Inflammation is a protective mechanism that helps your body fight infection. However autoimmune disorders, stress, allergies, and a poor diet can all cause excessive inflammation.
Pharmaceuticals are available to help ease the symptoms this causes. But often, they only provide partial relief.
Here’s the good news. Traditional Indian remedies (aka Ayurvedic medicine) have been used to treat inflammation, for more than 3000 years.
Read on for 8 natural remedies for inflammation that will ease inflammation and have you feeling back to your best.
1. Ginger
Ginger has been shown to hold both anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This fiery root has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for many years to relieve pain and swelling.
Oh, and it is delicious. Start your day off in the right way, with a big cup of fresh ginger tea, every morning. Keep this up and you can expect increased joint mobility and a reduction in morning stiffness.
2. Sleep
We cannot overstate the joys of sleeping. Without it, your body just can’t do the repair work it needs to. This remedy should be simple, but with the stressors of modern life, time can often escape you.
Everyone has their sweet spot for optimal sleep. To find your perfect bedtime, count back five 90-minute cycles (7.5 hours) from when you would like to wake. As each cycle lasts around 90 minutes, this will help you wake up feeling fresh.
3. Herbs
Herbs are a staple in Indian remedies. For inflammation: coriander, fennel, and cilantro are all excellent choices. Just make sure they make up part of a varied diet.
If these herbs help to ease your inflammation, consider expanding your horizons beyond India, and introduce more herbal remedies to your diet.
4. Yogurt
Around 70% of your immune system is within your gut. If you don’t have your gut health under control, you will have a tough time reducing inflammation.
To boost gut health, you can introduce probiotics to help multiply the ‘good’ bacteria. Probiotics are often found in yogurt, which we suggest as the best place to start.
5. Exercise
Yoga, swimming, biking. These are all great ideas for people with chronic inflammation.
With many forms of exercise, your knees are susceptible to strain and pressure. But the above will have you working up a sweat, while also keeping pressure off the knees.
Just don’t go first thing in the morning, when your body is stiff and less flexible.
6. Turmeric
Turmeric is a classic Indian spice, and part of the ginger family. Studied for years, Turmeric is infamous for its strong anti-inflammatory effect. It is perfect for meat or vegetable curries, but you could also dissolve in a glass of milk, or take in capsular form.
7. Stress Diary
Traditional Ayurvedic medicine recommends recording times you feel stressed. Stress itself can trigger inflammatory responses, so it is important to reduce this wherever possible. If you are able to figure out your triggers (some are much less obvious than others), this can go a long way to reducing inflammation.
8. Self-Massage
Self-massage is a great way to relax trigger points in the body, and decrease inflammation. Unfortunately, it is not always easy (or affordable) to visit a therapist.
Fear not, self-massage is one of many great Indian remedies for treating yourself. Apply coconut oil to stiff joints and sore muscles, then get to work.
For thousands of years, the above Indian remedies have been used to help treat inflammation. Try them out, then check out more natural remedy articles, for tips to improve your health and well-being.
