Anti-inflammatory Herbs

Inflammation can be defined as the body's reaction to any kind of infection or irritation or injury, which has occurred in the body. Inflammation is the body's natural defensive response, to protect against any kind of harm being caused to it. But sometimes, it may happen that this natural response of the body, might exceed than what is actually required by the body, or in some cases, inflammation may occur even when there is nothing to fight against. This inappropriate inflammation can cause many serious health problems and diseases, such as arthritis, diabetes and even cancer. This is where anti-inflammatory herbs come handy. These help in relieving the person of the inflammation naturally, without causing any kind of side effects. Here is a list of some of the most effective herbs.

Turmeric
Turmeric is considered to be the best for arthritis. Turmeric can be either added to the food and consumed directly, or it can be taken in the form of tablets and capsules. Turmeric is considered to be an excellent herbal remedy for tendonitis and auto immune disorders as well.

Guggul
Guggul has both anti-inflammatory as well as cholesterol-lowering properties. It also acts as a pain reliever in conditions such as rheumatism and fibromyalgia. Guggul should be consumed in its raw form or in powder form for best effect. Although, tablets of the same, taken after consulting a herbalist, are equally effective.

Ginger
Ginger is another effective natural herb for inflammation. Fresh ginger can be added to any main course dish and consumed, or one can opt for the ginger capsules available at most herbal stores. Fresh ginger tea, is equally good and has anti-inflammatory properties similar to ginger, so consuming it daily will help too.

Neem
Neem oil is very beneficial, and has been used to treat inflammatory skin conditions, in India, since ages. It is also very effective for relieving joint pains as well as muscle aches. Neem leaves and seeds have anti fungal and anti bacterial properties, as well.

Boswellin
Boswellin is a natural herb, which is considered quite effective for fibromyalgia. It can be taken in a tablet form, according to the dosage mentioned on its bottle.

Holy Basil
Holy basil, a herb commonly found and used for cooking in India, helps in treating cold and sore throat. The oil of this herb has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and is quite effective in the treatment of arthritis, peptic ulcers, diabetes and high cholesterol.

Bromelain
A good anti-inflammatory food is pineapple, which contains bromelain. Another alternative is to take tablets, as bromelain consumed in tablet form, is equally effective.

Licorice Root, St John's wort, White willow Bark
All these herbs have anti-inflammatory properties. Care should be taken to consume them according to prescription, as over dose can create health problems. For example, excess of licorice root can cause loss of potassium and also raise the blood pressure in the body. Licorice has many health benefits as it helps in treating mouth ulcers, coughs, colds, and even hepatitis infection.

Aloe Vera
Aloe vera gel, when consumed directly, helps in cooling the inflammation caused in the digestive tract, due to various reasons such as peptic ulcers. Aloe Vera gel, when applied on the skin, helps in healing the wounds as well as soothing the burns caused on the skin. It also helps in treating skin conditions such as acne, pimples and psoriasis.

Besides these, there are a whole lot of spices too, which have many anti-inflammatory properties. Spices such as, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, basil, parsley, and garlic, can be added to a dish, as they not only enhance the taste, but have many health benefits too. So it is recommended that you include these herbs and spices in your diet, to treat as well as to keep illnesses and diseases at bay.