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What is Inflammation?

A localized physical condition in which part of the body becomes reddened, swollen, hot, and often painful, especially as a reaction to injury or infection
5 Cardinal Signs of Inflammation: heat, redness, swelling, pain, loss of function

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Different Types of Inflammation

Acute

A healthy and necessary function that helps the body attack bacteria and other foreign substances in the body
Once the body has healed, the inflammation gets better
Common conditions: acute bronchitis, an infected body part, sore throat, dermatitis, physical trauma, sinusitis, skin cuts and scratches

Chronic

May continue to attack healthy areas if it doesn't "turn off"
It may not be as visible as acute inflammation
A few examples of chronic inflammatory conditions include inflammatory arthritis, asthma, periodontitis, inflammatory bowel disease, eczema

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Inflammation Causes

Biological: infections, diseases, and abnormal immune responses, including autoimmune diseases, atopy, allergy, and drug hypersensitivity

Chemical: poisons, toxins, and alcohol

Physical: injuries, burns, frostbite, or radiation exposure

Acute Inflammation: injuries, acute infections or illnesses, allergens, toxin exposures, foreign body ingestion

Chronic Inflammation: organ transplant rejection, chronic disease, untreated or recurrent infections, lifestyle factors (obesity, alcohol use, heavy exercise, high stress, smoking)

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Herbal Actions That Can Help

Relaxant: releases tension and cause laxity in tissues
Diffusive: encourages flow and movement throughout the body, both in the sense of blood circulation and the transmission of herbal actions/constituents to the periphery and surface
Anti-Inflammatory: reduces inflammation through a variety of mechanisms of action
Antioxidant: removes potentially damaging oxidizing agents
Lymphatic: supports the health and activity of the lymphatic system

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Recipe:

1 part tulsi

½ part rosemary

½ part hibiscus

½ part ginger

½ part elderberry

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Tulsi (Sambucus nigra, S. canadensis)�cool, dry, relaxant

Attributes

Taste: aromatic, sweet, pungent, bitter
Family: Lamiaceae
Medicinal parts: aerial parts –leaves and flowers
Actions: nervine, exhilarant, adaptogen, digestive, hepatic, hypoglycemic, antimicrobial, diffusive, circulatory stimulant/relaxant, diaphoretic
Affinities: nervous, endocrine, and digestive systems
Notable constituents: volatiles (borneol, camphor, carvacrol, caryophyllene, citral, eucalyptol, eugenol, geranial, humulene, limonene, linalool, neral, pinene), apigenin, aldehydes, ocimumosides, phenols, alkaloids, saponins, tannins

Applications

An adaptogenic nervine, tulsi helps the body to deal with stress more effectively. One of the more gentle adaptogens, tulsi is appropriate for many individuals and constitutions. Everyone from the chronically stressed high achiever to the severely ill person can benefit from the relaxant, parasympathetic support of tulsi.
Exhilarant, tulsi helps to lift the mood and relieve many types of depression, especially in cases where tension and stagnation are present.
A relaxant nervine, tulsi’s actions allow the heat of fever and anxiety to be released.

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Ginger (Zingiber officianalis)�hot, dry, relaxant

Attributes

Taste: pungent, aromatic
Family: Zingiberaceae
Medicinal parts: rhizome
Actions: stimulant, carminative, rubefacient, diffusive, relaxant, antispasmodic, stomachic, antiemetic, anodyne, emmenagogue, diaphoretic
Affinities: digestive, circulatory, and reproductive systems
Notable constituents: volatiles 1 –3% (zingiberene 20 –30%), oleoresin 4 –7.5% (gingerol, shogaols)

Applications

Relieves pain by warming and reducing spasms and constrictions.
Warming diaphoretic, helpful for encouraging a healthy fever response to infection.
Has anodyne action for cold, constriction-type headaches –tension headaches, migraines, cluster headaches.

