Cabbage for pain relief
A green leaf vegetable works wonder when used topically for pain relief. Sounds astonishing? Yes, this is true in the case of cabbage. Let’s know about the vegetable before going into some amazing facets.
All about cabbage
Cabbage is a common plant that is eaten as a vegetable. It is related to broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and Brussels. The fruit is wrapped in layers of green leaves that are edible and taste good in several healthy food preparations. The leaves are also used for medical treatments.
Cabbage leaves use
Cabbage is normally beneficial to relieve stomach pain. It is used as a natural remedy in the stomach and intestinal ulcers. Doctors believe that cabbage can also cure acid reflux that is caused due to high levels of cholesterol. Cabbage is used to cure asthma and morning sickness. It can be helpful in preventing osteoporosis, a bone-related syndrome. Studies also suggest that cabbage is helpful in the cure of lung, colon, stomach, breast and certain other types of cancers.
While these benefits sound good to years, cabbage is a miraculous product when applied topically to our bodies. The indications relate to breast-feeding women applying cabbage leaves or leave extract to breasts. This resulted in effective relief from swelling and pain. Until recently, its uses for joint pain have not been established. But now, cabbage is proven to cure joint pain and swelling when used topically. It is beneficial for people suffering from osteoarthritis.
Applying cabbage leaves on the leg for joint pain relief
One might not take it as a simple or common procedure, but wrapping leg with pain in cabbage leaves does work. And the best part of this method is that it is easy to use and can be used at home by yourself. You don’t need any physiotherapy machines for the procedure. All you will need is a large cabbage, gauze bandage, preferably with self-sticking property, oven, rolling pin and plastic or a foil wrap.
The steps
Step 1-collection leaves
In the first step, simply peel off some large cabbage leaves. Here you may use red cabbage which is said to have better anesthetic properties. You can use a cutting board and cut out the hard inner stem with a sharp kitchen knife. You can then use a rolling pin to gently bruise the leaves. This might also release some cabbage juice, which can be persevered for later use.
Step 2-preparation
In the next step, collect the leaves and wrap them all together in the foil. Now, place this foil in the oven for a few minutes. This will make the leaves pliable. The step also ensures that the material we are using remains sterilized and bacteria or germ-free. You may test the temperature ensuring that the leaves to be applied are warm. Make sure that the temperature should not be too high to make the leaves hot as it will rupture their properties. Making them warm also ensures that proper fermentation is given to the applied area.
Step 3-application
The next step includes application on your leg, in the area where the pain is maximum. Simply layer the cabbage leaves around the painful joint. Make sure that the area is completely encased with the leaves. During this process, one should ensure that the application should not provide a burning sensation. If it happens, let the leaves allow to cool for a minute. Hold the leaves on the affected area with the help of a self-stick gauze bandage. Cover the entire poultice with plastic wrap. You can also use aluminum foil to trap the warmth and let the application goes on for a long period of time.
Step 4- deciding the time
In this step, you should give time to the leaves to act on the affected area of the leg. Leave the cabbage leaves wrapped around the joint. The time may range from 30 minutes to one hour. This time can be extended, if the person feels relief. One can prolong the procedure using new cabbage leaves set. You can re-wrap the joint after one hour. You can even use the procedure twice or thrice a day with regular time intervals. This will surely provide continued relief. The poultice can even be left on overnight for serious pain issues of the legs.
Step 5- unwrapping
After using the leaves as per the situation demands, you can unwrap the cabbage leaves. This should be done as soon as the poultice cools down. Discard the used leaves and the entire poultice. You should estimate the result and monitor how much relief you have got in the affected area.
Why does it work?
Out of all green leafy vegetables, red cabbage works well due to its active ingredients. It contains anthocyanin. This is the compound that is found in blueberries and cherry juice. It is known to give cabbage its color. The compound is also responsible to help produce inflammation and joint pain. Cabbage has been studied and regarded as beneficial for the treatment of cancer syndromes. This shows that the vegetable has healing effects which are quite evident in various digestive organs and peptic ulcers. This signifies its value in curing topical pain and inflammation of our joints. The pain-relieving chemicals in the cabbage usually penetrate the skin and dissolve all crystal deposits. This helps in soothing the inflamed area with better results and quality.
Can help in gout
Gout is a type of arthritis disease which is due to an excess of uric acid in our joints. This results in intolerable pain due to the formation of uric crystals in our joints. Individuals have suggested that wrapping cabbage leaves around the area affected by gout can help ease the pain.
The nutritional properties of cabbage can substantially help fight gout. This is more evident in the red cabbage as compared to its other counterpart. The alkalinity of this vegetable help naturally neutralizes uric acid. Red cabbage here is ideal as it offers added benefits of flavonoid cyanidin giving it its identical color. This particular element can fight gout attacks as it reduces uric acid levels naturally. Red cabbage is also higher in vitamin c content which accounts for its anti-gout properties.
The takeaway
Usually, home remedies are good in treating skin problems or other beauty problems. But when a simple skin remedy can treat your old joint pain, it strikes as an amazing fact. This is the case with cabbage wrap for leg pain. The beauty of this remedy is that it comes with minimal cost of trying. Also, it does not have any side effects, hence is worth trying. Many gout sufferers claim that the remedy reduces and eliminates pain.
One can easily keep frozen cabbage leaves stored in a plastic bag in the freezer for a long time. Cabbage on swollen feet is also very effective. When you feel pain in the leg, you can use the cabbage for pain relief take the leaves out and use them in the affected area. You should feel relief watching the warmth of skin thaw the leaves naturally.
