There are over hundred forms of arthritis. The most common forms of arthritis are:

• Osteoarthritis,
• Rheumatoid arthritis, and
• Psoriatic arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that is a result of trauma to the joint, infection of the joint, or may be age. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. In other forms of arthritis the body attacks itself.

The second most common form of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis, which is nothing but an inflammatory situation that causes pain and swelling in the joints, it especially affects the smaller joints of the hands and feet. It generally affects both sides of the body at the same time.

Treatment options for arthritis vary depending on the type of arthritis and include physical therapy, lifestyle changes but most effective and most effective are natural remedies for arthritis.

Natural remedies for arthritis

Five most effective natural remedies for arthritis cures, especially Osteoarthritis are: Use of Avocado and Soy in your diet, Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate, Acupuncture, Yoga and massage Therapy.

One of the most popular natural rheumatoid arthritis remedies is the use of

Devil’s claw, it is a plant native to southern Africa. The name is derived from the small hooks on the plant’s fruit. The active ingredients in devil’s claw are believed to be iridous glycosides called harpagosides, which are found in the secondary root and can be effectively used as natural rheumatoid arthritis. Devil’s claw is being used in Africa for thousands of years to treat fever, rheumatoid arthritis, skin conditions, and conditions involving the gallbladder, pancreas, stomach and kidneys.

Natural arthritis remedy is gaining popularity and serves as a complement to traditional therapies. It is definitely important to be well-informed about any treatment you wish to try and remember to first discuss it with your doctor. The best natural arthritis remedy for Psoriatic arthritis is the usage of Fish oil on the affected area.

Common spring allergies symptoms include watery and itchy eyes, runny or stuffy nose, skin itchiness, congestion, scratchy and itching throat, breathing problem, swelling in throat, face, etc.

Several Indian and Chinese herbs show effective results for treating the various types of spring allergies.  However, amongst all these herbs, ‘Butterbur’ and ‘bromelain’ are the most useful herbs for treating spring allergies.

Butterbur is a shrub and mainly found in some parts of North America and Asia, and throughout Europe near rivers or streams. Butterbur has been proved to be effective for treating spring allergies without causing any side effects of drowsiness.

Bromelain is a digestive enzyme herbal extract containing Sulphur and is extracted from the fruit and the stem of the pineapple plant. Bromelain shows beneficial effects for treating spring allergy symptoms like breathing problems and swelling. It also helps in digestion of proteins when taken with meals and acts as an anti-inflammatory agent when taken without any food in the stomach.

Quercetin is also an herbal extract with natural antihistamine properties that is used to treat allergic reactions that occur in our body due to the spring season. Scutellaria and Euphrasia officinalis herbs are used to treat the allergies symptoms of congestion, watery eyes and hay fever.

Aller-7 is an Indian herbal combination product for treating spring allergies. It is made up of seven standardized herbs and is used to cure breathing problems. It also support healthy immune system and decreases the effects of seasonal and perennial airborne allergies to the human body.

‘Tinospora Cordifolia’ also known as ‘Guduchi’ can reduce some of the allergy symptoms like nasal discharge, itching and sneezing.

‘Perilla frutescens’ which is commonly known as ‘Green Shiso’ is one of the natural remedies used for getting relief from allergy symptoms. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) which is an immune factor present in Perilla frutescens, plays an important role in body’s immune system but, also promotes unnecessary inflammation when the immune system is not working properly.

Some of the Chinese herbs used to treat spring allergies include Cnidium, Bupleurum, Mentha, Platycodon and Trichosanthes.

Some combinations of herbs are also used to treat several spring allergies symptoms. For instance, combination of ‘Xin yi hua’-magnolia flower buds, ‘Angelica dahurica’ and ‘Xanthium sibricum’ is used to dry mucus and phlegm. Similarly, the combination of ‘Schizonepeta tenuifolia’, ‘Fang feng’, ‘Siler divaricata’ and ‘Japanese Catnip’ is used to dispel wind.

Apart from the herbal remedies, the symptoms of spring allergies can also be treated by acupuncture.

The Lobelia is a type of Indian tobacco which is termed to be a very controversial herb. This herb helps a lot to quit smoking. This herb is commonly used by most of the smokers nowadays. This herb also cleans your lungs. Mostly it is utilized for curing ailments like bronchitis, asthma, pleurisy as well as whooping cough. Pains and tensions in the muscles are also relaxed due to the consumption of lobelia. Even, this herb has a taste which is similar to tobacco. Mild depression that occurs when you quit smoking is also cured with the help of lobelia. Lobelia creates effects which are similar to the effects of the nicotine, on our body. Though, it is not an addictive herb. It also helps in terminating all your smoking desires. If it is overused, then it may be a bit troublesome. Problems like drowsiness, failure in respiration, weakness in pulse, vomiting etc are some of the adverse effects of overconsumption of lobelia.

Mimosa tea is another herb that helps in quitting smoking. This herb is mainly found in Brazil and south Mexico. This herb fights with various withdrawal symptoms of smoking such as headache or anxiousness. If you consume a cup of strong Mimosa tea, all your withdrawal symptoms would be relaxed. This even boosts up your mood and you can easily calm down. This is not at all an addictive herb. It is also an easy alternative of medicines used for depression.

