Reducing inflammation — the natural approach
by Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP
Over many years we have found that preventing or reducing inflammation is all about listening to your body. From that listening you can begin to learn first-hand what increases or reduces your body’s inflammatory response. Remember as you begin to adopt natural anti-inflammatory habits to move in stages at a pace that feels right to you. You have many options for reducing inflammation, and we don’t want you to feel overwhelmed by your choices. You can cool your body’s inflammatory response and keep it healthier over time by taking the bite-size pieces that feel right for you. This is the approach we have found to be most effective over the long term.
Many of the suggestions we have to offer can be implemented on your own. But if you have chronic inflammation, or moderate to severe symptoms of inflammation, we encourage you to work with an integrative healthcare or functional medicine provider to devise a plan that suits your unique needs.
The anti-inflammatory diet
Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, and wild seafood.
Despite the health benefits of fish, most species have astronomically high levels of mercury and PCB’s. Severely limit or avoid Atlantic varieties, and only eat wild Pacific or Alaskan salmon (unless organically farm-raised). Because toxins magnify as you go up the food chain, sardines, anchovies, and shellfish are still good choices.
Add generous portions of brightly-colored vegetables to every meal and snack for their fiber and natural anti-inflammatory compounds. Many herbs and foods such as turmeric, oregano, garlic, green tea, blueberries, and ginger contain bioflavonoids and polyphenols that limit free radical production. You may want to investigate the anti-inflammation diet outlined in The Perricone Promise, by Nicholas Perricone.
Add essential fatty acids (EFA’s) to your diet.
Since it is omega-3 fatty acids that are in shortest supply in our modern diet, we recommend you take a daily EFA supplement high in omega-3’s to rebalance your diet. This is one of the simplest yet most important steps you can take to quell chronic inflammation in your body. In our practice we have found fish oil EFA supplements to be most effective, but if you are a vegetarian, algal sources can be used with good result. Just be sure your EFA supplement has been tested and proven free of mercury and other heavy metals — otherwise it can do you more harm than good.
You can also include a small handful of nuts and seeds in your diet daily, especially walnuts and freshly ground flaxseed, which are good sources of omega-3’s. Some practitioners also recommend adding an omega-6 supplement called gamma linolenic acid, or GLA, if you have rheumatoid arthritis. For cooking purposes our oil of choice is grapeseed oil, and for dressings it’s olive oil, which is high in oleic acid, an omega-9 with anti-inflammatory properties. You can even have the ratio of EFA’s in your blood evaluated with an EFA profile that measures omega-3 levels versus the omega-6’s versus the omega-9’s. Remember, when it comes to essential fats, it’s all about balance — read our articles on the truth about fat and cholesterol, the benefits of omega-3’s, the differences between omega-3’s, 6’s and 9’s and for detailed info.
Eliminate certain foods and additives from your diet.
I know how hard it can be to avoid many of the foods that turn the body’s inflammation dial on high. Number-one on the list of offenders would be the sugars and refined carbohydrates that women so often crave when their systems are off-balance. Next would be the countless gluten-containing foods like wheat flour and oats (among others) that line supermarket shelves. These and so many other additives and preservatives are often hidden in processed and packaged foods, making them even more difficult to avoid. You will also need to steer clear of known allergens, and be aware of increasing food sensitivities as well. Wheat, eggs, dairy, soy and nuts are some of the most common dietary irritants.
To help you identify sensitivities that could be causing you problems, follow an elimination diet (avoiding a substance for two weeks, then introducing it for a day or two). Yes, it can be difficult at first to make changes like this, but the payoff is huge — it can make a tremendous difference in how you feel in a surprisingly short period of time. The tip away from pro-inflammatory toward anti-inflammatory can take place almost overnight for some women.
Natural anti-inflammatory supplements
Add a high-quality daily multivitamin/mineral complex. There are several markers in our blood, in particular C-reactive protein (CRP), that can be easily measured to give us an indication of the level of inflammation present in our bodies. When weighed with our health history, our risk of inflammation-related diseases can be inferred from these markers of inflammation.
