Alert! Read this before taking aspirin

If you’re among the millions of women who reach for aspirin when your back aches, you may want to reconsider. Researchers in the Annals of

Rheumatic Diseases found that OTC anti-inflammatory medication like aspirin and ibuprofen only work for one in six people with back pain. Plus, aspirin contains salicylates, chemicals that can cause fatigue, pain and rashes in people who are sensitive to them. Fortunately, there’s a natural remedy that works even better. “Meditation could be more effective than morphine for back pain,” says New York City physician James Dillard, M.D., author of The Chronic

Pain Solution. The practice has been shown to shut down hyper-excited pain pathways in the brain and spinal cord, he explains. “Fewer pain signals get to the brain, easing discomfort.” To get relief, try mindfulness pioneer Jon KabatZinn’s Mindfulness Meditation for Pain Relief audiobook, $12, Amazon.com.