The CaoSu is also an herb that is used to quit smoking. It is a traditional Chinese herb that is extremely useful for stopping the addiction of smoking. It totally diminishes all your desires to light up a cigarette.

Alfalfa (Medicago saliva) is one of the traditional herbal medicines for arthritis. The tea prepared from this plant is rich in nutrient minerals are believed to fight against arthritis. Angelica (Angelica archangelica) is an herbaceous plant, which has been utilized as one of the most highly used herbal medicines since ancient times in Europe. The root of black snakeroot (Cimicifuga racemosa) is used in the American Indian treatment for arthritis. All the five species of genus Cimicifuga have been used worldwide to treat rheumatism. Besides other anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic rudiments, the herb also contains aspirin-like elements. Devil’s claw (Proboscidea louisianica) consists of a good anti-inflammatory factor. Taking one gram twice a day would be effective in reducing arthritis pain.

Nature’s Herbs Boswellin Cream – It offers two medicines, Capsaicin and Methyl Salicylate (from Wintergreen), for fast, effective pain relief in a soothing base of Boswellia serrata, standardized for Boswellic acids, and Vitamin E. Indicated for the temporary relief of minor aches and pains of muscles and joints associated with arthritis, Boswellin Cream provides warm, penetrating relief. In addition, it has a pleasant aroma and is both greaseless and stainless.

A couple of other natural herbs have pain and soreness reducing components. Those who take these natural herbs seriously and properly as a natural cure can truly demonstrate to the effectiveness of herbs. You should always remember though to always have safety in mind. Some natural herbs, when taken with some medicines can result in serious and dangerous side effects. Herbs also have no standard dosages and mixtures. Different sources and herbal experts will have different recommendations. This means there is no guarantee that one specific dosage recommendation will work well for you. The safest way to take natural herbs for arthritis is with your doctor’s knowledge and permission. There are a lot of helpful herbs for arthritis. A lot of people prefer to use natural solutions for their pain instead of pharmaceuticals. Different herbs for arthritis are available online or in health food stores. There is no shortage of herbs for arthritis. It is true that they may not really be able to cure arthritis. They can however greatly reduce the pain and swelling that arthritis patients commonly suffer from. These herbs may be a good option for you if nothing else works.

The basic principles of Ayurveda are:
1.    Pancha Maha Bhootas: According to Ayurveda the human body is constituted of Pancha Maha Bhootas. The   Pancha Maha Bhootas   are present in both living and nonliving beings but the only difference is the “Chaitanya”. The other words for “Chaitanya”  are ‘life spark’ ‘soul’ ‘spirit’ ‘consciousness’ . The Pancha Maha Bhootas  is a combination of five basic eternal elements which are space, air, fire, water and earth. These five elements have to be studied and understood in subtle as well as material sense.

2.    Tridoshas:  The Pancha Maha Bhootas   exhibit themselves in the body of human beings as three energies known as Tridoshas. ‘Dosha’ means ‘that which maintains and controls the body’. The Tridoshas are Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Vata is accountable for controlling destruction.  Pitta is fire and is basically thermogenic.  Kapha is constituted of Water and earth and is responsible for maintaining the creation.

3.    Trigunas: The Trigunas refer to the three mental qualities which are Sattwa , Rajas and  Tamas. The Trigunas are found in nature parallel to the Tridoshas. Sattwa means purity,   Rajas means relentless activity while Tamas means a dull mind. Tridoshas exist for the body while the Trigunas exist for the mind.

4.    Agni: The Agni relates to the digestive fire in other words the enzymes. The food in the alimentary canal is digested because of Agni. The digestion is controlled by the Tridoshas. Excess gas and Irregular digestion is caused by excess of Vayu. The digestion is controlled by 13 Agnis.

5.    Dhatus:  The Dhatus refers to body tissues. There are  7 dhatus namely (i)Plasma (Rasa);  (ii)Blood  (Rakta); (iii)Muscle (Mamsa); (iv)Fat (Medas); (v)Bone (Ashti); (vi)Marrow (majja); and  (vii)Reproductive (ukra).

6.    Malas: The malas refers to body wastes. The proper elimination of feces, urine, sweat and other wastes such as tears, spit, oil secretions through the skin, secretions of the mucoid, smegma from the genitalia is an important factor for maintenance of good health.

7.    Prakriti: The Prakriti means the constitutional type. The proportion of the doshas represented by the Prakriti. It represents the ideal state of balance. In other sense it is a goal which we should strive to achieve. The knowledge of Prakriti helps the ayurvedic doctor in determining the line of treatment.

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The person with a mind bearing the qualities of tamas and sattwa studies the holistic and spiritual measures for improving self.   The person with a mind bearing the quality of rajas works and exercises actively to overcome the lethargy.

The development of the mind with the qualities of sattwa  is helped by the proper balance of the mind and the development of peace and purity. The first step of Samadhi is this. Samadhi means spiritual realization. The ayurvedic practitioner questions, observes and take the pulse of the patient for the purpose of deciding the cause of illness.

