1) Balance Your Omega 6 to Omega 3 Ratio
This is the most basic step and should be focused on first. Remove all inflammatory oils from your diet including sunflower oil, safflower oil, corn oil and soybean oil. Avoid excessive consumption of nuts and seeds. Aim to consume grass-fed animal products. Consume omega 3 rich fish including salmon and sardines preferably every day.
2) Meet Your Recommended Daily Intake of Vitamins & Minerals
Far too often do I see people try to treat disorders with herbs when they aren’t even meeting their nutritional requirements. Consumption adequate vitamins and minerals are the foundation of health and one of the most important natural arthritis remedies you can do. You can’t expect your body to heal if you don’t provide it with the vital resources to do so. Vitamins and minerals should all be obtained from the food you eat. While I do recommend a multi-vitamin, it is not a replacement for actual nutrients from food. Look up the RDI for your age and gender and aim to meet it.
3) Magnesium & Calcium
While this does fall into the prior step I believe these two minerals deserve special mention. Magnesium and calcium are critical to bone health. I recommend a liquid magnesium supplement due to its high bioavailability. As for calcium, raw milk is a fantastic source. You can also grind up eggshells into a powder and take 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per day, divided into 2 servings.
4) Turmeric & Ginger
Both turmeric and ginger have exhibited promising anti-inflammatory benefits in multiple studies. One study found when turmeric is taken with black pepper it increases absorption by 2000%! As such you should look for a supplement that also contains black pepper extract in it.
5) Stinging Nettle
Nettle leaf, when touched, produces a painful sting that you’ll likely not forget. Once harvested however it quickly loses its bite. The same chemicals that produce this sting are being looked at as a potential anti-inflammatory. There is a large amount of positive testimonials of nettle helping with joint pain.
6) Tart Cherry Juice
Studies have shown that 1 tablespoon of tart cherry juice taken twice daily produces powerful anti-inflammatory effects.
