Natural health: Use cayenne pepper to ease aching muscles

Plus tips for aching eyes after a day of looking at screens

Cayenne pepper 

I recently pulled a calf muscle while running. The pain has subsided but the muscle still aches. What would you suggest?

One of the best remedies to almost instantly provide relief from the aching you are experiencing is a cayenne-based topical remedy.

If you can find this in balm or salve form then it is easily massaged into your calf to improve blood flow and help facilitate repair. If you are unable to locate a cayenne/capsaicin-based product, then look for one with ingredients such as ginger, arnica, black pepper, wintergreen, cajeput, lavender, or peppermint to help stimulate blood flow and tissue repair.

It is best to use this type of topical product in the morning so that it can work throughout the day, and then again at night before bed. No doubt you are doing gentle exercises as recommended by your physiotherapist - it is important that you also make time for recovery.

This can include gentle massage, soaking in the bath with Epsom salts, and elevating your legs on a stool to relieve inflammation in the affected area.

Supplement wise, it is a good idea to consider anti-inflammatory formulations including bromelain, MSM (methyl sulphonyl methane), and/or magnesium.

Magnesium is particularly useful in treating muscular cramping, relaxation, and nerve health. Whenever you supplement with magnesium, it is important to take calcium as well as these two minerals work best in a 2:1 ratio. The recommended dosage is 800mg of calcium to 400mg of magnesium daily.

Vitamin B6 is often indicated in overuse injuries, between 100-200mg daily, and helps to treat tight muscles when combined with magnesium and calcium.

Vitamin C can help to reduce inflammation and heal tissue damage and should be taken at a dosage of 1,000-3,000mg daily.

My eyes often ache at the end of a day in front of the screen. Is there a natural treatment I could use?

Bilberries have a reputation for supporting eye health, recommended by most natural health professionals for sore, dry eyes and to improve vision and focus. (They were eaten by aircraft pilots in the Second World War to improve their night vision.) Bilberry supplements are available from health stores in capsule and liquid form.

DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is a fatty acid that has a number of benefits for retinal and brain functioning. DHA is present in the retina of the eye, and supplementation has been shown to protect against macular degeneration.

When it comes to aching or irritated eyes, you might also like to incorporate the following methods into your day to minimise the effect on your eye health.

1. Scan the screen rather than staring at it

2. Blink. Believe it or not, the level of concentration used while working on a computer often means that we slow down our rate of blinking and breathing, so it is important to consciously blink and take mindful breaths every once in a while.

3. Change your focus. This is as simple as looking away from the screen and honing in on a distant object, then back again.

Another key point is to take your break times away from the computer, especially your lunch break. If you are able to take a walk or get in some form of movement to improve your circulation, this will help increase your alertness so you are less likely to spend the rest of the afternoon unblinking in front of your computer.

There are several apps designed to remind us to take a break regularly with customisable prompts and time-out parameters. I recommend these for anyone who spends long periods of time working with or using screens of any sort.

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NOTE: The information contained in this column is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor.