Combat Inflammation And Pain With These 8 Amazing Beverages

Have you been told that inflammation is a normal process that is beneficial to the body? It holds true, to an extent. Inflammation is the body's natural immune response to harmful external agents like pathogens. But there are times when inflammation gets out of hand and becomes chronic or uncontrollable. This will do more 'bad' for your body than 'good'.

Have you ever wondered why some of your body parts swell almost immediately after an injury? It's because any and every wound and damage to our tissues will only heal after an inflammatory process takes place.

It can then be safely assumed that the process of inflammation is a natural defence mechanism which should not be interfered with, isn't it? Not really.

Chronic painful inflammation is not normal and puts your body at the risk of the most common fatalities of today - cancer, DNA damage, heart diseases, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, etc.

Changing your lifestyle and getting your body naturally detoxed will help reduce and eliminate unhealthy inflammation gradually. Here are 8 beverages that will help you get your life back on track by fighting inflammation and providing your body more benefits than one. What's better, almost all of them are household items or easily available!

• Lemon and Turmeric
• Iced Hibiscus Tea
• Ginger and Parsley
• Beet Juice Or Smoothie
• Carrot Juice Or Smoothie
• Tart Cherry Juice
• Bone Broth Of Chicken
• Pineapple Juice

1) Lemon and Turmeric

Turmeric contains an antioxidant curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory properties and helps in reducing joint pain as well. Lemons contain vitamin C and citric acid which have multiple benefits for the body.

Together, the two act as overall anti-inflammatory and body detox and hydration agents. In a saucepan, simmer one tbsp of grated ginger and turmeric each along with the juice of one entire lemon (including its peel) in 3 cups of water over medium flame.

Don't let it boil. Drink this tonic regularly to treat inflammation and store any unused amount in the fridge. If your sweet tooth is too excited, you can add some honey to it as well!

Doesn't sound like your cup of tea? You can alternately try simple turmeric tea or lemon water according to your taste.

2) Iced Hibiscus Tea

Hibiscus flowers are as much beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside. This flower has anti-inflammatory properties and renders your tea with a bright colour at the same time giving a floral twist to the taste!

If you cannot get chopped hibiscus flowers, you are most likely to find hibiscus tea bags in grocery stores and supermarkets. Mix chopped hibiscus flowers (or tea bags), the juice of one lime and add some mint leaves to it. Cool this and serve for a refreshingly attractive anti-inflammatory drink!

3) Ginger and Parsley

Ginger and parsley contain gingerol and carnsol, respectively which are both great anti-inflammatory agents, reduce muscle pain and aid digestion. Moreover, ginger also prevents the production of prostaglandin and leukotriene which trigger inflammation.

To make a juice, mix a handful of parsley with about 2 inches of ginger, one lemon, one small cucumber, some spinach leaves, one green apple and some celery stalks. You can drink this once daily for about two or three months and feel the difference!

4) Beet Juice Or Smoothie

Don't be overwhelmed by the number of reds and yellows in this article; we can't lay down enough emphasis on how beneficial these red and yellows are! Beets are packed with vitamin C, potassium, iron, manganese, vitamin B9, fibre, etc. and decrease inflammation along with increasing oxygen intake and lowering blood pressure.

To provide more flavour and nutritive content to the drink, mix a small/medium-sized beet with 1 tsp turmeric and half tsp ginger (or according to your taste), an orange, a handful of strawberries and two or more cups of coconut water to make a tasty smoothie!

5) Carrot Juice Or Smoothie

These orange little ones hold a lot of vitamin A and are crucial to the skin and eyes. Well, good news - they also combat inflammation! Juice out 8 to 10 carrots, and blend it well with a peeled orange, an apple, half a lemon, ginger, optional turmeric and 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar. Depending on what you want, you can either add water or milk to blend the mixture.

6) Tart Cherry Juice

It's all 'red' and beautiful again! Unlike sweet cherries that contain sugars which trigger inflammation, tart cherries contain anti-inflammatory properties because of the presence of a pigment anthocyanin.

In addition to this, these cherries also have antioxidant properties which prevent premature ageing. What's better - they have zero side effects! You can either juice out the cherries or you can add some beet juice to it which will give flavour as well as additional nutrients.

7) Bone Broth Of Chicken

Why specifically chicken, why not others? This is because chicken contains chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine inside its cartilage. They help in the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis by slowing down the degeneration of cartilage within our bodies.

Additionally, chicken bone broth contains collagen which supports joint health, better memory and cognitive function, and better sleep - basically winning a nutrient jackpot package!

Combine 2 pounds of chicken bones, an onion, two carrots, a couple of celery stalks, 2 to 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar and sufficient water in a cooker and simmer till you achieve the desired consistency. Drink one cup every day and add herbs or sea-salt for flavour.

8) Pineapple Juice

We round off with yet another 'yellow' that has been scrutinized for its interactions with the Pizza! Apart from tasting mouth-wateringly delicious, pineapples contain the enzyme bromelain (most of which is present on its skin) which is a very potent anti-inflammatory agent and aids digestion. No wonder, it's used to reduce the after-effects of a surgery. Pineapple juice has an added advantage in that you can add anything to it to make the flavour more like your taste, and the outcome will be equally delicious!

Go on and get your hands on these items, make yourself one of these healthy drinks and feel more relaxed.