PAIN and INFLAMMATION

Inflammation and Pain

Inflammation is the Beginning
of All Pain

itself. However, the increased number of white

blood cells and inflammatory substances within
the joint can cause irritation, swell the lining of
the joints, and wear down cartilage. Thats
when it turns into your worst enemy.

Inflammation is caused by the release of a

prostaglandin (PGE1) and is sustained by an
enzyme called cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2).
Depending on where the inflammation occurs, it
causes pain. But while we know a lot about the
biological cause of pain, we have turned away
from natural, healing approaches to deal with it.

Along with oxidation, inflammation is truly one

of the major causes of disease. If you reduce
it safely, and early on, you start the healing
process and potentially prevent more serious
problems later. But you must do it wisely.

Relieve inflammation and you relieve pain. It

sounds easy, doesnt it? After all, we know a
lot about the mechanics of pain.

Aside from pain, its interesting that cancer

cells are surrounded by an abnormally heavy
concentration of COX-2 enzymes. So, it follows
that if it were possible to inhibit the COX-2
enzyme, it would be possible to control
inflammation and possibly even cancer. In
fact, this theory is substantiated by evidence
of fewer cancers among chronic aspirin
users. But of course theres a catch. While
drug companies discovered that aspirin
inhibited COX-2, they also found it inhibited
COX-1, which is a protective prostaglandin for
the lining of the digestive tract and blood
vessels, at the same time. And thats what can
cause the ulcers and leaking blood vessels
associated with aspirin use. Unfortunately,
approximately 46,000 people die annually from
the overuse of aspirin and similar drugs.
But there are much better natural choices that
dont put your health at risknatural ingredients
that reduce inflammation and relieve pain by
inhibiting COX-2 and 5-LOX (5-Lipoxygenase,
another inflammatory enzyme), without side
effects. In fact, they are superior to conventional
drugs in both efficacy and safety.
These amazing ingredients are the subject of
this Terry Talks Nutrition.

Inflammation is an
Early Warning System

Inflammation is your bodys way of telling you

that something isnt right. It can be your best
friend or your worst enemy. As your best friend,
inflammation occurs from an injury or an illness,
triggering the bodys own natural protective
compounds to be released into the blood and
race to affected tissues. In small amounts,
thats goodthe body is simply trying to heal

Stopping Joint Pain and Inflammation

Joint inflammation and pain are probably the

most noticeable, most frustrating, and most
common symptoms of inflammation we deal
with on a regular basis. The cause can be as
simple as overdoing weekend chores, or as
complex as rheumatoid or osteoarthritis.
Unfortunately, weve seen an explosion of
prescription and over-the-counter pain killers
that put your health at risk.
Consider the miracle of COX-2 inhibitors
Vioxx, Bextra, Celebrex, etc. These drugs
did not cause ulcers or weak blood vessels.
The expectations for their benefits were
extremely high. Later, scientists found the great
results experienced were offset by the fact that
these anti-inflammatories caused heart attacks
and strokes because they induced clots in the
blood. The risks were so great that the FDA took
both Vioxx and Bextra off the market.
The natural ingredients I recommend for any
of these concerns have been clinically
studied and provide the relief you need
without side effects or worry.

Ginger

Ginger has been used in Indian and Chinese

Traditional Medicine for thousands of years.
The botanical name for GingerZingiber
officinalecomes from the Sanskrit word
singabera, which means shaped like a horn
(referring to the antler-like rhizome, or
underground stem).
Ginger contains beneficial compounds called
gingerols. Research has shown that ginger
inhibits both COX-2 and 5-LOX, so it is a perfect
botanical to have in your pain-fighting regimen.
Ginger also inhibits TNF-a, nitric oxide, and

If you deal with joint pain and inflammation,

you dont need to use potentially harmful
over-the-counter and prescription drugs.
Powerful natural ingredients are just as
effective without the risk.
Ginger, high-absorption curcumin,
boswellia, and DL-phenylalanine
provide a strong combination that fights
inflammation, reduces pain, and helps you
stay active. Together, these ingredients:
Relieve joint pain safely
Reduce COX-2 and 5-LOX activity
Improve mood and recovery time
Fight inflammation throughout
the body
HERE ARE THE FORMULAS I SUGGEST:
Proprietary Complex
2,115 mg
DLPA (DL-Phenylalanine), Boswellia
(Boswellia serrata) Gum Resin Extract
standardized to contain >70% Total Organic
and Boswellic Acids with AKBA >10%,
with less than 5% beta-boswellic acids,
Curcumin (Curcuma longa) Rhizome Extract
enhanced with turmeric essential oils and
standardized for curcuminoid complex
(curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and
bisdemethoxycurcumin), Ginger (Zingiber
officinale) Root Extract standardized to
contain 5% gingerols
other inflammatory markers in the body, which
is one of the reasons it is so potent for a variety
of inflammation-caused health concerns.
In one study, ginger was compared to ibuprofen
for 75 individuals with osteoarthritis. Ginger and
ibuprofen both relieved pain, but no one dropped

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Inflammation and Pain

out of the study due to side effects from ginger.
Ibuprofen was another story, with participants
dropping out due to gastric complaints.
In a different clinical trial, ginger was used by
individuals with knee osteoarthritisa
common condition for people who use some
of the strongest (and riskiest) prescription
pain killers. In this case, those in the ginger
group had a 63% reduction in pain, versus
50% for those using a placebo.
Aside from ginger, there are other extremely
potent, natural ingredients that fight pain and
inflammation. The first on that list is curcumin.