Even though many studies have examined the impact that vitamins such as folic acid and other B vitamins have on tissue function and inflammation markers, the role these vitamins play remains unclear. Still, there is a clear connection between adequate blood levels of certain nutrients, getting homocysteine and CRP normalized, and lowering risk of health conditions caused by inflammation, like arthritis, cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance. Along with folic acid, other B vitamins and EFA’s, as described above, vitamin D too has a known anti-inflammatory effect, and vitamins C and E are widely celebrated as powerful antioxidants, countering the harmful effects of free radicals.
One day we’ll have greater knowledge of how vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients work on our behalf as natural anti-inflammatories. But what is important for us to understand now is that the damaging effects of inflammation can be prevented and reversed by making healthy dietary changes and adding certain supplements to the diet today. Taking a good multivitamin is one of the easiest ways to ensure that your body has adequate levels of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients when it needs them most. (To learn more, read our article on health and vitamins.)
A rainbow of anti-inflammatory botanicals
Bioflavonoids. This is a class of over 5000 plant chemicals that our bodies metabolize in such a way that offers us strong anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, anti-allergenic and anti-inflammatory effects. Bioflavonoids, also called flavones or flavonoids, include compounds such as quercetin, epicatechin, and oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC’s). But don’t let their long names put you off; many occur abundantly in our daily food and drink — in citrus fruits, vegetables, tea, cocoa and wine, to name just a few! Others are less well known, found less widely in nature, or still waiting to be discovered. Most bioflavonoids can be taken in supplemental form as part of a natural anti-inflammation regimen. Among the best for soothing the inflammatory cascade are quercetin, rutin, and procyanidins (OPC’s) such as those found in pine bark extract (Pycnogenol) and grape seed extract.
Other anti-inflammatory herbs. Aside from the large group of bioflavonoids I’ve only touched on above, the plant kingdom has so much more to offer us in the way of compounds that quiet inflammation in our bodies. Many of these are found in traditional medicinal herbs used for centuries in the past, yet whose specific mechanisms of action biochemists are still working to explain today. Their study is helping to bring about a whole new range of anti-inflammatory agents that more safely and effectively target the inflammatory cascade well upstream of where conventional NSAID’s and COX-2 inhibitors cause their damaging and unwanted side effects. Here’s just a sampling.
Boswellia (Boswellia serrata). Also known as Indian frankincense, Boswellia serrata has long been recognized in Ayurvedic medicine for its anti-inflammatory benefits. Today scientists studying extracts of boswellia are reporting that it can switch off key cell signalers and pro-inflammatory mediators known as cytokines in the inflammatory cascade.
Ginger (Zingiber officinalis). Valued for centuries the world over for its medicinal qualities, ginger today is being studied by biochemists and pharmacologists interested in its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-nausea and sugar-moderating effects in the body. In the past 30 years or so their work has confirmed how ginger shares properties with conventional over-the-counter and prescription NSAID’s, in that it suppress the synthesis in the body of the pro-inflammatory molecules known as prostaglandins — except with few if any side effects. Recently, however, an even more exciting body of work is emerging that shows how ginger extract can actually inhibit or deactivate genes in our body that encode the molecules involved in chronic inflammation.
Turmeric (Curcuma longa), an ancient culinary spice native to South East Asia, has been used as an anti-inflammatory agent for centuries in Indian Ayurvedic medicine. Also known as cucurmin, it is a mild COX-2 inhibitor, but works differently from the prescription-strength drugs that can increase your risk of myocardial infarction or stroke. Like Boswellia and ginger, it seems to inhibit joint inflammation by preventing the production of prostaglandins and activation of inflammation-regulating genes through its effects on cell-signalling.
Glucosamine–chondroitin. Glucosamine sulfate (1500–2000 mg/day, divided doses) and chondroitin sulfate (~1000 mg/day) are important building blocks in healthy cartilage. As we age, our bodies cannot create these compounds as readily. Glucosamine–chondroitin supplements may help repair damaged tissues, but they are felt to act principally by delaying the progression of joint inflammation and alleviating its symptoms. In other words, they may not have as strong an impact on the underlying causes of chronic inflammation as the other recommendations in this article, but you can certainly ask your healthcare provider about including them in your plan. (If you have shellfish allergies, be sure to check with your healthcare provider before taking these supplements.)