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Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)�warm, dry, tonifying

Attributes

Taste: pungent, aromatic, slightly bitter, resinous, astringent
Family: Lamiaceae
Medicinal parts: aerial parts; leaves and flowers
Actions: nervine, circulatory stimulant, cardiac tonic, digestive, hepatic, choleretic, alterative, antimicrobial, diuretic, expectorant
Affinities: circulatory and digestive systems
Notable constituents: volatiles (borneol, camphor, carvacrol, cineole, fenchol, humulene, limonene, sabinene, pinene, terpinene, thujone, thymol), apigenin, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, rosmarinic acid, tannins

Applications

Warming and diffusive, rosemary stimulates blood circulation in the body, which provides nourishment and oxygen to nervous tissue and relieves cold in the extremities.
With an upward-moving directionality, rosemary increases blood flow to the head, feeding the brain with blood, and improving concentration and memory, while also stimulating hair growth.
A favorite herb for headaches and migraines caused by insufficient blood to the head. Most tension headaches also fall into this category. Rosemary makes a nice addition to an antispasmodic headache formula.
Circulatory stimulant, rosemary promotes blood flow, with a diuretic action appropriate for high blood pressure.

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Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)�cool, moist, relaxant

Attributes

Taste: fruity, sweet, sour, astringent
Family: Malvaceae
Medicinal parts: calyx (red fleshy sepals), commonly described and sold as “flowers” or “petals”
Actions: diuretic, hypotensive, anti-inflammatory, cardiotonic, astringent, cholesterol lowering, antioxidant, antimicrobial, demulcent
Affinities: endocrine, urinary, circulatory, and reproductive systems
Notable constituents: tannins, anthraquinones, quinines, phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, saponins, cardiac glycosides, protein, free amino acids, carbohydrates, reducing sugars, mucilage, essential oils and steroids

Applications

Has been the focus of studies for its anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and hepatoprotective qualities.
Highly regarded as a natural liver and kidney tonic and traditional weight-loss herb.
High in antioxidants, which may help prevent damage and disease caused by free radical buildup that causes cell damage.
High levels of Vitamin C, minerals, soluble fiber, and antioxidant flavonoids make this one of the most healthful beverage teas on the planet.
Has demonstrated antibacterial actions against a variety of bacteria in studies.

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Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)�cool, dry, relaxant

Attributes

Taste: vegetal, bitter, somewhat sweet
Family: Fabaceae
Medicinal parts: blossoms, leaves
Actions: nutritive, alterative, lymphatic, diuretic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, discutient, galactagogue, phytoestrogenic (leaves)
Affinities: lymphatic, respiratory, integumentary systems
Notable constituents: caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, quercetin, coumarins, hyperoside, methylsalicylate, phytoestrogens (daidzein, genistein, isoflavones, pratensin), minerals (chromium, iron, magnesium, manganese)

Applications

Red clover relaxes and directs moisture to the lungs, helping to calm spasmodic coughs and relieve dry mucosa. It can be helpful long-term for asthma.
A substantial anti-inflammatory activity from red clover can relieve symptoms of sinusitis, as well as red, weepy “allergy eyes.”
When bloating accompanies PMS, especially if there is low back or kidney pain, red clover is very helpful –it is a gentle diuretic.
The lymphatic drainage stimulated by red clover will keep white blood cells circulating and sustain immune surveillance, as well as helping to rebuild immunity after illness.
Red clover serves an adjunct role with other lymphatics and circulatory stimulants for polyps, fibroids, and cysts.

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Elder (Sambucus nigra, S. canadensis)�cool, dry, relaxant

Attributes

Taste: sweet, slightly oily, astringent
Family: Adoxaceae
Medicinal parts: berry and flower
Actions: diuretic, astringent, diaphoretic, circulatory stimulant, digestive, nutritive, alterative, respiratory antimicrobial, antispasmodic, antitussive, purgative, vermifuge, exhilarant
Affinities: immune system
Notable constituents: astragalin, betulin, cyanidins, anthocyanins, campesterol, hyperoside, quercetin, chlorogenic acid, sambunigrin, pectin

Applications

Incredibly effective for managing cold and flu, and regulating fluids in the body.
When combined with the nutritive, antioxidant-rich virtue of the berries, the immune-stimulating and lymph-specific actions make elder an alterative herb.
Elderflower is a diuretic, contributing to the drying energetics of this plant.
Elderflowers are also supportive in formula to help resolve seasonal allergies.
A relaxing diaphoretic, elderflower releases tension in the muscles that close down the periphery, allowing heat to escape the body.