Consuming ginger is a natural way to alleviate muscle soreness. For a study published in the Journal of Pain, 74 volunteers consumed two grams of raw or cooked ginger or took a placebo pill daily for 11 days; on day eight, they performed strenuous weight lifting with one arm. Twenty-four hours after the workout, both ginger groups reported about 25 percent less muscle pain than the placebo group. For exercise-induced pain, ginger “is at least as effective” as traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, Advil and Aleve, says lead study. Ginger works through the same mechanism as these drugs-blocking an enzyme involved in certain pain and receptors in the body. Doctors recommend daily consumption of two to three teaspoons of grated or ground ginger, or 1,000 to 2,000 milligrams of ginger extract, for a couple of days before and after a workout.
