Your body is very smart and always tries to patch itself up as quickly as possible. But when major trauma from vehicle accidents happens, your natural healing ability can get overwhelmed.
The good news is that you can support your amazing inner healing ability even more with the proper self-care basics like:
- Getting lots of rest
- Eating nutrient-rich foods
- Staying hydrated
- Managing stress through relaxing activities
- Being patient with the process
And when you add in outside reinforcements from natural remedies, your body is capable of healing faster and more completely. Therefore, right after you call specialized lawyers for truck accident claims and do any of the other urgent legal and self-care must-dos, you should think about incorporating natural remedies into your lifestyle.
Why Use Natural Remedies?
Doctors often prescribe strong medications after accidents to lessen pain or reduce infections. These work well, but can sometimes also cause side effects like stomach upset, headaches or dizziness.
Natural remedies derived from foods, herbs and essential oils boost healing without negative reactions in most people. These gentler methods tend to be safer, affordable and easy to use at home.
Let’s look closer at how plant-based remedies can help your body’s built-in healing system:
- They deliver more inflammation-lowering nutrients to damaged sites so cells can work their magic faster.
- They increase blood circulation, bringing fresh oxygen and compounds to help make new cells and fibers.
- They provide additional soldiers with their antioxidants and compounds to beat infection.
- They help strengthen new collagen structures that mend wounds and tissues.
- They also calm the nervous system to lower stress so the body can conserve energy for healing.
When used alongside doctor-recommended medical treatments, natural solutions let you take a more active role in your recovery journey.
Next, let’s explore some of the best anti-inflammatory herbs, essential oils, and gentle exercises to help your injuries heal more quickly.
Soothing Herbal Anti-Inflammatories
Left uncontrolled, too much inflammation causes fluid buildup, swelling, pain and redness that delays healing.
Certain herbs have natural compounds that calm such inflammatory flare-ups. They include:
- Turmeric – Contains curcumin, which reduces inflammation similar to some prescription medications! Stir turmeric into rice or soup dishes, blend into smoothies or steep into a strong tea by simmering grated root in hot water or milk.
- Ginger – Fresh ginger root also makes an aromatic tea. Gingerols are its active chemicals that block enzymes that make inflammation worse. Grate it into stir-fries or veggie juices too.
- Basil – The fragrant essential oils in sweet basil called eugenols decrease painful swelling. Chop leaves over soups, pasta and herbed dishes like pesto sauce for an anti-inflammatory flavor boost.
- Cinnamon – This warm spice is nicely sprinkled over oatmeal or mixed into coffee for its ability to calm inflammatory pathways. Or look for it in capsule form.
- Garlic – Eating raw minced garlic is a smart home remedy – when its enzymes are activated they reduce inflammatory proteins. Let chopped cloves sit 10 minutes before cooking or swallow pieces wrapped in bread.
- Cayenne – The hot capsaicin in cayenne pepper redirects pain signals. Sprinkle a tiny pinch over meals or stir into lemon-honey tea for a healing heat kick.
When using these remedies, follow dosage instructions. Also, check with your doctor about using plant-based remedies alongside prescription medications.
Another drug-free way to take down swelling is good old ice therapy. Apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel to bruised body parts for up to 20 minutes several times a day. Icing constricts blood vessels which cuts back fluid buildup and pain signals.
Tissue Repairing Essential Oils
Here are some beneficial tissue healers:
- Helichrysum – Regenerates nerves, skin and muscle fibers. Mix 5 drops into 1 teaspoon carrier oil like coconut or jojoba, then massage gently onto affected areas like bruises or scar tissue to reduce pain.
- Lavender – Quickens new skin cell growth to mend wounds faster while preventing visible scarring. Add 5-8 drops of soothing lavender oil into body lotions or bathwater.
- Tea tree and frankincense – These antibacterial oils prevent wound infections when combined. Mix 2 drops each into a cleanser, or dilute with a carrier to lightly dress bandages.
- Rosemary – Improves local blood circulation to better deliver nutrients that fuel healing. Add 5 drops per ounce to hair or body wash.
- Myrrh – This antique resin oil has natural pain-relieving properties and prevents festering infections in healing wounds when used topically. Blend into skin salves or creams.
Essential oils are potent, so be cautious using them if you have sensitivity. And never ingest them. That said, combining tissue-healing essential oils with very gentle massage brings improved blood flow to injured body sites to actively speed up your recovery.
Gentle Healing Movements
While more serious injuries require immobilization at first, soon thereafter, physical therapy and light exercise can improve your healing trajectory.
And so always ask your doctor when it’s safe to start stretching or moving after accidents. This is because the right rehab plan will target your unique injury successfully, and help you recover faster. Why? Because gentle exercise enhances circulation, easing stiffness and pain so oxygenated blood can better reach recovering areas. Light movement also helps tone muscles, lubricate joints and assist organs to function optimally.
Here are some great gentle healing options:
- Walking – Simple low-impact movement like walking improves blood flow, sweeping healing nutrients and cells through the body to mend damaged spots while also lowering stress. Start by strolling 5-10 minutes and gradually increase as able.
- Yoga – Gentle poses and sequences move the body through comfortable ranges of motion to ease post-accident muscle tension and scar tissue. Try relaxing restorative yoga using props to fully support the body.
- Stretching – Slow, relaxed stretching lengthens connective tissues to help reduce stiffness and regain flexibility. Hold stretches for 30 seconds, repeating 4-5 times each.
- Tai Chi – Controlled, flowing martial arts movements increase stability, circulation and body awareness. Adapt motions to your current capability.
- Physical therapy – Specialized stretching, joint mobilization and muscle strengthening programs target each unique injury under a professional’s supervision to ensure exercises assist not overwhelm the healing process.
The key with therapeutic movements is to go at your own pace without strain.
Tune inward, focusing on breathing while gently transitioning between positions. Relax into any discomfort, backing off if you feel sharp pain. This is because when the nervous system stays calm versus stressed during exercise, optimal blood flow occurs and this helps heal injuries efficiently.
Supporting Your Healing Capacity
As we’ve discovered here, your body is hardwired with tremendous self-healing abilities that automatically start patching you back up after sustaining serious injuries in an accident. And so, you can positively influence your own natural healing wisdom with simple lifestyle measures and home remedies that provide gentle yet effective holistic support.
Eating more fresh anti-inflammatory foods delivers micronutrients needed to manufacture new cells faster. Soothing teas hydrate tissues while relaxing nerves for healing hormones to flow freely. Essential oils encourage infection prevention and speed tissue regeneration. And mindful movements bring nourishing blood with oxygen and nutrients to injured sites so they strengthen properly.
Even when doctor-guided medical treatment is also needed, having some control over your own supplemental care is empowering. Trust in your body’s inner capacity to heal itself back to health. And also provide reinforcement through self-care.
But if pain or other issues linger, always follow up with your physician.
Comments
comments