Inflammation and Herbs

Turmeric and cardamom

You played softball all afternoon. Just a little twinge in your knee when you made that wild slide into home to win the game. But now, this evening, your knee is the size of a grapefruit and just about to drive you nuts from the pain. Time for some anti-inflammatory herbs.

From my point of view, fighting inflammation is one of the most consistent things we do to help people regain their health. Inflammation is a natural process, and it helps the body heal from injury, but, left untreated, it can prolong the healing process and eventually cause long term tissue damage.

Licorice root is probably the most effective anti-inflammatory herb on planet Earth. It mimics the body's own anti-inflammatory adrenal hormone, without being steroidal. This root acts quickly and brings about very effective relief of pain and swelling. Along these lines, I am in a very long line of herbalists who have used it to treat joint pain and heartburn. Licorice is delicious, with a strongly sweet taste, and so is ideal for a tea. If you use it in capsules, the usual dose is about 4-5 grams per day. Licorice can loosen the bowels a bit, so adjust your dose carefully.

And now, to my favorite herb. In the herb world, I'm known as "Mr. Turmeric." (In India, that's "Haldi Baba.") I've been teaching about this great herb for more than 30 years. I love turmeric because it is so easy to use, so well tolerated and has so many uses. This yellow cooking spice is truly a kitchen miracle.

Turmeric's active ingredient, curcumin, is the yellow pigment. This phytochemical is a very potent anti-inflammatory, more powerful even than standard drugs for this use. Turmeric is on the forefront of Alzheimer's prevention, and many researchers consider it to be the most effective remedy yet discovered for this type of senile dementia. India, the world's largest per capita consumer of turmeric, has the lowest rate of Alzheimer's in the world, about half that of the U.S. A little curry, anyone?

For acute inflammation (the swollen softball knee), use a high dose of up to 4 Tbs of powder per day, stirred into water or a bit of mushy food. It works over a span of a few hours, so take it in the evening, and you may awaken with a normal knee. For moderate inflammation (the stiff shoulder after the softball game), consider capsules at 5-10 per day, as long as you need them.

Finally, to stave off chronic inflammation, enjoy a tea with turmeric as part of the formula, or use it liberally in your food. Research has measured benefit from doses as small as one-quarter teaspoon per day.