gardening momma Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Are there any plants (veggies or herbs), minerals or vitamin supplements that have anti-inflammatory properties? I was taking a prescription anti-inflammatory, but can't take it anymore because it was giving me problems. My Dr. said to stop taking it and use ibuprophen, but to be careful with that because it can irritate the stomach & cause ulcers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplain Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Fish oil is anti-inflammatory. 1-2 grams per day is adequate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted February 21, 2011 Author Share Posted February 21, 2011 Fish oil is anti-inflammatory. 1-2 grams per day is adequate. Adequate for everyday life, or when you have an inflammation? Mine is in my feet--plantar fasciitis in both feet, and a pinched/inflammed nerve in one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplain Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 I personally wouldn't go higher than 1-2 grams per day. Some go much higher, but I believe there may be long term risks to higher doses. I assume you're pursuing other therapy for the pinched nerve, as well as changing habits to try to calm down the plantar fasciitis? If those measures aren't making any difference, it might be worth changing strategies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Curcumin (in tumeric). You can make lots of curry or get it in capsule form. Fish oil Quercetin (a supplement found in apples) - also available in capsules. I take all of the above. I was very high doses of anti-inflammatories for pericarditis and when I started to have extreme stomach pain, switched to these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Turmeric has strong anti-inflammatory properties. Comes in Capsules from New Chapter Organics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leanna Tomlinson Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 My mom has an un-named inflammatory condition. In the past she couldn't move without Aleve, but now she only needs it about once a week. She's made many changes involving adding some things and eliminating others. Supplements: Omega 3's Magnesium and something else....I'll have to ask her when she gets back in town Eliminate: ALL artificial sweeteners - she said this makes the biggest difference Reduce: Red meat Dairy Sugar She got a lot of help from the book Inflammation Nation http://www.amazon.com/Inflammation-Nation-Clinically-Nations-Epidemic/dp/0743269640 My dh reduced his plantar fascitis by using the exercises in the book Pain Free http://www.amazon.com/Pain-Free-Revolutionary-Stopping-Chronic/dp/0553379887 HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted February 21, 2011 Author Share Posted February 21, 2011 (edited) I assume you're pursuing other therapy for the pinched nerve, as well as changing habits to try to calm down the plantar fasciitis? If those measures aren't making any difference, it might be worth changing strategies. Yes, for both. Fitted for new shoes (found out I need 1.5 sizes larger than I've been wearing! My arches are falling, so my feet are longer now), physical therapy for plantar fasciitis, stretching at home, icing feet, and getting a series of shots to deaden the pinched nerve. Edited February 21, 2011 by gardening momma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted February 21, 2011 Author Share Posted February 21, 2011 Curcumin (in tumeric). You can make lots of curry or get it in capsule form. Fish oil Quercetin (a supplement found in apples) - also available in capsules. Turmeric has strong anti-inflammatory properties. Comes in Capsules fromNew Chapter Organics. Supplements:Omega 3's Magnesium and something else....I'll have to ask her when she gets back in town Thanks. I'll look for these. Eliminate: ALL artificial sweeteners - she said this makes the biggest difference I don't consume any. :) Reduce:Red meat Dairy Sugar sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Here's some info if you're interested: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimber Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Serrapeptase is amazing. It's a natural anti-inflammatory. Because of it, my morton's neuroma is gone without surgery. It works. However, there are people who are allergic to it. I take huge amounts and give it to my kids whenever they're coming down with a cold of some sort, but it gave my mother a rash. If you do try it, check with a doctor first and start off with small doses. Kimberly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in PA Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Here's some info if you're interested: :iagree: with the