Is there a natural way to ease joint pain?

Q:

Between the damp weather and the physical demands of early spring gardening, my joints ache worse than usual. I already take painkillers and I don’t want to take any more than my doctor approved. What do you recommend?

A:

We suggest taking 500 mg of cat’s claw bark (like Solaray Cat’s Claw, $7 for 33 servings, Vitacost.com) daily until your pain subsides (but as usual, check with your doctor first). In a study in The Journal of Rheumatology, rheumatoid arthritis patients given an extract of this plant saw a 50 percent greater reduction in joint pain and swelling than those on a placebo.

How it works: Antioxidants in the plant inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory messengers to ease aches in as little as 24 hours. Phytochemicals in the bark also have been shown to stimulate output of cartilage growth factors by up to 100 percent, helping to fortify and strengthen the cushioning around joints for longterm relief from stiffness and pain.