For many years I lived with Hashimoto’s disease. Thinning hair, weight gain, and extreme fatigue were my “normal.” Autoimmune conditions have skyrocketed in past years, not just thyroid issues. What do these conditions have in common? They’re all accompanied by inflammation!

While recovery is a multifaceted approach, anti-inflammatories are a great way to help the body regulate itself and heal.

Even if you don’t have an autoimmune disease like rheumatoid arthritis or irritable bowel disease, you can still experience chronic inflammation. Osteoarthritis, when the joints wear down, can cause inflammation too. And inflammatory conditions can cause a cascade of other issues, like high blood pressure and blood sugar dysregulation.

Is Inflammation to Blame?

Many people accuse inflammation of causing the problem. However, inflammation is really the body’s response to an overwhelmed immune system. Podcast guest and functional medicine practitioner Maggie Berghoff points to a mix of toxin exposures and genetics. Having a multi-faceted approach that lessens our toxic burden while calming inflammation can be very helpful.

Many anti-inflammatory herbs also have antimicrobial and detox benefits to offer even more health benefits. By reducing inflammation, they can offer some pain relief and improve overall health. Of course, herbs aren’t a substitute for prescription or OTC pain meds, but they can help gently nudge the body in the right direction.

Anti-Inflammatory Herbs

There are a lot of herbs that help soothe inflammation, but they work in slightly different ways. It’s not always as simple as grabbing some curcumin supplements or drinking organic turmeric tea and calling it a day. Other herbs, like chamomile, show the most promise for inflammation when used topically for skin issues.

Turmeric root does have some great anti-inflammatory properties and it’s one that I use often. Golden milk is a delicious way to get the benefits. It’s rich in earthy spices like black pepper, cinnamon, and ginger root. I’ll also add a little honey for sweetener. Turmeric isn’t the best choice for everyone though and it can even irritate some conditions. Some people experience GI irritation with too much turmeric and those with congestive heart failure generally shouldn’t use it.

Other popular anti-inflammatory herbs include fennel, licorice, peppermint, rosehip and holy basil (tulsi). Caffeine-free herbal tea blends can be an easy way to get the anti-inflammatory effects of herbs. Matcha and green tea also have potent anti-inflammatory benefits. They have antioxidant polyphenols like EGCG that help reduce inflammation.

Making Your Own Anti-Inflammatory Tea

You can find organic tea bags at the store, but they can get expensive. I’ll often buy my herbs in bulk, including loose leaf teas to save money. There are lots of different anti-inflammatory ingredient options, but I wanted something that would be generally helpful for most people. Drinking tea doesn’t need to be complicated!

Here are the ingredients of this anti-inflammatory tea and why I chose them:

• Green tea – This is the backbone of the tea and gives it a robust flavor. Green tea is high in epigallocatechin (EGCG) which acts as an antioxidant. Researchers have found this helps it work against a wide variety of inflammatory diseases. Want to skip the caffeine? Rooibos tea is caffeine free and is also a potent antioxidant to fight inflammation.
• Ginger root – Ginger tea is pungent, warming, and anti-inflammatory. It also helps with nausea and has mild pain relieving effects. Several studies reported it worked as well as Ibuprofen for pain and swelling with arthritis and muscle problems.
• Lemongrass – This fragrant plant has a long history of use for pain and inflammation in Ayurvedic medicine. The leaves are used topically to relieve pain and arthritis. Lemongrass essential oil also helps increase circulation to reduce joint inflammation and pain. It also adds a lovely, lemon candy flavor to the tea.
• Hibiscus – Tart and fruity, hibiscus petals are high in the antioxidant vitamin C. They’re also rich in nutrients and anti-inflammatory polyphenols.
• Nettle – An often overlooked herb, humble nettle is a powerhouse of nutrients. It also works to relieve inflammation as an antihistamine. This makes it great for allergies and respiratory issues.

Be sure to use high-quality herbs in your tea blend for maximum benefits!

More Anti-Inflammatory Tea Tips

• You can also mix all of the dried herbs and store in a glass jar for about 12 months. Use 1 teaspoon of herbal tea for 8 ounces of hot water.
• Fresh ginger is a more potent anti-inflammatory than dried, but dried will work if you want to premix your herbs to use as needed.
• Cold nettle tea acts as a diuretic. AKA it helps your body release extra water but you’ll find yourself going to the bathroom more!

What ways have you found to combat inflammation? Any tips to share? Leave a comment and let us know!