Kickin' Inflammation: A Holistic and Natural Approach

Inflammation is a natural and necessary response to physical injury, infection, or exposure to chemicals. Chronic inflammation is something different, and can be caused by over-exercise, stress, or simply be the result of aging.  The older a person gets, the more they are at risk for developing chronic pain and inflammation.

In the next ten years, 60 million people will have some form of inflammation. New research is helping us to understand the inflammatory response better than ever before! There are now some pretty effective ways to help people cope with these problems through the use of over-the-counter and prescription, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), but most don't come without side effects.

A more natural choice may include herbs and spices which also offer significant inflammatory relief. Most of these  have been used for thousands of years in Chinese medicine, and in Ayurveda, the oldest used healing practice, going back 5000 years. Traditional wisdom, combined with new scientific research, validates the use of many of these plant-based herbal products to offer nutritional support for inflammation.

So, remember, when your muscles are aching and your bones aren't movin', spice up your life by adding a little more spice to your meals.  It may just be what Mother Nature ordered!

Top 5 Simple Solutions for Kickin' Inflammation

1. Balance Your Fat Intake.  The imbalance between omega-6 and omega-3 in our diet causes inflammation in our bodies. Modern Western diets provide 10 times as much omega-6 as omega-3 whereas the optimal ratio is thought to be 4 to 1 or lower. We can increase the omega-3 by eating oily fish (or omega-3 fish oil supplements), flax seeds and foods fortified with omega-3. We can reduce omega-6 by eating less vegetable oil (particularly palm, soybean, rapeseed, and sunflower), processed food, eggs and chicken.
2. Quit Smoking & Other Bad Habits.  Smoking, alcohol, drugs, and caffeine have been associated with increased levels of inflammatory proteins in the body. The body is constantly defending your body against these stressors, which sets in a state of chronic inflammation.
3. Lose Weight.  This is a vicious cycle because the more overweight we are the more inflammation there is in our bodies. Unfortunately, the inflammation itself interferes with weight loss hormones such as leptin. Obesity not only puts a physical stress on our joints but it changes our body chemistry and metabolism which further perpetuates painful inflammation.
4. Sweat!  Researchers have observed that aerobic exercise significantly reduces C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation).The key is to be active but never to overdo it. While exercise protects the body from inflammation, over-exercising can make it worse. A moderate level of exercise is considered to be 30 minutes per day, five times a week.
5. Think Flavorful Foods!  Many of the herbs and spices we add to flavor our foods also promote a normal inflammatory response by actually changing your body chemistry in a healthy way. Whenever possible try adding ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, basil, oregano, rosemary, garlic or cayenne.

Herbs That Help Kick Inflammation

Turmeric

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a highly regarded spice used in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine. Turmeric, an ingredient in curry, has been used for more than 2000 years as a culinary spice, medicine, cosmetic, and a fabric dye. This important spice was even described in Marco Polo's memoirs. It became popular in Europe during Medieval times for its coloring value and medicinal uses. Traditionally, Turmeric has been used for gastrointestinal health, joint health and overall body energy. Turmeric also plays a role in some Indian religious ceremonies.

During the 1970s, research began to focus on the pharmacological properties of Turmeric and its constituent curcumin, particularly regarding antioxidant properties and joint health.

More Information:

• Turmeric Vegetarian Capsules
• Turmeric rhizome powder
• Bromeflex Vegetarian Capsules
• Organic Inflamma-Shield Vegetarian Capsules

Ginger

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) has played a significant role in Chinese, Japanese and Indian medicine since the 1500s. In Asia, Ginger has been recommended in the treatment of stomach aches and nausea for thousands of years. The oleoresin of Ginger is often contained in herbal medicines for the digestive tract.

Ginger has been listed in the in the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) and the National Formulary as a carminative, aromatic, and stimulant.

More Information:

• Organic Ginger Vegetarian Capsules
• Organic Ginger Extract 
• Organic Ginger root c/s
• Organic Ginger root powder

Can We Help? 

Herbal Products for Inflammation

Here is a tasty list of some of the more common spices used world wide for both culinary and medicinal uses. Most of these can be found already in your spice rack!  Fresher is always better and more effective, so if you can buy it "fresh" do so, and if not, replace your cut-and-sifted or powdered spices every six months. You can also buy herbal supplements made with these fresh spices, which help provide anti-inflammatory and therapeutic effects: Oregano, Rosemary, Green Tea and Holy Basil Tea.

 

*Statements herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and are not intended to treat or diagnose any disease or health condition. It is also recommended that patients check with their doctors before taking herbs, to ensure that there are no contraindications with prescription medications.