suggestions listed there. I also take fish oil, D3, and magnesium. Turmeric has such strong anti-inflammatory properties that I apply it topically to cuts and burns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzyfizzle Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 I would take a bath with epsom salts before I would take anything. Sometimes it really helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 I would take a bath with epsom salts before I would take anything. Sometimes it really helps. :iagree: People often forget that epsom salts are magnesium sulfate. Magnesium is actually used better by the body when absorbed through the skin because it can bypass the stomach where it often causes diarrhea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 People often forget that epsom salts are magnesium sulfate. Magnesium is actually used better by the body when absorbed through the skin because it can bypass the stomach where it often causes diarrhea. Epsom salts are great. I keep meaning to take regular Epsom Salts bath, but I keep forgetting. I'm truly not a bath person ... If diarrhea and magnesium absorption are concerns, this info may be helpful. We take magnesium glycinate. Calcium, magnesium, and many other minerals are best absorbed when they are bound to an acidic carrier such as citrate, aspartate, picolinate, or amino acid chelate. Minerals need an acidic base to break down and get used. The most absorbable forms are magnesium citrate, glycinate taurate, or aspartate, although magnesium bound to Kreb cycle chelates (malate, succinate, fumarate) are also good. Avoid magnesium carbonate, oxide, sulfate, and gluconate. They are poorly absorbed (and the cheapest and most common forms found in supplements). Side effects from too much magnesium include diarrhea, which can be avoided if you switch to magnesium glycinate. People with kidney disease or severe heart disease should take magnesium only under a doctor's supervision. I've learned a lot from this thread and you've received fabulous advice. I've also suffered from plantar fascitis. Hope you find relief and healing very soon. :grouphug: Here's some more info. Sorry if much of it is repetitive. Pain is often a loud voice shouting that you have an inflammation that needs to be addressed. Inflammation and pain go hand-in-hand, and food sensitivities cause inflammation. When any condition ends in “itis” it means that inflammation is present. Inflammation can either be protective or harmful. All inflammation isn’t bad. It can be a useful process that protects us by helping our bodies get rid of foreign matter like bacteria and toxins. Inflammation’s protective responses – redness, heat, pain, and swelling – help the body get rid of foreign substances and prepare injured tissues for repair. Occasional acute inflammation is a necessary part of the normal healing process. Obviously, excessive inflammation has its down side. Inflammation is aggravated by: • Traditional Western diet • Refined sugars and white flours – including artificial sweeteners and HFCS • Red meat from industrially raised animals • Oils rich in omega-6 – corn, sunflower, safflower, soy • Dairy products from industrially raised livestock (especially if full fat) • Eggs from industrially raised hens fed corn and soybeans • Persistent anger or despair • Less than 20 minutes of physical activity per day • Cigarette smoke, atmospheric pollution, domestic pollutants Inflammation is reduced by: • Mediterranean diet, Indian and Asian cuisines • Multigrain flour • At most 3 times a week – organic meat from animals fed grass or flax meal • Olive oil, flaxseed oil • Fatty fish rich in omega-3 • Dairy products from animals fed on grass or flax meal • Omega-3 eggs or eggs from hens raised in a natural environment or fed flax meal • Laughter, lightheartedness, serenity • A 50-minute walk 3 times a week, or 60 minutes 6 times a week – keep moving • Clean environment Since World War II, the farm animals that give us meat, butter, milk, cheese, cream and eggs are no longer nourished with grass and leaves. They are fed corn, soy, and maize instead. Grass is very rich in omega-3s, but maize contains none at all, and soy products contain very little. The animal products that we eat now are thus highly unbalanced, with far too many omega-6s and very few omega-3s. On average, people in the West have 10 to 15 times more omega-6s in their bodies than omega-3s. This is one of the reasons why all the diseases that are nourished by inflammation are in constant progression in Western countries. Some of the many symptoms of inflammation Allergies Alzheimer’s Arthritis Asthma Bronchitis Cancer Colitis Cystitis Depression Dermatitis Diabetes Diverticulitis Gingivitis Heart Disease Heart