No. 86

Pain & Inflammation Management

Managing Pain & Inflammation–

Whether you are dealing with an injury or struggle daily with inflammation from an illness or arthritis, nature is here to help. There is no one answer unfortunately, but rather, finding the combination that works for you.

Many years ago, I fell down some stairs and hurt my back. At the ER I experienced staggered breathing– whether breathing in or out, it was jerky and involuntary. The nurse gave me a dose of Valium and immediately the muscle stopped contracting and smoothed out. This is when I learned that Valerian Root works for certain kinds of pain, and not just anxiety. Valerian Root, just as Valium works, helps to smooth out the muscles. It helps to stop cramping, contracting, and muscle spasms. Having recently pulled a muscle in my back which is also related to an old auto injury to my spine, I again found Valerian helpful, but mixed with other remedies, including Kratom. What a God-sent to have these natural products to use in place of pharmaceutical drugs. I for one am very grateful.

Here is a list of things to try. Don’t be afraid to combine them in any way that works for you. Small amounts of various things or more of one, all depends upon what you are dealing with. If you have more inflammation, use more anti-inflammatory products. If more pain, use more for pain with some anti-inflammatory. If I have pain for example, I will take Red Vein Kratom along with Aspirin and Anti-Inflammatory. Enjoy your day with less discomfort!

1. Kratom- nothing beats this herb for pain and relief from so many problems, I consider it to be like a miracle herb. This product is found under Ethnobotanicals on this website.

Red Strains– pain;, sedation
Green Strains- pain, more energetic
White Strains- pain, more energetic
Mix Greens or Whites along with the Reds for pain relief which is helpful for more energy during the day or when at work for example. Maeng Da has little pain reducing capacity for example but is great mixed with any pain-relieving strain to help keep you alert by day. If you have questions about which type to choose, just come in and visit with us. It is more complicated than just “pick this one”.

2. Valerian Root- smooths muscle contractions or cramps, reduces anxiety and helps you to sleep for longer hours in a row. People who prefer Valerian Root also prefer medications like Valium, Ativan, and Klonopin, etc

3. Kava– used the same as Valerian, just a different herb with a variation on these benefits. People who prefer Kava generally also prefer medications like Xanax

4. Golden Milk or Anti-Inflammatory Powder– this is such a great product for many products. It is even a good addition to any program for lowering blood pressure and blood sugar. The only people with inflammation who should NOT use this mixture are those with Lupus. If you have Lupus, you should not use fenugreek, so you can use all the other herbs and remove fenugreek from the mix.

Ingredients: certified organic blend; Ceylon cinnamon (the best in our opinion), fenugreek, turmeric, and ginger root.

Optional- add 1 oz. of black pepper to 4 oz. of this mix for added benefits. Black pepper strengthens the bioavailability of these ingredients. It is not added to the original formula because some individuals are allergic to black pepper and the formula is designed to accommodate the most number of people. Adding any herb to the Anti-Inflammatory Powder is also optional, including an herb for pain such as white willow bark (natural aspirin) or kratom (red for pain). If you are person who peppers all of their food, adding black pepper to the mix is not usually necessary. Many people are unaware that black pepper kills bad bacteria in the gut.

5. Aspirin or Ibuprofen (or natural aspirin- White Willow Bark Extract)- these are anti-inflammatory and pain-killing. They are not the best choice as a fever reducer. For pain I often take an aspirin along with one acetaminophen plus Kratom, plus Anti-Inflammatory, sometimes one Valerian. There are no rules and sometimes you benefit from these types of products along with natural herbs. I wouldn’t do this long term, but for a few days such as when I injure myself (usually related to yard work!) Another thing to try is the substitute for Aspirin–  White Willow Bark Extract. This is nature’s aspirin and because it is metabolized in the small intestines, it usually will not bother the stomach in most people.

6. Acetaminophen- reduces fever and deep muscle or nerve pain. The reason people are given this with pharmaceutical pain medications is because acetaminophen slows down the liver which in turn, makes the pain relieving medication to last longer. This is also a problem for the liver however.

7. ALC (alpha-l-carnitine) repairs nerves, supports the myelin sheath. Anyone who has had Shingles and suffers from residual pain should look at taking this supplement. People with neuropathy, fibromyalgia, or MS should also take ALC

8. Monolaurin– reduces inflammation, excellent also for digestive inflammation. You would have to eat a whole cup of coconut oil to get the equivalent of a capsule of monolaurin. Monolaurin is from coconut oil.

9. Turmeric- anti-inflammatory, helps reduce pain signals from the brain to the body and nervous system. Prevents brain lesions related to MS. This bothers some people’s stomachs so if this spice causes stomach upset, try any of the recommendations but delete Turmeric from the mix.

