The 5 most powerful natural medicines for inflammation

Oftentimes, the knee-jerk reaction of the medical community to inflammation is to dole out drugs to reduce it. In fact, there is a whole classification of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, available by prescription and over-the-counter. NSAIDs are associated with a variety of risks, according to new labeling by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, including an increased risk for cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke.

Fortunately, you can use herbs for inflammation instead of dangerous drugs.

#1 Black Pepper
People refer to black pepper as the King of Spices because of its intoxicating, rich aroma and complex flavor. Black pepper owes its distinctive pungent flavor to piperine, which also provides an astonishing anti-inflammatory effect. Piperine inhibits the expression of a gene associated with arthritis and the spread of cancer, MMP13. Even at low doses, piperine reduces inflammation by depressing prostaglandin production. Furthermore, piperine significantly suppresses the perception of pain and arthritis symptoms while decreasing inflammation in joints.

#2 Cardamom
As the Queen of Spices, cardamom also reduces inflammation. Part of the ginger family, cardamom is native to India and Sri Lanka; healers there have used cardamom to reduce inflammation for centuries.

#3 Cayenne
Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin. Exposure to capsaicin causes body tissues to release substance P, which your body usually releases immediately after tissue damage. Capsaicin does not actually damage tissue -- this chemical only tricks your body into acting as if damage had occurred.

Repeated exposure of one part of your body to capsaicin will deplete that area of its substance P, which increases tolerance to capsaicin in people who regularly eat hot peppers.

Reducing substance P in one area of your body also decreases your sense of pain in that part. Capsaicin cream products take advantage of this effect to reduce arthritis pain in joints and other sources of chronic pain. Best of all, the capsaicin in cayenne pepper can help protect your stomach from ulcers associated with NSAID use.

#4 Chamomile
Ancient physicians Dioskurides, Galen and Plinius recommended tea to relieve inflammation of the mouth. Chamomile is a sun-loving plant whose flowers smell like fresh apples. Oil distilled from these flowers contain a-bisabolol and chamazulene cyclic sesquiterpenes, which directly reduce inflammation. Chamomile oil also contains bisabolol oxides, farnesene and spiro-ether that have anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties.

#5 Ginger
Traditional medicine has relied on ginger's anti-inflammatory powers for centuries. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, there is also evidence that ginger eases pain associated with that classic inflammatory disease, arthritis. Additionally, ginger eases stomach upset, nausea and vomiting.