Natural Anti-Inflammatory Remedy

When your body reacts to an infection, injury or irritation, the affected part gets inflamed. Though this response shows your body is healthy, you need to treat the problem. There are many kinds of drugs available on prescription or over-the-counter that reduce swelling. However, there are many herbal remedies for inflammation that are effective as well.

Turmeric and Cat's Claw

• One of the most vital herbs for inflammation treatment is turmeric, rich in antioxidant curcumin. Taking 6 teaspoons of the powder or ground paste of fresh turmeric daily reduces swelling and pain. Use it generously in cooking, or have the powder in the form of a capsule or have a couple of teaspoons of fresh paste with 1 teaspoon of honey, three times a day. Apply fresh turmeric paste on the external inflamed area, cover it with a cloth to make into poultice for pain relief and inflammation reduction. Cat's Claw, a Peruvian herb, available as capsules or dried powder in specialty herb stores, blocks the function of pain-inducing substances in the blood. Beneficial especially for arthritis-related inflammation, take 350 milligrams of this herb in the form of a tea or 1 tablespoon of tincture twice daily.

St. John's Wort and Silymarin

• Though known best for its positive effects on depressive patients, St. John's wort is also a beneficial natural cure for inflammation. St. John's wort suppresses the action of pro-inflammatory genes, thus reducing inflammation. Steep 2 teaspoons of dried St. John's wort flower in a cup of boiling water for 10 minutes, and have it twice a day. Silymarin is the antioxidant-rich juice of the milk thistle, which helps reduce inflammation. Have about 200 milligrams of silymarin a day, steeped as a tea for best results.

Ginger and Rosemary

• Ginger is another crucial herb that not only has anti-inflammatory ingredients, it also has substances that suppress the action of pro-inflammatory compounds. For daily use, sprinkle the powder or freshly ground paste generously in your food or steep at least 4 teaspoons of dried ginger in boiling water for a brewed ginger tea. The ursolic acid ingredient in rosemary helps block the action of inflammation-inducing compounds. To cure your problem, have about 2 tablespoons of rosemary with your food.

Horsetail and Arnica

• Horsetail is another herb that heals tissues and reduces inflammation. The joints of this herb can be steeped in boiling water for a brewed tea or can be ground and applied on the inflamed area and covered with cloth to form a poultice. Arnica is also beneficial for use as a salve to apply on inflamed body parts.