Anti-inflammation nutrition for patients

A safe, effective and holistic pain protocol to assist in anti-inflammation nutrition for patients

ACCORDING TO THE CDC, AT LEAST ONE-FIFTH OF ALL AMERICANS report dealing with chronic pain, and the National Institutes of Health report that millions of Americans suffer acute pain. 1,2

Whatever the causes — acute pain from physically-demanding jobs, chronic inflammation due to rheumatoid arthritis, muscle recovery from intensive workouts, or for any other reason — effective, safe and holistic solutions are within reach.

Curcumin for chronic pain

Chronic pain may be a primary driver behind most of your patients’ initial visits. And because it becomes so hard to ignore, it may also drive patients to taking unhealthy levels of over-the-counter or prescription pain medications.

For situations like this, a clinically-studied curcumin blended with turmeric essential oil (BCM-95) may be the best choice. Curcumin fights COX-2 inflammation, and modulates every other inflammatory pathway as well. This particular curcumin has been used in numerous clinical studies, including a rheumatoid arthritis trial where it performed better than the prescription drug diclofenac sodium, reducing joint pain and swelling with no side effects. 3

Turmeric essential oil is a component in this curcumin to help it absorb and remain in the bloodstream longer. It also provides turmerones (specifically ar-turmerone) with actions similar to curcumin as well. 4,5

Omega-3 for joint pain

For joint discomfort, omega-3 consumption is consistently linked with lower incidence of rheumatoid arthritis, and can certainly benefit patients dealing with pain due to other causes. 6-12

One way to bolster this is to build DHA and EPA levels in patients with daily supplementation. It can go a long way to stopping acute and long-term joint pain with anti-inflammation nutrition.

An omega-3 supplement that is bound to phospholipids (beneficial in their own right) provides peptides that krill and fish oil supplements can’t offer. Just a couple of tablets each day help balance levels of omega-3s. A phospholipid form is more stable too, and virtually guarantees compliance, because it requires fewer dosages than fish oil and doesn’t cause fishy-tasting burps. Because the absorption of omega-3s is much better with phospholipids than with triglyceride-bound oils, it is a more natural fit for the body, as well.

Acute pain and muscle recovery

Some of the best results for acute pain and muscle recovery can be seen with the clinically-studied curcumin mentioned earlier along with 5-LOX fighting boswellia, DLPA to boost natural endorphins, and nattokinase to efficiently shepherd these ingredients through the bloodstream. This pain reliever is fast-working and can easily take the place of over-the-counter NSAIDs your patients may be using. It has been an anti-inflammation nutrition pain-relief miracle for the people I treat, even helping when narcotics cannot.

Curcumin has been clinically studied for its effects on delayed onset muscle soreness, and was found to reduce pain, inflammatory markers, and muscle damage and improve performance. 13,14

The boswellia in this combination has been studied along with curcumin in a clinical trial of patients with osteoarthritis, although its 5-LOX balancing ability makes it a good choice for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, too.

In the osteoarthritis study, the two botanicals were compared to a generic celecoxib. One group received celecoxib, 100 mg, twice daily while the second group received a 500-mg blend of the high-absorption curcumin and the high-AKBA boswellia extract twice daily.

For pain relief, 64% of those taking the herbal ingredients versus 29% in the drug group improved from “moderate to severe arthritis” to “mild to moderate arthritis.” 15

Topical combinations

Additionally, a topical cream for dealing with sprains, strains and abrasions may be one of the best all-purpose recommendations. A recommended one is made from the flowers, stems and leaves of a specialized comfrey (Symphytum x uplandicum NYMAN) that is free of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). Aside from soothing inflammation and muscle pain, this comfrey cream relieves knee and ankle sprains and strains, and the scrapes and abrasions that are common with an active life or occasional stumbles. 16-22

The right nutrients and botanical medicines complement and support regular adjustments for a holistic anti-inflammation nutrition approach to pain relief. Whatever the reason for the pain, these interventions do more than mask symptoms — they can stop damaging inflammation and help your patients begin to heal. 

JACOB TEITELBAUM, MD, is director of the Practitioners Alliance Network, which fosters communication between all health practitioners (vitality101.com/pan). He is also an internationally-known expert in the fields of chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, sleep and pain. He is the author of the perennial bestseller From Fatigued to Fantastic; Real Cause, Real Cure; Pain Free 1-2-3; and the free iPhone and Android app Cures A-Z. He can be reached at 410-573-5389 or through endfatigue.com.

References:

1. “Prevalence of Chronic Pain and High-Impact Chronic Pain Among Adults — United States, 2016.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6736a2.htm. Accessed: April 25, 2019.
2. “Pain Management.” National Institutes of Health (NIH). Available at: https://report.nih.gov/nihfactsheets/viewfactsheet.aspx?csid=57. Accessed: April 25, 2019.
3. Chandran B, Goel A. A Randomized, Pilot Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Curcumin in Patients with Active Rheumatoid Arthritis. Phytother Res. March 9, 2012 doi: 10.1002/ptr.4639.
4. Aggarwal BB, Yuan W, Li S, Gupta SC. Curcumin-free turmeric exhibits anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities: Identification of novel components of turmeric. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2013 Sep;57(9):1529-42.
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11. Analysis at the Nancy-Universite, INPL-ENSAIA; Laboratoire de Science et Genie Alimentaires, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, France.
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17. Niedner R. Effect of an Active Substance Complex from Symphytum on Epithelialization. Acta Therapeutica. 1989; 15:289-297.
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20. Hess H. Effect of a Symphytum Ointment with Sports Injuries of the Knee Joint. German J Sports Med.1991;42:156–162.
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