Try a little ginger

A new study shows that ginger may also be an effective pain reliever for sore muscles. The study, published in The Journal of Pain, showed a daily dose of two grams of ginger eased muscle pain caused by exercise-induced muscle injury. The results showed that raw and heat-treated ginger reduced muscle pain by 25% and 23%, respectively. Researchers say previous studies in animals have shown that ginger has anti-inflammatory properties, which might help explain its beneficial effects on muscle pain.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health, says it is unclear whether ginger is effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or joint and muscle pain.

The center takes a conservative view on all supplements, and that's a good thing, because there's a lot of baseless information out there.

My yoga instructor, Zen Momma, swears by ginger and turmeric for muscle relief. The NCCAM says that preliminary findings from animal and laboratory studies suggest that a chemical found in turmeric—called curcumin—may have anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties, but these findings have not been confirmed in people.

These guys just can't be fun at parties.