Make this your best spring ever

Can’t you just smell spring in the air? If you’re like us, all you want to do is go-go- go… walking, cleaning, gardening, puttering. The hitch? With the brighter, warmer weather, it’s so easy to overdo and find yourself aching and cranky. The secret to enjoying every single spring day? Incorporating these so-simple habits into your life Sip spiced milk

Whisk cinnamon, ginger and turmeric into warm coconut milk for a yummy brew that can cut even chronic aches and pains by 63%—better results than aspirin or ibuprofen! Thanks goes to the spices’ painkilling anti-inflammatories, plus plant fats in coconut milk, which kick-start the healing of strained muscles, tendons and other tissues. A tasty shortcut: Organifi Gold (Organifishop.com) contains this healing blend—mix with coconut milk and enjoy!

Share a meal

Enjoy a meal every week with a friend or family member—whether you invite her to a potluck or meet for lunch— and your pain levels could plunge by up to 72%, British studies suggest. Explains psychologist Robin Dunbar, PH.D., the friend effect is surprisingly powerful— every time you chat while sharing a meal, you’re activating your brain’s painkilling endorphin system.

Try the “pink compound”

Salmon gets its pretty pink hue from a compound called astaxanthin, and recent research suggests taking 4 mg. of this compound daily could make your muscle aches and joint tenderness drop by 58%. Explains study co-author Sarada Ravi, PH.D., astaxanthin blocks an enzyme (COX-2) that fuels tissue inflammation and pain. One to try: Life Extension Astaxanthin with Phospholipids (Lef.com/ww). Note: Check with your doctor before supplementing.

Stretch before bed

It feels natural to stretch upon awakening, but reaching for the sky before you sleep helps ease aches and pains. British researchers say five minutes of stretching your large muscles (try toe touches and back arches) boosts nutrient-rich blood flow to damaged tissues by 60%—and since your body repairs itself during sleep, that circulation boost could cut healing time in half. — Brenda Kearns