Suffer from Inflammation? Ayurveda May Be the Answer

If you have had inflammation in your body for some time now, you’ll no doubt be experiencing some discomfort and are likely feeling very annoyed at the whole thing. Depending on where the inflammation is, perhaps your clothes are not fitting properly like they were before, or you are finding it difficult to do everyday tasks such as walking or writing.

Before you start worrying that prescription drugs are going to be the only way to fix the problem, it is worth looking at Ayurvedic management of inflammation for some cheap yet effective remedies.

What is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda is an ancient herbal medicine system that was developed more than 3,000 years ago in India. It promotes a mind-body connection, and combines natural herbs and remedies along with meditation, yoga, and a healthy diet. It’s more than a way of treating illnesses, but a way of life for anyone that wants to stay healthy and vibrant. People all around the world have adopted Ayurvedic health management practices to decrease the effects and relieve the symptoms of various types of medical conditions.

Why Do We Experience Inflammation?

Inflammation is our body’s way of telling us that there is something wrong, and is likely to appear when we experience trauma, infection, or reaction to toxins. Often inflammation is our body’s way of protecting us. Our body balances itself after the stressful events or exposures is over. The problem is when our immune system becomes compromised and there is ongoing inflammation. This can lead to issues such as:

Allergies
Food sensitivities
Autoimmune disorders
Fibromyalgia
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Diabetes
Arthritis

When Should I Consider Ayurvedic Management of Inflammation?

Sustained inflammation that is not linked to an already existing medical condition should be assessed by an integrative practitioner who specializes in nutrition medicine. Whether your inflammation is new or has been hanging around for some time, your conventional western physician is likely to prescribe you medication to only help reduce the symptoms and help you feel more comfortable. The problem is the root cause of the symptoms is not being adequately addressed leading to a dependence of the medications prescribed, and the problem eventually becoming complex and chronic. Rather than shelling out potentially hundreds of dollars for medication loaded with side effects and not actually address the root case, consider Ayurveda medicine especially during the early stages of inflammation.

Dietary and lifestyle recommendations often prescribed as the cornerstone of Ayurvedic medicine can dramatically reduce to eliminate excess inflammation and the development of severe chronic disease.

How To Manage Inflammation At Home With Ayurveda

The great thing about Ayurveda is that you don’t need expensive drugs or numerous doctors’ appointments. While you may like to consult with an Ayurvedic practitioner to learn more about the different elements and how you can implement it into your life effectively, there are a number of herbal remedies for inflammation that you can try at home yourself.

Turmeric

Turmeric has become more and more popular over the last few years in the commercial market, but its health benefits have been well-known in Ayurveda for thousands of years. Nowadays, people have realized that most prescription anti-inflammatory drugs are linked to heart disease and loaded with side effects. The most potent anti-inflammatory root, turmeric is more effective, potent and contains no side effects.

Turmeric is a versatile spice that can be prepared at home in several ways including:

Adding small freshly cut pieces of turmeric root to your vegetable dishes.
Mixing turmeric powder into rice or lentils.
Adding ¾ tsp to 8 to 12 oz of warm water and consuming during the day.

Turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory spice which also functions as an antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, and antiseptic.

Ginger

Ginger is not only extremely common in Ayurvedic practice, but also in other types of complementary medicine. It’s often thought of as a universal medicine thanks to its ability to relieve all kinds of medical complaints from joint pain to nausea to headaches. As well as being an antioxidant, ginger’s impressive anti-inflammatory properties make it very beneficial to sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Just some of the ways you can prepare ginger at home include:

Making ginger tea in the morning (not at night).
Adding small slices of fresh ginger to stir-fries or vegetable dishes.

Ashwagandha

An important herb in Ayurvedic practices, Ashwagandha has all sorts of benefits for your whole body. It is known to decrease stress hormones, rebalance sex hormones and increase fertility, lower blood sugar levels, relieve anxiety, boost your memory and immune systems. Ashwagandha decreases inflammation and helps fight infections. If you’d like to take Ashwagandha to ease inflammation, it’s recommended to take around 250-500mg each day to reduce C-reactive protein levels.

Your Ayurvedic Management of Inflammation

Whether you need some advice about Ayurveda or other mindful practices, Advanced Health is here to help. Our Ayurveda specialist, Dr. Payal Bhandari M.D. can guide you on exactly what your ideal treatment plan is based on your own physical and mental body constitution. She can also recommend natural remedies to reduce inflammation and hopefully lessen the need for pharmaceutical medication loaded with side effects and not actually addressing the root cause of inflammation.

AUTHOR

Dr. Payal Bhandari M.D. is one of U.S.'s top leading integrative functional medical physicians and the founder of SF Advanced Health. She combines the best in Eastern and Western Medicine to understand the root causes of diseases and provide patients with personalized treatment plans that quickly deliver effective results. Dr. Bhandari specializes in cell function to understand how the whole body works. Dr. Bhandari received her Bachelor of Arts degree in biology in 1997 and Doctor of Medicine degree in 2001 from West Virginia University. She the completed her Family Medicine residency in 2004 from the University of Massachusetts and joined a family medicine practice in 2005 which was eventually nationally recognized as San Francisco’s 1st patient-centered medical home. To learn more, go to www.sfadvancedhealth.com.