the
Nerves in my left eye is disturbed so it sees only black and has a painful pressure.I will practica
your 3 helpful ways more intense and follow what happens.Your Series already helped in many
ways.I stopped to ear sugar,processed food and processed flower.
Enjoy these blessed days of Christmas with your Family.
I am happy you are in my Life
You haven’t written in a while, unless somehow I deleted your articles on accident. I was beginning to worry you stopped writing!
Thank you for this article. I just recently attended a class titled Food As Medicine with Inflammation being the primary focus. This article complements the class very nicely!
Thank you Nick for all you have done. One of the self help tools I like to use is EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). A form of acupressure/acupuncture where as you are tapping on the meridian points of the body to release blocked energy or emotions. Very effective for pain, stress and everything from A-Z. There are many practitioners out there doing wonderful work to teach this so others can help themselves. I have been using it for years.
Thanks for this. Very useful.
Just when I was wondering how to relieve the pain I feel throughout my body, I receive this. Perfect, I will put it into practice today! Until, my new healthy food choices kick in. Thank you so much!
I am a fan of your site and thank you for timely information provided. I do have a question, why is it that there is not a printer friendly link to the articles? I would love that feature if it’s possible.
Thank you so much angels are sent the above email so relevant I am seeing Consultants in uk as been periodic illness Sepsis hospitalised last year ??? Need find out why autoimmune disease which one,trying test now Lupus.agony all parts body.Pain been living with it not knowing why?? I’m a big believer in you you have pulled me through some rough times I’m also very spiritual suffering into 5th dimension. Think Cannabis oil worth try now. Thank you love poems,Sharman Sandra and ancient red Indian ways
Thank you so much angels are sent the above email so relevant I am seeing Consultants in uk as been periodic illness Sepsis hospitalised last year ??? Need find out why autoimmune disease which one,trying test now Lupus.agony all parts body.Pain been living with it not knowing why?? I’m a big believer in you you have pulled me through some rough times I’m also very spiritual suffering into 5th dimension. Think Cannabis oil worth try now. Thank you love poems,Sharman Sandra and ancient red Indian ways
Hi Nick, am just wondering does Gota Kola leaves help I watched , your videos , and Liqueric
supplements I am take DGL AND NAC for my leaky gut.
please advice
Juicing Vegies with Tumeric, L-Lysine, Ginger and Lemon. Drink Daily
this is good to know and nice suggestion. this is always do t the pain on my knee is still there is there any more suggestion.
wishing you and your team the best of health in 2019 !
keep up the good work !
maroesja, the netherlands
What do think about Activated charcoal for inflammation Nick?
Love all your stuff Nick keep on keeping on.
Many thanks. Paula