Ease joint pain by 96%

“Frost on the pumpkin, pain in your joints”…there’s truth in that adage! European researchers say the shift to cold and damp weather causes joint-pain flares for 67% of people with arthritis. But you can sidestep the pain medications simply by…

Rubbing on comfrey Ahh… Rubbing sore spots with comfrey cream cuts stiffness and joint pain by 33% in the first hour— and if you use it four times daily, your pain could plunge by 94% in four days, report German researchers in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Study co-author Chris Staiger, PH.D., says comfrey’s active ingredients reduce joint inflammation, plus calm overactive pain nerves. (Try Terry Naturally, Comfrey Cream, Amazon.com.) Doing this stretch Focus your lower on one back gentle and stretch legs and of Tufts University researchers say you’ll reduce the strain on hip, knee and ankle joints enough to cut pain by 45% in six weeks! To do: Sit on the floor with your legs extended (knees slightly bent) and gently lean toward your toes. Hold for 30 seconds; release. Repeat three times daily.

Choosing orange

Pumpkin, papayas, carrots… their cheery color comes from a plant pigment ( betacryptoxanthin) that can cut joint pain by 46% if you enjoy 1 cup daily, researchers report in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The plant pigment reduces pain-triggering hormones and strengthens joints. Taking “eggshells” Really! A daily 500-mg. dose of eggshell membrane could cut your joint pain by 72%! That’s because it brims with compounds that repair damaged cartilage. Try: Healthy Origins’ Eggshell Membrane (Vitacost.com). Note: Check with your doctor before taking supplements. —Brenda Kearns