Herbal Anti-inflammatories

Herbal anti-inflammatories and how they work
The use of NSAID’s (Non steroid anti-inflammatory drugs) is so huge in the pharmaceutical world. Advil, tylenol and all of their cousins are common in every home across the modern world.


We all use them because they work so well and so fast. Head aches, fever and pain caused by a million and one things are gone in fifteen minutes once we take them.


I cant wont tell you that I don’t use them myself because I do. When my children are suffering because of a high fever I try many alternative ways to help them be comfortable but many times I will give them one form or another of these chemicals because I cant bare to see them in pain.


But it there a natural alternative to these seemingly magical chemicals?


Perhaps after this article is finished we can all have a pure natural way to relieve pain, fever and inflammation.


So lets take a look at the mechanism of inflammation and pain in our bodies so we can better understand how this all works.


So our story of inflammation starts with the MAST CELL and ends (for the purpose of this article) with the PROSTAGLANDINS.


The prostaglandins are the guys responsible for the pain and inflammation.


Mast cells are stimulated in one of three ways:
1.\tPhysical injury
2.\tChemical agents
3.\tImmunological means – such as allergies or fighting off a disease


The mast cell when stimulated releases a lot of Different materials that activate our bodies defense or immune system.


Amongst all of the cells that are thrown into action by the mast cell are these prostaglandins.


Other cells that are called to the cite of activity are white blood cells of different sorts to fight off bacteria and clean up the mess.


Prostaglandins are not just released but they need to be synthesized or created.


What a lot of these NSAID’s do is they stop the process of synthesizing the prostaglandins, which then reduces pain and inflammation in the body.


Prostaglandins also increase blood clotting and protect the stomach.


This is why NSAID’s can be used as blood thinners but can also cause peptic ulcers.


Aspirin as well and most other NSAID’s inhibit cyclooxygenase, which is one of the key enzymes in the synthesis of prostaglandins. This is how they work to reduce inflammation and pain.


White willow bark contains a phytochemical salicylic acid which the body can make into an active form of a substance the works just like aspirin but does not irritate the stomach.


Other plants that have these same phytochemicals which are categorized as salicylates are cowslip and meadowsweet.


Because of the unknown concentration of the active ingredients in these plants and the need for the body to process them into their active form, it is difficult to get the same result from them as we do chemical medications.


Today we have herbal extracts that are produced with known amounts of these phytochemicals. These are called standardized herbal extracts which make the best of modern science and herbal medicine.


Try these natural anti-inflammatories and enjoy the best of both worlds.