Evoking your body’s natural anti-inflammatories
Adopt healthy habits and get some physical activity every day. Fuel your body with natural anti-inflammatory agents and keep your joints flexible and well-nourished by exercising every day. Start slowly with a five-minute walk and build your stamina. We recommend 20–30 minutes of activity, five times a week. Exercise is a great way to counteract stress, especially when combined with deep breathing — as with yoga or Pilates. These exercises are appropriate at all levels of stamina.
Go out and play! Or, stay in for a change and get away from it all. Whatever it is that most relaxes you, simply do it: find some time to relax. If you live with chronic stress, investigate meditation or biofeedback therapies to learn the relaxation response. Talk therapy can also help people navigate through their emotional minefields. (See our list of alternative therapies for more info.) Often your local religious institution or Y will advertise support groups or community-building events. This is one way you can share emotional burdens (and we all have them!) with willing listeners. All of these activities can calm inflammation by lowering cortisol, your stress hormone.
Get plenty of rest — it’s the perfect inflammation antidote. You need to sleep between seven and nine hours a night to give your body time to heal from the previous day’s demands. A good night’s sleep can undo the effects of the inflammatory response, so don’t undervalue the simple act of going to bed on time. Invest in the bed and bedding you find most comfortable: some individuals swear by a lambskin mattress covers, others by feather beds, and some will have nothing but a 100% cotton futon. Remember, you are worth it.
Further steps to reduce the causes of inflammation
Break your bad habits. Substances like alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, and marijuana place a heavy burden on your system, so eliminate them or at least moderate your intake. One of the fastest ways to reduce inflammation is to stop smoking and using stimulants. Try quitting for a week or two and see how good you feel. That will encourage you to quit forever. If that doesn’t work, find a support group or professional help and keep trying until you quit.
Examine your surroundings and color them as “green” as possible. Use natural cleaning products and detergents. Limit your reliance on dry cleaning and air fresheners. Test your air and water and, if necessary, get high-quality filters. Bring in lots of houseplants to help filter the air you breathe. If you work in a “sick” building, you have the right to object. OSHA has a toll-free number for inquiries: 1-800-321-6742. Or go to their website, www.osha.gov.
Practice a gentle detox or cleansing program a couple of times a year. It’s impossible to completely eliminate your exposure to environmental toxins, so it’s a good idea to periodically detoxify. For more information on how to do this, read our article on detox and women’s health. Or try Women to Women’s two–week Quick Cleanse; this is a great way to gently and rapidly down-regulate systemic inflammation.
Investigate alternative therapies to deal with pain management. Because of the confusion about the long-term effects of pain medication and steroids, we only recommend using anti-inflammatory drugs for short periods during acute crises. If you’ve tried everything we describe above, but still notice symptoms of inflammation, you may want to try some form of adjunctive therapy. Many people have found significant pain relief through acupuncture, massage, water therapy and other mind–body treatments that reduce pain and inflammation naturally without having to call upon drugs. For more on this, read our article on alternative health care and how to make it work for you.
Pay yourself first
Dampening the fires of inflammation is a continual process, much like maintaining our natural hormonal balance. But it can be done if we remind ourselves how quickly inflammation can speed out of control and how important reducing inflammation is for our health. Just as we need to make healthy choices to support our hormones, we need to do the same to sustain the natural checks and balances of our immune response. After all, your body is the only permanent home you have — it only makes sense to heed your inner smoke alarms.
As we learn more, we continue to see that taking care of ourselves naturally is the best way to prevent and correct worrisome health conditions. Our bodies are wonderfully complex and resilient, but they need our nurturing. If we start paying ourselves first by keeping watch over our internal fire, we’ll reap untold rewards.
Our Personal Program is a great place to start
The Personal Program promotes natural hormonal balance with nutritional supplements, our exclusive endocrine support formula, dietary and lifestyle guidance, and optional phone consultations with our Nurse–Educators. It is a convenient, at-home version of what we recommend to all our patients at the clinic.
To learn more about the Program, go to How the Personal Program works.
To select the Program that's right for your symptoms, go to Choose the plan that works for you.
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References & further reading on natural anti-inflammatories
Original Publication Date: 04/12/2005
Last Modified: 03/31/2009
Principal Author: Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP
Reducing inflammation — the natural anti-inflammatory approachMar 31, 2009 ... The anti-inflammatory diet. Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, and wild seafood. Despite the health benefits of fish, most species have ...
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