Four herbs to help reduce arthritis inflammation - devil's claw, ginger, feverfew, turmeric

Four herbs to help reduce arthritis inflammation - devil's claw, ginger, feverfew, turmeric
Source: Patricia Andersen-Parrado

The term "inflammation," (as it applies to health), is defined in Webster's New 20th Century Dictionary as, "...a diseased condition of some part of the body, resulting from injury, infection, irritation, etc. and characterized by redness, pain, heat, and swelling." As far as specific conditions characterized by inflammation, the first one that comes to mind for most of us is arthritis.

In his book, 18 Natural Ways to Stop Arthritis Now, Norman D. Ford tells us that arthritis is not a single disease, but rather, "...an umbrella term for almost 100 different rheumatic diseases, syndromes, and conditions that affect the joints or the supportive tissue surrounding them."
Among the most common of these diseases are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. While there is no true cure for arthritis, there are some natural approaches which have proven to be beneficial, and leave sufferers free of the adverse side effects caused by some of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs often prescribed to treat the disease. Some of these herbs include devil's claw, ginger, feverfew, and turmeric. Health food and natural products stores carry such herbs alone or as part of multi-herb formulas.

* Devil's claw: This African plant was dubbed "devil's claw" because of the shape of its large fruit which resembles a clawlike hand. In his book, A Physician's Guide to Herbal Wellness, John Cammarata, M.D., tells us that this herb may be useful as an arthritis pain reliever and that "it often improves mobility and use of the affected joint, which further enhances healing." He also tells us that while devil's claw is a relative newcomer to the United States, it has been used in Europe for close to 300 years and for even longer in Africa.

* Ginger: This herb has long been used in India to treat inflammation and pain. In her book, Herbs for Health and Healing, Kathi Keville tells us, "When Indian researchers investigated their culture's ancient claims for ginger, they discovered that it did indeed relieve pain." She cites a 1992 study in which ginger was given to people who suffered from muscle pain which resulted in "at least some improvement" for all of the participants; in the same study, 75 percent of the participants who had reported experiencing rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis said that the ginger treatment resulted in "substantial relief." In addition, no adverse side effects were reported, even among participants who took ginger for more than two years.

* Feverfew: Although most often thought of for its ability to relieve migraine headaches, feverfew has also demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects and has been used to relieve arthritis. Cammarata compares feverfew with the herb cayenne and describes them both as "circulatory stimulants," saying that they increase blood flow and are believed to help in the body's healing efforts.

Keville describes feverfew as a sort of natural aspirin and cites its ability to lower levels of prostaglandins (hormone-like chemicals that are manufactured in the body which are thought to cause inflammation if produced in excess) as a possible reason for its inflammation-reducing capabilities.

* Turmeric: This ancient Ayurvedic herb is said to be one of the oldest natural, anti-inflammatory drugs used in Ayurvedic medicine. Several studies support its ability to alleviate arthritic symptoms. In one such study, the antirheumatic properties of curcuminoids (a constituent of turmeric) were tested in a double-blind trial of 49 patients who had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. When given at a dose of 1,200 mg/day for five to six weeks, significant improvement was observed in all or the participants. The results showed an overall improvement in morning stiffness and physical endurance.

Other steps you can take to help relieve arthritis are: maintain a healthy weight, stay as physically active as your condition permits, and eat a healthful diet equipped with plenty of vitamins B, C, D, and E, as well as calcium and magnesium.

REFERENCES
Cammarata, John, M.D. A Physician's Guide to Herbal Wellness. Chicago, Ill.: Chicago Review Press, 1996.

Ford, Norman D. 18 Natural Ways to Stop Arthritis Now. New Canaan, Conn.: Keats Publishing, Inc., 1997.

Keville, Kathi. Herbs for Hearth and Healing. Emmaus, Penn.: Rodale Press, 1996.

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