Few anti inflammatory herbal remedies

Inflammation is a condition when a body reacts to any infection, injury or irritation, environmental changes or malignancy. Due to inflammation swelling, pain, redness or change in color of the skin is felt. But sometimes some internal inflammation can result giving rise to fever and other discomforts.

The inflammatory response involves the activation of white blood cells that start releasing some chemicals such as cytokines and prostaglandins. Inflammation in some cases may be acute and chronic; some may often relapse depending on the severity of the disease. Inflammation is mostly treated by administering varied doses of corticosteroids that are effective in reducing and suppressing inflammation. Inflammation if not treated properly can aggravate some diseases causing much more problems, as in many cases it is difficult to predict an inflammatory response.

Few anti inflammatory herbal remedies

There are many herbal therapies that have been tried through ages and have proven record in healing inflammation by treating the cause. Latest scientific researches have given the final approval to opt for these herbal therapies than the OTC drugs.

1. Turmeric is one of the common anti inflammatory herb that is widely used in Asian recipes in good amounts. It helps in reducing swelling, pain in arthritis, tendonitis, sprains and other autoimmune disorders. So addition of extra turmeric in curries is beneficial in the long run! But this treatment is time consuming and it may test one's patience.

2. Ginger is another herb which is popular for its anti inflammatory properties and is used liberally in most Asian dishes. Taking ginger tea regularly in the morning relieves a lot of inflammation.

3. Boswellin herb is very good inflammatory herb in treating fibromyalgia.

4. White willow bark is another inflammatory herb that helps in reducing pain.

5. Devil's claw works well in arthritis both in reducing inflammation and pain.

6. Licorice root is another popular anti inflammatory herb, but its prolonged use may raise the blood pressure and cause potassium loss. So person suffering from hypertension must be cautious with its use.

7. Arnica is another herb that is widely used in treating pains and bruises. It can be taken in regulated doses or the mother tincture can be applied to the affected areas to reduce inflammation.

8. St John's wort herb though used to treat depression has also some anti- inflammatory properties.

9. Flax seed poultice is also very effective in treating bronchitis and reduces swellings in gouts and rheumatoid arthritis.

These herbs are very commonly used and are easily available. In sudden injuries these can be applied immediately for some relief before consulting any doctor. These are cheap and if applied properly one can avoid spending on painkillers and other drugs.

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Finding foods that reduce inflammation

Finding out effective foods that reduce inflammation is easy; they are poles apart from what you eat daily in your life. We all like to have pizza, burgers, red meat, sugary syrups, cold drinks, candy, and list just goes on and on. However, do you know none of these is among the foods that can reduce inflammation; instead, they contain a huge amount of omega six fatty acids that have inflammatory properties.

Processed food that has become a major unavoidable portion of our life is not rich in antioxidants; instead, it contains the bad fat (saturated fat and Trans fat) that is responsible for increasing inflammation in the body.

Foods that fight inflammation are high in antioxidants. Berries (strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries), pumpkin, tomatoes, nuts, flaxseeds, broccoli, cold-water fish, etc. are some of the medically proven foods that are very effective in controlling the inflammation cycle of the body. These food sources contain essential omega 3 fats.

In a recent study, it was observed that people with higher levels of DHA (the most vital omega 3 fatty acid) in their blood stream experience less inflammation diseases as in comparison to people with less amount of DHA in their body. Clinical trials have proven that once eaten, body can convert DHA to a chemical called Resolvin D2. This chemical is a very effective anti-inflammatory agent.

Other advantages of DHA are that it prohibits the plaque to get build up on the arterial wall, thus reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes. DHA is also responsible for various neurobehavioral functions like retaining, concentrating, comprehending, etc.

Therefore, it makes sense to eat rich DHA diet. It will not only decrease the inflammation but will also give additional health benefits like cardiovascular benefits, reduced risk of heart attack, better skin, etc.

Fish being a rich source of DHA, tops the list of foods that reduce inflammation. Because of the increasing pollution in ocean waters, fish caught from them also tend to accumulate toxins like mercury, lead, arsenic, etc. Therefore, it is not advisable to consume too much of fish. Easy and best option is to take fish oil supplements.

These supplements are much purer as in comparison to the fish. This is because of the various refining processes they undergo during their manufacturing process.

For best results, look out for supplements made with a blend of tuna oil and hoki oil. This mixture has more than twice anti-inflammatory property as in comparison to other supplements available in the market.

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