Soothe various pains naturally with this common kitchen ingredient

"Mostly used in the form of infused oil or essential oil is an anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, muscle relaxant, and anti-bacterial," said Luke Coutinho

By: Lifestyle Desk

New Delhi | December 17, 2022 07:10 PM IST

4 min read

This ingredient comes with many benefits. (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

Listen to this article

Your browser does not support the audio element.

The humble nutmeg or Jaiphal that sits in our kitchen has more uses than just flavouring various dishes. The aromatic spice has been used as a natural analgesic for inflamed joints and as a mild sedative across civilizations. “Nutmeg is rich in magnesium, manganese, copper, potassium, vitamin B1, B6, and calcium,” wrote Luke Coutinho, co-founder, youcarelifestyle.com.

Mostly used in the form of infused oil or essential oil, it is also anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, muscle relaxant, and anti-bacterial. Revealing how he discovered this “gift of nature”, Luke narrated an incident when he injured his ankle and wanted to heal it naturally instead of popping painkillers. “While researching, I came across the properties of nutmeg which is helpful in relieving pain. So, I mixed a few drops of nutmeg essential oil with cold-pressed sesame oil and massaged it all over my ankle. The magic unfolded within 24 hours. I woke up with no pain and went about my day,” he wrote.

Also Read | Feeling sore? Here are three natural things you can do to manage body pain

Several health conditions like arthritis, neuropathy, fibromyalgia or multiple sclerosis can cause debilitating pain in some cases and interfere with sleep which, in turn, can affect recovery. “Several patients (athletes too) going through chronic pain, muscle/nerve/joint pain, any swelling or soreness, tennis elbows are on our nutmeg oil protocol and the effect this spice has on pain and inflammation is nothing short of miraculous,” he added.

According to various research, nutmeg is an aphrodisiac, mildly sedative, sleep inducer, digestion stimulant, anti-bloat, anti-flatulence, adaptogen and nervous system relaxant (acts on the sympathetic nervous system), vasodilator and anti-anxiety remedy. It contains natural chemicals like eugenol, terpenes, and trimyristin which are responsible for inducing sleep, relaxing tired muscles and nerves, setting in a sense of calm, and relieving pain, swelling and inflammation.

How to use it?

Take 4-5 drops of a good quality nutmeg essential oil. Mix it in two tbsps of any carrier oil like cold pressed sesame or coconut oil. Gently massage it externally on the affected area daily. Do this daily for a couple of days to see the results

To deal with sleep issues, Luke suggested adding a dash of nutmeg to a glass of ethically sourced warm milk. “If you can’t consume milk due to being lactose intolerant, use almond milk instead. Or, brew it as tea with water or mix it with a tsp of raw honey,” he wrote.

Also Read | Try these natural pain relievers as quick home remedies

However, he quickly added, “Of course, only consuming nutmeg won’t cut it if you are stressed, unable to disconnect from gadgets, overdosing on caffeine late evening, and unable to silence your mind before sleep. So one has to couple lifestyle for nutmeg to work effectively.”

Story continues below this ad

“A little nutmeg goes a long way. You only need a minuscule (less than ¼ tsp) of it. In excess, nutmeg can cause heart palpitations, loss of muscle coordination, and hallucinations,” Luke warned.

Also, he suggested performing a patch test, always mixing nutmeg oil with a carrier oil and not applying it on open wounds or cuts.

📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!

From the homepage