Most folks prefer natural alternatives to artificial “chemicals”. First of all, it concerns steroid-based meds, as they may cause side effects. In this article, we’ll study some inartificial remedies that imitate effects of steroids.
Best Natural Steroids for Inflammation
Steroids used for preventing inflammation and infection are corticosteroids. They’re known for their potentially dangerous side effects. That is the reason you may find natural steroids for inflammation more suitable.
1. Turmeric (known as Haridra in Ayurvedic medicine). Ethnomedicine uses curcumin, a constituent of turmeric, for its innate anti-inflammatory abilities. It also has curative effect for joint arthritis and Alzheimer’s, which is proved by several researchers (incl. Daily JW, Yang M, and Park S. from Department of R&D Daily Manufacturing and Hoseo University). Turmeric influences the organism by improving its immunity to various diseases along with anti-inflammation, so this ethnomedicinal plant seems a reasonable choice.
2. Ginger. Traditional Chinese medicine appreciates ginger for its property to disable inflammatory receptors and prevent inflammation. 500 mg 4 times per day is enough to keep the body temperature for dealing with aching joints in cold climate.
3. Diet. The diet can’t be considered a “cure”, it is rather a passive improvement to deal with inflammation. There’s a list of food products, known for anti-inflammatory capabilities. Mostly it includes:
- vegetables (especially pigmented ones: spinach, kale, and collards);
- fruits (blueberries, cherries, lemons, limes, grapefruits, tangerines),
- seafood (mackerel, tuna, sardines, mollusks, crustaceans).
The best choices include garlic, blueberries, green tea, and oregano. The balanced diet is also a good way for skin condition improving.
Steroid Alternatives – Essential Oils
Besides the previously mentioned natural steroids, essential oils also significantly affect the anti-inflammatory abilities of the body.
We would advise using the following ones:
- Marjoram (Origanum majorana). This herb helps in facilitating muscle pain, due to its soothing properties.
- Chamomile. Thanks to the anti-inflammatory effect, it gives a feeling of calm and makes a beneficial effect on the joints.
- Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis). It can combat pain in the back and joints. It is also good for suppressing painful sensations in musculature due to the anesthetic substances in it.
- Eucalyptus. It reduces pain in the muscles and cures nervous system. Its strong odor is an external manifestation of the natural analgesics contained in eucalypti.
Natural steroids – Phytoestrogens
It is worth making a couple of comments about what phytoestrogens are not. First, phytoestrogens aren’t planted hormones. Secondly, phytoestrogens aren’t estrogens (which are female sex hormones, whose main purpose is support of sexual function in the female body along with some other functions). Natural pills with phytoestrogens can be bought at chemist shops.
Non-steroid plant compounds are called phytoestrogens, a plant-derived xenoestrogens (although they are considered natural steroids). They are capable of performing not only estrogen functions but also anti-estrogen ones. For example: while estrogens can stimulate the hormone-dependent tumors to increase, phytoestrogens inhibit them (like anastrozole pills). This effect exists due to the dualistic nature of these xenoestrogens and their capabilities, such as an ability to contact with the same receptors (special protein structures on the cell surface) as genuine estrogen molecules, though they influence 500-1000 times less than estrogens. While having a low level of estrogens, phytoestrogens contact with unoccupied receptors. With a high rate of oestrogens, they begin to interfere with estrogen, taking up receptors that result in androgenic effect.
Phytoestrogens (namely coumestans, isoflavones, and lignans) are contained in numerous food products, such as:
beans, Mung beans, wheat, oats, barley, linseed (flax), sesame seeds;
- soybeans, and soy-based foods, like tofu, miso soup and miso paste, tempeh;
- rice bran, alfalfa, lentils;
- wheat germ, kudzu (Japanese arrowroot), licorice root, mint;
- anise and fennel;
- apples, carrots, pomegranates, red clover, lupin;
- hops, beer, Bourbon whiskey.
If estrogen rates aren’t high enough, phytoestrogens might perform the estrogen functions (regulate fat metabolism, reduce the incidence of tumors, etc.).
Steroid Alternatives and Other on Our Website
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