10 Best Anti-Inflammatory Herbs
Whether you are suffering from an injury and busy recovering, or you have some more long-standing issues such as arthritis, you’ll feel the effects of focused inflammation. Inflammation is your body’s natural response to any damage it may have sustained, like, for example, a sprained ankle or wrist. Inflammation helps with the body’s natural healing and repairing process and is by no means terrible.
The problem comes in when chronic inflammation begins, and you regularly suffer from aches and pains. There are many different causes for the development of chronic inflammation, such as stress, pollution, the food you eat, or perhaps even body weight.
The good news is that just as there are many different causes for chronic inflammation, there are many other methods you can combat it. Today we will look at more natural remedies, so without further ado, here are different herbs that can help with inflammation. Keep reading to find out more.
Best Anti-Inflammatory Herbs
To get you started on your anti-inflammatory herb journey, we will be highlighting some of the best options and how to use them to be as effective as possible.
Thyme
Thyme has for centuries been used for its various medicinal and therapeutic properties and cooking. In fact, because of its widespread use as a food flavoring, it was found to have potent antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that can help those who have rheumatoid arthritis and are quite popular in many herbal remedies for all forms of joint pains.
It is not difficult to include thyme into your life. Sprigs of thyme or thyme leaves can make excellent and flavorful seasoning in your cooking. Thyme is quite popular in French, Italian, Mediterranean, and various Middle Eastern dishes. It’s quite potent, however, so be sure not to go overboard.
Willow Bark
For centuries, many different indigenous groups have used a herbal extract gathered from willow bark for various herbal remedies. This is because of willow bark’s potent anti-inflammatory properties, which directly combat and reduce the multiple hallmarks of inflammation.
A study was conducted in which 436 people with rheumatic pains in their joints were given a willow bark extract, and not one person reported to not feel the effects. Within three weeks, users felt a significant reduction in their aching and pain. A daily dosage of willow bark extract can be a substantial boon for your ails.
Indian Frankincense
Also called Boswellia, Indian frankincense is a herbal extract from the Boswellia Serrata tree that has been known to provide anti-inflammatory effects. The way it does this is through the boswellic acid that has been known to prevent the leukotrienes from forming. Leukotrienes are molecules that have been observed to cause inflammation as well as cause asthmatic symptoms.
How you administer Indian frankincense is primarily left up to the manufacturer. Make sure to follow their instructions to ensure you don’t overdo it as there are the possible side effects of nausea and acid reflux and the development of diarrhea and skin rashes.
Borage
Native to parts of Europe and North Africa, oil extracted from the borage plant and seeds has been rich in gamma linoleic acids and omega-6 fatty acids. Supplements made from an extract of the borage herb can help with inflammation in injuries and conditions and general joint tenderness and swelling.
Borage is used in various ways and is quite popular in different skin care products because it also helps with various skin conditions such as eczema, rashes, and neurodermatitis. Other ways it’s been implemented is in different foods, mainly in salads and soups.
Thunder God Vine
With a name as striking and bold as this, you’d best believe that this herb is potent. The Thunder God Vine is a flower and herb that has seen much use throughout China in the past few centuries because of its ability to help reduce inflammation caused by autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
This is especially true when taken orally, and it was often found that it was in many ways better than conventional medicines, like those made with sulphasalazine and methotrexate.
As with most potent remedies, there is also often a catch. The main issue with Thunder God Vine is that, when not properly prepared, it can be quite poisonous.
Cat’s Claw
[amazon box=”B014PY1GU4″]Cat’s claw is a herb that grows from the roots and bark of a tropical vine that is found in South and Central America. For quite some time, it has been used by the traditional folk in these parts of the world as an anti-inflammatory remedy and an immune system-boosting medicine.
This herb is quite potent for what it does and has been observed to be effective more than 50 percent of the time in reducing joints swelling affected by rheumatoid arthritis. However, the potent nature can also cause nausea and dizziness, low blood pressure, and headaches.
It’s also recommended that you avoid using this herb if you use blood thinners, have tuberculosis, or take medication that suppresses the immune system. It would counteract and potentially make worse all these effects.
Eucalyptus
Very much readily available as a common remedy for various illnesses, conditions, and injuries, eucalyptus extract is also pretty good for helping treat arthritis and other inflammation-related issues. This is a versatile option that you can also apply in many different ways. Still, most commonly, eucalyptus is used in aromatherapy or as an essential oil with a carrier oil.
Beware, however, as eucalyptus has been known to trigger various allergic reactions, many of which can be as severe as skin rashes or even asthmatic attacks. Apply a small part to your forearm and wait a day or two to see if you have any allergic reactions. If not, then you should be safe to use it.
Maritime Pine Bark
Similar to the bark from the willow tree, a herbal extract can be taken from the bark of the maritime pine tree. This extract is rich in pycnogenol and can be processed to create a herbal medicine that has been used for over 2,000 years to help heal wounds and ulcers and even treat scurvy.
[amazon box=”B07DW9L1JD”]The anti-inflammatory properties come from the pycnogenol, which is known to reduce vascular inflammation. In fact, pycnogenol is one of the most potent antioxidants of which we know.
Maritime pine bark extract has been known to be 50 to 100 times more effective than vitamin E when it comes to neutralizing free radicals in one’s body. It’s also great for reducing blood pressure and the risk of blood clots.
Rosemary
Rosemary is in the same avenue of thyme when it comes to potent herbs that have been used for centuries as natural remedies. After being used as a food seasoning for so long, it would have only been a matter of time before some noted rosemary’s properties.
In particular, rosemary has shown to be a great preventative against inflammation and oxidation in the joints, as well as a decent treatment. It is also quite potent, as the benefits can be felt with only the average amount you would use when cooking.
Japanese Knotweed
A traditional and beautiful but invasive plant, Japanese knotweed is not actually all that bad. It has been shown to have a variety of beneficial health effects, from anti-inflammatory to antimicrobial. It was observed to promote the healing process and improve the healing rate in various wounds and conditions.
[amazon box=”B07Q1K7VNY”]Japanese knotweed also has high amounts of resveratrol, which has strong anti-inflammatory properties on its own. This antioxidant also has the ability to protect against DNA damage and mutations.
Green Tea
Green tea, while it is often debated as to whether or not it is truly a herbal tea or a true tea, is still quite beneficial for your health, so we thought to include it anyway. Green tea has seen much use throughout Asia, where it has been used for centuries as both a popular beverage as well as a remedy for various ailments. Rich in antioxidants, green tea, in particular, is quite useful for combating the inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Whether it be as powdered matcha or in its beverage form, green tea is readily available and very popular around the world, as it is one of the most common treatments for inflammation. It also happens to be quite a bit healthier than most coffees, sodas, and other sweet beverages.
Final Words
There are many different sources of anti-inflammatory treatments readily available from various natural sources around the world.
Whether it be from a common seasoning in our foods like thyme or rosemary, the barks of different trees from around the world – or even from herbs and plants that can only be found in particular parts of the world and have been used for centuries by the indigenous people as treatments for various ailments – you can be assured that there is at least something out there that will help you with whatever is causing the aches in your joints.
We hope that one or more of these herbs will help you relieve the symptoms of inflammation and get you back to full health again soon.
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