Is This Popular Spice an Effective Alternative to Ibuprofen? What Doctors Say

Ibuprofen is a popular and effective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that many of us turn to for pain relief, bringing down a fever, and tackling something like delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after a particularly grueling workout.

However, taking ibuprofen daily comes with negative side effects. Chronic use of this drug has been associated with gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea, bleeding, nausea, ulcers, and an upset stomach. This is because regular ibuprofen use can affect your gut health. Other health concerns that come with overuse of this NSAID are heart failure, high blood pressure, kidney damage, liver toxicity, and stroke.

With more and more people looking to alternative methods to combat pain with lifestyle practices like yoga, breathing exercises, and overall diet tweaks, one popular spice, in particular, has come to the forefront. We’re referring to the mildly aromatic and deep spicy yellow turmeric. Native to Southeast Asia but popular worldwide, turmeric belongs to the ginger family.