The three mental qualities have different aspects with reference to the Tridoshas.

Trigunas with reference to  VAYU: The individuals with the mental constitution of Vayu have the qualities of insecurity, anxiety and fear. They lack courage and have few close friends.

• Sattwic: This quality is responsible for comprehension, urge for unity, urge for healing and positive mental attitude.
• Rajasic : This quality is responsible for unreliability, anxiety, indecisiveness, and hyperactivity.
• Tamasic : This quality is responsible for servile attitude, depression, addictive behavior, animal instincts, fear, a dishonesty, self-destructiveness, sexual perversions, or suicidal thoughts.

Trigunas  with reference to  PITTA :

The person with mental constitution of Pitta has fiery emotions such as hate, anger and irritability.  They are aggressive and usually sentimental. They articulate, are determined and have convincing powers too. They will try to dominate others. They help friends, family members and relatives but at the same time unforgiving and cruel to enemies. They are adventurous and bold.

• Sattwic : This quality is responsible for intelligence, warmth,clarity, leadership, and independence.
• Rajasic : This quality is responsible for ambition, manipulation, impulsiveness, willfulness, anger, vanity, and aggressiveness.
• Tamasic: This quality is responsible for violence, criminality, vindictiveness, hate, and psychopathic behavior.

Trigunas with reference to KAPPA: The person with mental constitution of Kappa are emotional and full of desire , sentiments , love and romance. They also have greed and lust.

• Sattwic : This quality is responsible for peace, compassion, nurturing, calmness, love, faith, and forgiveness.
• Rajasic: This quality is responsible for material luxuries, greed for money, comfort, being sentimental, attached, controlling, and lustful.
• Tamasic : This quality is responsible for lethargy, lack of care, dullness, depression, and stealing tendency.

If one wants to avoid diseases one should be aware of his or her Prakriti. The Prakriti helps us to understand some mental and physical characteristics of an individual.  Knowledge of Prakriti assists in treatment and prevention of diseases. Prakriti help in taking decisions about the therapeutic regimen for the cure of a diseased person. Prakriti lays the foundation of an individual’s existence and experience. The Prakriti guides the Ayurvedic practitioner in the following way:

It shows the most effective precautionary measures to prevent a disease from occurring

• The treatment that is most effective
• The individual’s best dietary regimen
• To formulate and decide upon the program that is most beneficial for rejuvenation.
• Diagnosis of diseases which are both complex and simple in nature
• The individual’s capacity to recuperate
• The best way to compound the herbal formulation for best results

The determinants of Prakriti: The Prakriti of an individual is influenced by five factors which are as follows.

• The most influential factor is the state of the Doshas in the bodies of the parents at the time of conception. If the father has surplus of Kapha and the Vata is excess in the mother then the Vata Kapha or the Kapha Vata Prakriti will be inherited in the child.
• The intentions and the mental state of the parents at the time of conception play an important role in the development of Prakriti of the child.
• Certain hereditary characteristics such as inclination for sports, arts and scientific skill affect the Prakriti of the child.
• The Prakriti is also influenced by the prenatal diet consumed by the mother as well as her activities prior to the birth of the child.
• The Prakriti of the child is affected by the uterine conditions and the care taken during the pregnancy.

Malas

The body is provided tone and support by the faeces. The faeces also help temperature maintenance of the colon. Vayu illnesses can occur on improper functioning of the excretion process.  Vayu illnesses include fear, worry, nervousness, a feeling of being ungrounded, gas, headaches, constipation and distention. Excessive use of purgatives and colonics along with fear and worry can lead to damage to proper elimination of the faeces. This damage can also take place by consuming wrong foods (such as junk food), coffee, antibiotics, prolonged diarrhea, excessive travel, oversleeping, drugs, and insufficient exercise. Ayurveda states that purgatives should not be given to debilitated persons who are suffering from tuberculosis. The temperature of such persons is maintained by the faeces.

Water and other solid wastes are expelled from the body in the form of urine which in Ayurveda is also called ‘’Mutral”. Disorder in elimination of the urine can lead to bladder infection, fever, dry mouth,
bladder pain, difficult urination, thirst, dehydration. Urine elimination is influenced by alcohol, trauma, intake of too few liquids, diuretic drugs, excessive sex, and fright.

The body temperature is controlled by sweat which in Ayurveda is also called “Sweda”. This regulation of the temperature is done by discarding excess toxins and water. The expulsion of sweat leads to the cooling of the body , removal of excess fat from the body, moistening of the hair and skin, and purification of blood. Both excess sweating and deficient sweating are harmful to health.  Excess sweating can lead to skin diseases such as boils, burning skin, fatigue, eczema, fungus, dehydration, and convulsions. On the contrary if the sweating is deficient then it can cause skin fissures, dandruff, colds, flu, stiff hair, dry skin, and wrinkles. Activities such as excessive use of diaphoretic herbs, eating too many dry foods, excessive or deficient exercise, and lack of salt can damage the process of sweating.

The ingested food undergoes metabolic process and the waste products need to be segregated from the useful products (nutrients). If the waste products are not removed from the body in time they can prove to be toxic and harmful to the health in one way or another.