Conventional doctors have long used painkillers called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to ease inflammation – such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin – as well as steroid hormones. But these drugs carry well-known side effects and are generally not a good long term solution.
Alternative medicine practitioners have long turned to herbs and natural substances that have anti-inflammatory properties. Blaylock says he has seen tremendous results in his patients who have used alternative therapies to knock down inflammation naturally. Among those he recommends:
Vitamin C: Adequate dietary intake of this antioxidant vitamin knocks down disease-causing substances in the body known as free radicals that have pro-inflammatory effects. Studies have found vitamin C may help protect against coronary heart disease and gout.
