Anyone who works on a homestead or farm knows all too well that everyday aches and pains can come with the territory. Putting up fencing, planting and harvesting, and hauling hay, water buckets, and sacks of feed can all take a toll on your joints. Fortunately, there are quite a few natural remedies for inflammation and joint pain, including this easy-to-make anti-inflammatory spice tonic with just four simple ingredients.
Step-by-Step Instructions
You’ll need:
- Ground turmeric
- Ground ginger
- Ground fenugreek
- Ground ganthoda
To make:
- Measure equal parts turmeric, ginger, fenugreek, and ganthoda.
- Mix together and store in an airtight container.
- When ready to use, measure ½ tsp of the spice mixture and add to hot water.
There are several ways to take this tonic. If you enjoy the taste, you can add enough hot water to make a tea or latte and sip on your tonic instead of a morning coffee. If you’d rather not sip on it, you can add just enough hot water to cover the spices and swallow it in one go. However you decide to take it, it’s most effective if taken every morning before food or medication.
How Do Anti-Inflammatory Spices Work?
While each of these ingredients has its own benefits when used alone, the real magic in this recipe are the synergistic effects of combining them together. Below is an overview of what each spice is and what it contributes to the anti-inflammatory tonic.
Turmeric
Probably the best-known on the list, turmeric is a yellowish powder derived from the root of a plant in the ginger family and has long been used for its anti-inflammatory properties, which come from its active compound curcumin.
Curcumin works in a number of ways to reduce inflammation in the body, such as controlling the pathways that turn inflammation on, “turning off” pro-inflammatory compounds, and regulating immune cells. Curcumin also exhibits strong antioxidant activity, contributing to its ability to calm inflammation.
Ginger
Similar to turmeric, ginger is derived from the root of the Zingiber officinale plant and has strong anti-inflammatory properties thanks to its active compound like gingerol. Ginger inhibits inflammatory pathways, regulates immune cell function, reduces inflammatory enzymes, and possesses strong antioxidant properties.
Fenugreek
Fenugreek is a clover-like herb in the legume family that contains bioactive compounds like flavonoids, alkaloids, and saponins. These compounds impart a number of health benefits, including the ability to inhibit inflammation, reduce oxidative stress, and regulate immune cell function.
Fenugreek can also be given to horses to help reduce inflammation, ease joint pain, and manage insulin resistance.
Ganthoda
Derived from the root of the long pepper plant, ganthoda powder contains bioactive compounds like alkaloids and essential oils that give it strong anti-inflammatory characteristics. These compounds have been shown to inhibit inflammatory pathways, reduce the production of pro-inflammatory compounds, and reduce oxidative stress.
What Is “Synergism”?
As noted above, combining these four spices into a single tonic significantly increases the overall result, even though each spice has strong anti-inflammatory characteristics on its own. This is due to a phenomenon called synergism, where the combined effects are more potent than the singular effects of each ingredient. Synergism happens for several reasons:
- Multiple bioactive compounds are used when you combine various anti-inflammatory ingredients, rather than using any singular one.
- Multiple anti-inflammatory mechanisms work at the same time. While each of these spices works in a similar way to reduce inflammation, they may each use slightly different mechanisms and target different pathways to achieve a similar result.
- Multiple antioxidants are present in a combined recipe like this one, compared to a more limited array of antioxidant compounds found in any one ingredient on its own.
Where to Find These Spices
These spices can be found online or at local health food stores. If shopping online, make sure you are getting fresh, organic products that have been stored and shipped properly. I like Starwest Botanicals when buying herbs and spices online.
If you are buying in bulk, make sure you store the unused portion in an airtight container, stored in a cool, dry place. Unfortunately, ground spices can lose their freshness and effectiveness quickly, so I don’t recommend storing them for over six months.
How Long Does It Take to Work?
It can take several weeks of regular use to notice a significant improvement in joint pain and inflammation with this natural anti-inflammatory remedy. As with most remedies, consistency is key! I started taking this spice mixture every morning for back pain and noticed an improvement in about 3 to 4 weeks.
What natural remedies for joint pain have you found that work? Leave your ideas in the comments!
