3 Daily Rituals to Dissolve Inflammation and Pain

I think we all can agree that we don’t want to pop pills for the rest of our lives.

When our bodies are in pain, they look for natural solutions to the root cause of the problem.

Our bodies are so wise, in fact, that at the first indication that anything is wrong they send in the calvary! The warrior that keeps our bodies safe is our immune system – sending in white blood cells to fight off any source of discomfort.

But sometimes the body’s natural protective response causes swelling that can push on your nerves (pun intended), and that causes further pain.

The best way to help your body learn not to panic any time something feels a little off, is to tweak your daily practices. Every human on this planet has experienced some type of physical pain in their lifetime – some more than others – but pain is one of the great equalizers that knows no race, gender or creed.

Not matter what type of pain it is, whether chronic or acute, one thing is for certain – there’s no reason for you to be in constant pain.

So here are 3 rituals that you can easily implement into your everyday life that alleviates inflammation and pain:

Ritual #1 –  The Body Scan Meditation

Meditation has been all the rage in recent news– not just with yogis, but with businessmen, athletes and entrepreneurs alike.

In 1999, doctors declared pain to be the 5th vital sign, along with: temperature, blood pressure, pulse and breath rate.

This embodiment ritual will help you gain awareness of the location and intensity of pain throughout your body.

Here’s how to do it:

Start by laying flat on the ground or sitting in a cross legged position. Again, 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 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 bed, and before I start work in the morning. Starting and ending with bodily 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 news, heightened expectations due to the comparative nature of social media and a greater number of diagnosed cases of an array of mental illnesses, we, as a people, are prioritizing balance.

The pinnacle of self-care is an epsom salt bath soak.

Long practiced by the sports industry, an epsom 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 Self Care Bath:

1. Run hot water into a plugged bathtub
2. 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.
3. Pour mixture into the tub and shut off the water when it’s full
4. Wait 5 minutes: allow the salts to dissolve and herbs to release their medicine
5. 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 acute or 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 hurts, your immune system releases white blood cells to begin repair. However, the extra blood traffic to any particular area pushes against nerve endings which is what causes the pain.

Having a proper diet is your number one defense against illness and can be the best medicine.

Try to plan your meals to include:

• leafy greens
• salmon
• snacks like berries and nuts
• olive oil, instead of butter
• onions, garlic and ginger (all natural antibiotics)

Incorporating even one of these rituals can ease aches and pains with immediate results. After all, our bodies are what keep us going every day – we owe it to ourselves to take care of it.

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