Like Hippocrates said 2,000 years ago, “food is thy medicine and medicine is thy food.” I believe he was telling us that what and how we eat will determine whether we will be healthy or head down the path of sickness and obesity, the opposite of longevity.
As we discussed before, sugar is a carbohydrate and is inflammatory. The case against grains in the American diet has also been made on two fronts:
1.The body sees grains as a sugar.
2.The basic makeup of grains is inflammatory to the human gut.
Eating well turns out to be very difficult in our present-day society. It’s not just carbohydrates from grains or refined sugars causing inflammation. Trans fats, also called hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, are inflammatory and would require another blog to discuss their hazards.
Chemical preservatives in our foods, dyes, hormones stabilizers, nitrates, nitrites, antibiotics and the simple excess of calories contribute to inflammation. Excessive stress, excessive exercise, too little sleep, too little relaxation, too little love, and too much more of this diatribe also contribute.
So- let’s talk about some shortcuts to help calm the fires of inflammation in our bodies. We’re all looking for shortcuts; God knows I am. One place to look is in nature. I mean some particular species of plants that have been used for thousands of years for their curative effects. Long before the FDA was helping release dangerous anti-inflammatories onto the market (remember Vioxx? Oh, sorry about those heart attacks), medicine men, herbalists, shamans, midwives and witches (the good ones) were prescribing these fascinating plants.
(Before we go further let me say once again my favorite anti-inflammatory is fish oil, obviously not an herb. Make sure it is pharmaceutical grade and that you take 2 to 4 grams a day.)
Let’s discuss the treatment of inflammation with herbs. Most anti-inflammatory herbs work in the same way that other medicines do. You may be familiar with pills such as Aspirin, Motrin or Tylenol. They work by the inhibition of COX2 enzymes to stop the production of prostaglandins which are inflammatory and generally pain producing. Botanical herbs can inhibit the Cox2 enzyme naturally and often with fewer side effects. Here’s a list:
1: Curcumin (turmeric)- the Indian spice. This one goes at the top of my list because it’s benefits seem endless. Curcumin is actually the pigment of the curry spice, classic for its yellow-orange color. For thousands of years the cultures of India and China have recognized the benefits of one of nature’s most powerful healing herbs.
Medical science has just begun to catch up with the ancients. Over 250 studies dedicated to his herb were completed in the past year alone. Curcumin has been found to effect more than 700 genes. The epigenetic effects can be widespread and profound. Curcumin inhibits both the synthesis and activity of Cox 2 ( cyclooxygenase) and 5LOX enzymes which can cause inflammation and pain. Turmeric is a free-radical scavenger eight times more powerful than vitamin E. By decreasing inflammation this amazing spice has been shown to relieve rheumatoid disease, lower inflammatory responses in diabetes, protect against heart attack and stroke and more recently it has proved to be a significant weapon against cancer. Prostate and breast cancer are 10 times less prevalent in India which is thought to be due to curcumin. Interesting…
Curcumin has been found to block the master inflammatory molecule nuclear factor-kappaB (orNF-KB), a strong promoter of cancer in humans.
Please check out the March/April 2011 issue of Life Extension magazine (you can find it on the web at www.lef.org) for an excellent summary of the anticancer properties of curcumin. The list goes on for this incredible herb. However, my blog is designed to bring up the relevant facts and summarize as briefly as possible health and disease prevention tips for the American worker who is not necessarily interested in obtaining an online PhD but more often than not just wants the facts- Jack.
Bottom line- start taking this herb. Dosing can be quite varied for prevention of inflammation: 250 to 500 mg a day is a good starting point. Curcumin has very low toxicity people; fighting cancer can take up to 8,000 mg per day. Remember to check with your doctor when applicable before taking any supplements. Turmeric should not be taken with other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications.
2: Ginger. Like curcumin, this spice has been around as long as civilization. It grows tropically. An ancient Indian proverb said “every good quality is contained in Ginger,” and that’s the truth. First as an anti-inflammatory, both history and scientific studies have shown that the gingerols (anti-inflammatory compounds in Ginger) lower pain and swelling in muscle. This herb has been used for the prevention of motion sickness for thousands of years. Greek and Roman sailors knew this, now scientific studies prove it. Further, Ginger has recently been proven to have antitumorigenic effects against colon cancer. Dosing is always higher when combating active disease so working with enlightened physicians is always recommended. For prevention start with 100 mg per day up to 500 mg per day.
3: Quercetin. This is another interesting plant source that appears to cut down on inflammation. It is considered a flavonoid and is found in fruits and vegetables. It is an antioxidant (they run around the body scavenging for damage particles known as free radicals, bad guys that cause inflammation and cancer). Quercetin has shown to lower LDL or lousy cholesterol giving us another tool in the fight against heart disease. Dosing for prevention of inflammation should run from 100-250 mg twice daily.
4: White Willow bark. The active ingredient in this herb is salicin , the main ingredient in aspirin. Our buddy Hippocrates, we physicians call him “father” of medicine, was utilizing this plant source to treat the ills and inflammations of his time back in ancient Greece. It helps with headaches, lowers temperature and when put on skin externally can help remove warts. What’s not to like? Obviously, if you’re allergic to aspirin you should avoid this one. A good starting dose would be around 200 mg per day, up to 3 grams if working with a health professional who knows his shi# (versed in the arts).
5: Boswellia. Another ancient herb ayurvedic or (Indian medicine ), Boswellic acid also has anti-inflammatory properties like Motrin and other NSAIDS. Like curcumin, Boswellia has been proven to inhibit 5LOX (5-lipoxygenase) the key enzyme produced in our bodies which causes inflammation. Hopefully we’re seeing a pattern here, slow inflammation and we slow disease. Dosing can start around 200 to 500 mgs per day. Some gastric irritation is possible but having food in your stomach or lower dosing should alleviate this problem.
6: Bromelain. This is an enzyme derived from pineapple. It breaks down prostaglandins which you may not know is a type of hormone active in pain and inflammation cycles. Dosing can vary depending on tolerance. I would begin at 100 mg per day working up to 250 mg.
Are there other plant sources out there that can help the human condition of pain, inflammation and disease? Of course there are. What fascinates me is watching the old become new again. Scientists are running around trying to patent molecules that affect the human body. After trial and testing these medicines are often found to be more detrimental than helpful. When we turn to nature we find that which we are looking for. Boy did that sound philosophical! I must’ve been channeling Hippocrates.
For those of you who are hung up on completeness- we can’t forget other important plants that help us. High on the list : green and black tea, aloe vera, feverfew, resveratrol, Chinese scullcap, cayenne pepper, and eye of newt-just kidding on that last one. If you are interested-get on the Internet and start investigating these healing herbs and plant sources. There are many good books on the subject- one of my favorites is The New Healing Herbs by Michael Castleman. Consider starting an herb garden, educate yourself or work with a professional before ingesting any of these guys. Good luck and good health to you. Thousands of years of human experience with these plants puts me at ease somewhat more than our FDA or pharmaceutical companies who profess to have our best interests at heart.