Author: Liz Jones

Injury, allergies, pain, degeneration of tissues, and general aches are just a few of the reasons we take anti-inflammatory supplements. There are so many options for pain and swelling reducing drugs that it can be hard to know what to take. An even more difficult choice is when to take it, not necessarily in terms of how often, but in terms of when an anti-inflammatory is going to be beneficial for your recovery. We tend to have impatience with the body’s processes, which leads us to these types of supplements. It is vital to know what you are putting into your body, and what natural processes you are interrupting by doing so.
There are two types of inflammation, acute and chronic. Acute inflammation is an immediate response to trauma or infection. It is characterized by redness, swelling, pain, immobility or heat. Chronic inflammation occurs with more serious infections and diseases where the body uses inflammation to destroy and dispose of large amount of damaged tissue. Occasionally this type of inflammation can turn sour when it expands beyond the damaged tissues, such as with rheumatoid arthritis, heartburn and seasonal allergies.
The inflammation process:
When your body incurs an injury or infection it sends signals in the form of cyclooxygenase enzymes. There are two types of cyclooxygenase (COX), one is activated when an injury occurs and leads to an increase in the number of prostaglandins that initiate the inflammatory response (COX 2), and one leads to constant production of prostaglandins that maintain several key functions in the body, like stomach mucous production, and kidney water excretion (COX 1). Prostaglandins cascade a series of events that lead to leaky vessels, letting fluid and white blood cells pool in certain areas. White blood cells help destroy damaged tissue, fight infections, and act as a protective mechanism by triggering pain receptors.
antiinflammatory3With any inflammation or pain we often take NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) that block the COX enzymes from producing prostaglandins. Over the counter NSAIDs are non-selective, meaning they influence both types of COX enzymes; resulting in a decrease of inflammation, and disruption of stomach and kidney function. These supplements can take a toll on the body and your immune defense. There are many unwanted side effects of pharmaceutical NSAID’s, which is why they are being recommended less and less. As inflammation persists for long periods of time, or spreads to larger areas, it might be a good choice to look into different options.
Many people are turning to anti-inflammatory diets. This is in an effort to reduce the number of inflammatory substances in the system, which could help reduce the severity of the inflammation in general. Limiting the number of inflammatory foods you consume is reducing the symptoms of a deeper underlying issue. We are also discovering a number of natural substances that have anti-inflammatory properties.
There are several suggestions about anti-inflammatory diets; there are even some rating systems that are helpful to look into. A good place to start is to take a look at your diet to see what foods induce inflammation and which ones reduce it, then start adjusting accordingly. A diet rich with anti-inflammatory foods, will likely reduce systemic inflammation.
antiinflammatory2Examples:
Anti-inflammatory foods: Berries, olive oil, garlic, onion, turmeric, ginger, beets, tomatoes, peppers, fatty fish, nuts, and whole grains.
Inflammatory foods: Trans fats, gluten, dairy, sugar, and alcohol.
Acute inflammation is your body’s response to sudden damage. Inflammation is a natural process to help clear out damaged tissue or cells so that new ones can be formed. If you are not in a position to let the inflammation take its course, then an anti-inflammatory drug could be the right path. NSAIDs have a quick acting response on your system, however the research on these drugs is revealing some nasty truths.
The most commonly found pharmaceutical NSAIDs are ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), aspirin (Excedrin, Bayer), and the more recently developed COX 2 inhibitor (Celebrex). All of these supplements are taken orally and work systemically, meaning they aren’t specific to your area of inflammation. Oral NSAIDs are not intended for prolonged use; taking large amounts over long periods of time puts your stomach and intestines at risk of ulcers and internal bleeding.
Recently there has been information released about non-aspirin NSAIDs claiming that even small doses can increase risk of heart attack and stroke. As more research is conducted on these pharmaceuticals, expect to see additional cautions issued on the use of NSAIDs due to their negative side effects.
We would like to steer you away from pharmaceutical NSAIDs, but say you don’t want to soak your chicken dinner in turmeric and ginger. A few companies are developing supplements of the beneficial substances to take in replace of pharmaceutical drugs. Nature’s Life, Swanson Vitamins, EuroPharma, and New chapter all have options at reasonable price points.

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