Ginger
Sore muscles often feel rewarding after a hard workout, but intense aches just plain hurt. The fix? Ginger. Consuming half a teaspoon of the raw root or ground herb lessened next-day muscle soreness by 25 percent in one study, likely because ginger contains pungent pain-relieving chemicals such as gingerol, shogaol, and zingerone.
The tart cherry juice trick is good for more than just the after-workout pains. I’ve used it to mute the pain from a damaged nerve chunk (CRPS) and after two weeks it’s down to hurting only when inclement weather blows in. The ginger tip is another good one. For those with delicate stomachs, it can be taken in capsules.