Curcumin

This powerful compound from turmeric

(Curcuma longa) is a strong anti-inflammatory
ingredient that has been used in India for
centuries, but has gained a lot of popularity in
the United States in the past few years.
Curcumin research shows that it is a COX-2
inhibitor, but doesnt damage tissues in the
body like prescription and over-the-counter
drugs. However, since turmeric contains only
2-5% curcumin, it is not strong enough for
medicinal effects. Therefore, I recommend
only curcumin for health problems.
But the form of curcumin you choose makes all
the difference. Thats because not all curcumin
extracts are the same, and they dont all
absorb well. In fact, in many of the studies with
curcumin, researchers used very high
amountsup to 12 grams dailyin order to
maintain therapeutic blood levels that showed
a benefit. And while this high-dosage curcumin
did produce good results, the real problem in
these studies was patient compliance and
comfort, and the cost of the extract.
Supplement manufacturers have tried to
make it easier for the body to use curcumin
with varying degrees of success. Many
standardize their extracts to 95% curcumin,
but unfortunately that method alone isnt very
effective. Additionally, some products blend
the extract with piperine, but piperine
interacts poorly with most medications and
can have very negative effects on the liver.
So, you have to make a smart choice when
it comes to choosing a curcumin extract.
They are definitely not all the same.
Fortunately, there is a better form, and it is the
one I recommend the most.

This form of high-absorption curcumin is

micronized and re-blended with the essential
oil of turmeric for up to 10 times the absorption
of standard curcumin.
So that means no mega-doses are necessary,
and there are no potentially risky ingredients to
increase absorption at the cost of poor drug
interaction and possible liver damage.
As a strong anti-inflammatory, this highabsorption curcumin is perfect for anyone with
pain that prevents them from being more active.
Consider this study that followed 45 individuals
with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), randomized to
three groups. Group one received diclofenac
sodium, 50 mg, twice daily; group two
received 500 mg high-absorption curcumin
twice daily; and group three received both
diclofenac sodium and the curcumin.
Diclofenac sodium is a prescription drug. One
brand in the U.S. is called Voltaren. The highabsorption curcumin was more effective than
diclofenac sodium at reducing joint pain and
swelling. Taking the curcumin with the drug
was no more effective than using the
botanical alone, and taking the drug alone
was less effective. Makes you wonder why
effective natural products arent the first
course of action right away, doesnt it?

Boswellia

I also recommend an extract of boswellia

(Boswellia serrata) that works extremely well
synergistically with curcumin. It is especially
effective and potent at reducing joint pain
associated with arthritis by inhibiting the
inflammatory enzyme, 5-LOX. This specialized
high-AKBA (acetyl-11-keto--boswellic acid)
boswellia is not spiked, and is standardized to
a minimum of 10% AKBA. It is also low in
-boswellic acid (which interferes with
beneficial activity) and has higher naturally
occurring levels of (AKBA) to really boost the
effectiveness of boswellia.

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, low-beta boswellia
extract twice daily.
When it came to relieving pain, 64% of those
taking the two-herb combination versus 29%
in the drug group improved to such a high
degree that they were able to move from
having moderate to severe arthritis to mild
to moderate arthritis. Like the RA study, this
research shows that power of a natural painfighting botanical was extremely impressive.

Fighting Inflammation and

Improving Mood

One of the best ingredients you can include in

a natural pain-fighting regimen is
DL-phenylalanine, also known as DLPA. This
combination of amino acids enhances
production of endorphins and can also
lengthen the time endorphins are retained in
the bloodstream. Many research studies
have confirmed the many pain-relieving
qualities of DLPA including its mood elevation
as well as relieving depression. In fact, DLPA
has the ability to maintain higher levels of
serotonin, the brains natural feel good
hormone. Mood is a big part of pain relief, and
probably one that we tend to overlook.

Pain Relief Naturally

If you experience pain, redness, irritation, and

inflammation, you should see your physician to
rule out any damage to organs or other tissue.
But if your main symptoms are joint pain and
stiffness in the morning or after exercise,
chores, or other physical activity, this
combination of ginger, curcumin, boswellia,
and DL-phenylalanine is an excellent choice.
When in doubt, always consult your physician or
healthcare practitioner. This article is intended to
provide you with information to maintain your health.

This high-AKBA boswellia and highabsorption curcumin have been proven to

effectively fight osteoarthritis pain. An
osteoarthritis study that compared the two
botanicals to the most prescribed arthritis
drug in America, celecoxib (known under the
brand name Celebrex) for individuals with
osteoarthritis, showed excellent results.

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2016