Trouble Hepatitis Inflammatory Bowel Disease Metabolic syndrome MS Obesity Osteoarthritis Pain Pancreatitis Plantar Fascitis Psoriasis Rheumatoid arthritis Sinusitis Swelling Tendonitis Type 2 diabetes EAT MORE Avocados Avocado Oil Black cumin seeds Chia Seeds Flax seeds Flaxseed Oil Fresh fruits and veggies – make sure you’re getting some of every color Ginger Green vegetables Linseed Oil Nuts Oily fish twice a week (sardines, anchovies, mackerel, wild Alaskan salmon or small fish from cold waters – not farmed fish) Olive oil Omega-3 eggs Rapeseed oil Turmeric is the most powerful natural anti-inflammatory Walnuts The Mediterranean diet has lots of: Beans and Lentils Fish Fruit Nuts and Seeds Vegetables Their diet has less red meat than and dairy than Western diets. Their diet is very anti-inflammatory. LIMIT Artificial Sweeteners Corn oil Dairy products (particularly those that are not grass-fed) Eggs not marked “omega-3” High Fructose Corn Syrup Peanut Oil Processed and fast foods Red meat, especially if it is produced by industrial farming techniques and if it does not carry an “omega-3” label Safflower oil Sugar Soybean oil Sunflower oil Eating vegetables cooked at high heat without water (think roasting, grilling, or frying) can cause inflammation, increasing the rate of aging in the body. Steam your veggies instead! Free Radicals – fried, barbecued, charbroiled foods, coffee, alcohol, pesticides, solvents used in cleaning supplies, UV radiation SUPPLEMENTS - all of these supplements may not be needed if the diet is improved. Omega-3 is the most important one, however. Vitamin C – if you have inflammation, without a doubt you need more vitamin C. Vitamin C and the flavonoids it contains are important anti-inflammatory agents. They destroy damaging free radicals as well as reduce inflammation. Be sure you get at least 500 mg of Vitamin C with bioflavonoids each day. Buffered, or Ester C, is less likely to cause loose stools or stomach irritation. Omega-3 supplements (roughly 1g or 0.03 oz of the EPA-DHA combination – Carlson’s Fish Oil – for a more severe condition, take up to 3 grams daily and wait at least 8-12 weeks to see if you notice a difference.) If you have chronic inflammation, you’ll want to be taking around 3 grams a day. Get a good brand – like Carlson’s. The cheaper ones may contain mercury or pesticide residues. Only buy fish oil supplements guaranteed to be free from contaminants. Evening Primrose Oil (GLA) or black currant seed or borage oils Take EPO on a full stomach in 2 divided doses, equally spaced during the day. Take up to 500 mg EPO 2-3 times daily or 2000 mg total daily Don’t use GLA if you take an antiseizure Rx. GLA supplements provide anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. These good fats also lower cholesterol and triglycerides, ease depression, reduce the risk of autoimmune disorders, and combat allergies. New Chapter’s Zyflamend OR InflaThera are both great supplements. They both contain anti-inflammatory herbs such as turmeric, holy basil, oregano, rosemary, green tea, ginger, Chinese goldenthread, and skullcap. Infla Thera is stronger than Zyflamend. One capsule contains 375 mg of turmeric with 95% curciminoids while Zyflamend has just 50 mg of turmeric with 7% curcumin (which may be perfectly fine if turmeric is a part of your daily diet). Infla Thera has twice as much of the other ingredients. However, each is worth trying since the balance of herbs differs slightly and one might work better for you than the other. Probiotics help fight inflammation and bacteria in the gut Any probiotic you take should contain at least 1-5 billion colony-forming units (CFUs). Nature’s Way Primadoophilus Optima delivers more than 35-billion CFUs. Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics 12 PLUS Nature’s Way Probifia Pearls Enzymatic Therapy Acidophilus Pearls Jarrow Glutathione is an antioxidant that defends against inflammation, and your glutathione blood levels decrease about 17 percent between ages 40 and 60. Turmeric, green tea extract, and sulforaphane (an extract of broccoli), turn on the genes that make glutathione. Try: Source Naturals Broccoli Sprouts Extract. 