3 Top Herbs For Arthritis Pain Relief

Three Herbs For Arthritis

My three top herbs for arthritis pain relief are plant based herbs. These herbs work best with a whole food plant based diet, but they will still work with diets that contain animal protein and processed foods but just not as effectively.

A plant based diet is good as an arthritis treatment because it is generally an anti-inflammatory diet due to its mixture of fiber, good fatty acid ratios, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.

Arthritis literally means joint inflammation, and is inflammation of the joints of where two bones meet. The term arthritis is used to describe over one hundred different types of arthritis.

The main goals of arthritis treatment include the reduction of inflammation and pain, and improved function of affected joints.

The most natural and proactive way to combat arthritis is to remove inflammation causing substances from the diet, meat and chemically processed foods, while increasing the amount of inflammation fighting antioxidants and phytonutrients attained from a plant based diet.

Although eating a plant based proactively combats arthritis and inflammation, there are herbs that are concentrated with antioxidants and phytonutrients that are specifically effective against inflammation and arthritis.

Three Herbs For Arthritis Pain Relief

Tumeric – Curcumin

Tumeric is a spice that has been used for centuries in traditional medicine to treat inflammation and joint pain. Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin that has been shown to block the activity and the synthesis of the pain, swelling, and inflammation causing enzymes, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) and 5-lipooxygenase (5-LOX).

Ginger

Ginger reduces inflammation and suppresses the synthesis the pro-inflammatory molecules in the body known as prostaglandins. Studies have shown that ginger extract can inhibit or deactivate genes in our body that encode the molecules involved in chronic inflammation.

Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper’s capsaicin compound reduces the amount substance P in the body, which is a chemical that carries pain messages to the brain. By reducing the amount of substance P in the body, pain messages to the brain are reduced resulting in less pain. Capsaicin medicines are currently made to treat arthritis, muscle pain, and nerve pain.

References:
Ginger: Anti-Inflammatory
Substance P

Tags: herbs for arthritis