2 tablets deliver the sulforaphane benefits of 1 pound of fresh broccoli. A daily dose (up to 60 mg of sulforaphane) boosts glutathione production for up to 24 hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 OTHER TIPS/CONSIDERATIONS CRP Test is a blood test that measures the levels of a particular protein called C-reactive protein. Inflammation is a major source of increased CRP. The blood test costs about $50 and is now widely available. If your CRP level is over 0.20 mg/dL, it’s time to take action and reduce it. To check your own omega-6/omega-3 ratio, you can ask a technician to draw your blood and send it to a specialized lab that measures omega-6s and omega-3s present in the hematids. (But be careful – not the levels present in the serum, but in the membrane of the hematids, in other words, the red blood cells). The ratio between them is a relatively constant reflection of the proportions of omega-6s and omega-3s throughout the body, including the brain. If the ratio omega-6 (total) / omega-3 (total) is higher than 10, your body is in a state of inflammation – inflammation that is at least “silent” and possibly manifest (arthritis or other illness). In order to better protect yourself from cancer, you should ideally bring this ratio down below 3. If you have cancer in an active phase, some naturopathic practitioners I have worked with recommend you bring the ratio to under 1 – in other words, you should aim to have more omega 3s than omega-6s in your body. Be careful, though, because when the omega ratio drops too low – under 0.5 – it may increase the risk of hemorrhage, as we see in certain Inuit populations. (Nosebleeds are among the first symptoms). You can measure your omega ratio again after a period of at least two months: this will give your biology time to catch up with the changes in your diet. If you have followed the nutritional guidelines, your ratio will drop rapidly, and you should also begin to see positive changes such as silkier hair, stronger nails, softer and less blemished skin, and a better mood! BOOKS The Inflammation Syndrome by Jack Challem Stopping Inflammation by Nancy Appleton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 I personally wouldn't go higher than 1-2 grams per day. Some go much higher, but I believe there may be long term risks to higher doses. What risks? I am taking about 5 grams per day and have been for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Something else that I haven't seen anyone else mention is ice or cold pack. I have fibromyalgia, inflammation and chronic pain. My dr., chiro & massage therapist all tell me to put ice or cold packs on the muscles when they hurt and it does seem to help. Have you tried that with your foot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 contains high levels of a very potent anti-inflammatory, astaxanthin, and is very well studied. I have read in several places that some docs are switching their patients from fish oil to krill b/c it is in a much more useable form for the body. It is also beneficial b/c is "lower on the food chain", therefore more ecologically friendly and less contaminated than fish oil, which if you take it, should be molecularly distilled to rid it of heavy metals, most notably mercury. Do not take krill if you are allergic to shellfish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 When I was diagnosed with arthritis in my back, plus was having stomach problems, I did some research. This is what I remember: Nightshade vegetables can exacerbate inflammation. The most common are tomatoes and peppers. Also, caffiene is a no-no when you have inflammation. That includes sodas, chocolate, coffee, and caffienated teas. Cherry juice is supposed to be anti-inflammatory. Cruciform veggies, carrots, and bananas have anti-inflammatory properties in the gut. I would think the benefits might be systemic. They certainly helped my tummy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted February 28, 2011 Author Share Posted February 28, 2011 Something else that I haven't seen anyone else mention is ice or cold pack. I have fibromyalgia, inflammation and chronic pain. My dr., chiro & massage therapist all tell me to put ice or cold packs on the muscles when they hurt and it does seem to help. Have you tried that with your foot? Yes, I have a cold pack that I use at home, although probably not as often as I should (I did use it yesterday :) ). And at physical therapy they put a cold pack on my foot during Iontophoresis. I go to PT twice a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 I was on natural anti-inflammatories when pregnant. I used turmeric ginger Wobenzyme fish oil or flax seed oil Zyflamend (I rotated them since I was pg & we were being super careful not to OD on any one particular anti-inflammatory.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplain Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Originally Posted by jplain I personally wouldn't go higher than 1-2 grams [of fish oil] per day. Some go much higher, but I believe there may be long term risks to higher doses. What risks? I am taking about 5 grams per day and have been for years. From The Healthy Skeptic Blog:When it comes to fish oil, more is not better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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