10. Cinnamon- Ceylon is the only type that should be taken as a supplement as compared to culinary uses. Cinnamon has a chemical that in high doses is hard on the liver except for the Ceylon variety, which is much less. This is the only type we carry. Cinnamon reduces bad bacteria in the gut, reduces inflammation in general and reduces blood sugar. In the USA, the most common cinnamon sold unfortunately is cassia. The reason for this is the cost difference. If you want Ceylon, we have it. You can also buy a pill maker and make your own 00 pills with Ceylon cinnamon powder. 00 size is about 500 mg. when tampered into the pill using a pill-maker. We have these if you need them along with empty 00 capsules.

11. Fenugreek- reduces inflammation and blood sugar.

12. Ginger Root- reduces inflammation, bad bacteria in the gut, supplies heat to the body in cases where more heat is desired in applications of Chinese medicine for example. Helps the brain, fire healing signals to the body and supportive to the cardiovascular system, hearing, eyesight, and brain chemistry. When extracted with alcohol, such as a tincture, it is a natural antibiotic. The antibiotic qualities cannot be achieved with water or vegetable glycerin extraction but only with alcohol. For stomach distress, powdered ginger in water or a ginger root tea bag should work well. Drink this with meals or after eating. If taking a ginger root capsule, take this with your meal.

13. Antibiotic Herbal– this is a blend of the herbs which contain the highest berberine. I love this formula and made it for myself actually, a few years ago to follow-up after an antibiotic regime when I contracted a Retro-Virus. It brought everything into check quickly. We have countless people who have had H Pylori who have successfully eradicated it using this blend. Many of our customers have used it for chronic bladder inflammation, and various intestinal problems like UC, Crohn’s, IBS, etc. It brings inflammation down which is bordering on an infection and often times stops problems from developing further. The only problem with it is the taste. Wow this tastes awful and very bitter. I prefer the pills myself. If you tolerate the powder it saves you about half the cost. If you make the pills you also save about half. If you have chronic nasal inflammation or infections, steep 1 capsule or 500 mg in your Netti pot water along with the salt, strain through a coffee filter to remove all herb particles. In many cases it has stopped a sinus infection, especially during allergy season.

Contains: certified organic; goldenseal root, echinacea angustifolia root, echinacea purpurea root, Oregon grape root, and barberry root.

14. Vitamin C- taking 1000 mg daily with a meal is general use. For taking a higher dose, I often recommend the powder. Many people have trouble with Vitamin C loosening stools or being too acidic for the stomach. If that’s you, try this– Combine 1/3 teaspoon Vitamin C powder with 1/3 teaspoon of aluminum free baking soda to make a liquid C product which is easy on the stomach and less likely to cause diarrhea. This form of Vitamin C is called Sodium Ascorbate. Vitamin C is an anti-inflammatory and helps to reduce infections, bad bacteria, and promotes healthy collagen for tissue repair. Vitamin C is a good supplement to take with glucosamine and chondroitin for arthritis and bone and joint trouble because it supports the production of collagen. Also- if you want to stay looking younger longer, this is a must- as a supplement and on your skin. Natural Vitamin C can be taken in place of ascorbic acid, these include;  camu camu, rosehips, yumberry, acerola cherry, acerola berry, and citrus fruits.

15. Vitamin E- another antioxidant that calms and supports the whole body. It provides for the production of elastin in skin and body tissue including the cardiovascular system. It helps to reduce inflammation in the veins, arteries, and capillaries. Vitamin E helps you to maintain more youthful skin. If your inflammation is cardiovascular, be sure to take Vitamin E along with CoQ10, quercetin and rutin in order to preserve the capillaries. Vitamin E prevents your veins and arteries from becoming stiff.

16. Vitamin D3- taking 5000 mg of this supplement each day supports over 2000 biochemical responses that cannot happen if you are deficient. It is a building block of good health and will make everything else you supplement work better. It is synergistic with Fish Oil so take them together at the same meal if you are taking both for a more effective result. It takes a full 30 days of use to experience results to begin working when taking Vitamin D. You will not feel anything after a month, but you will notice is a sense of just feeling better or a sense of wellness. When you supplement Vitamin D3, it is important to take K2 (usually about 100 mcg) in order to move the increased calcium in the blood into the bone. If you do not take K2 with the Vitamin D, you can cause problems with the mineral calcium depositing into soft tissues rather than into the bone where we need it.

17. Jamaican Dogwood- this is a pain reducing herb which is listed in the same category as Kratom. It has no psycho-active effects but is still an excellent pain killer. Combine it with Kratom and see if it works for you. This can help reduce the cost of using Kratom for those that it works for. For chronic pain such as arthritis, you can combine the powders of white willow bark (aspirin), Jamaican Dogwood, and Kratom for daily use. For pain and inflammation, also add the Anti-Inflammatory powder to this formulation.

18. White Willow Bark– as mentioned above, this herb is considered natural aspirin. Easier on the stomach than aspirin because it breaks down in the small intestine rather than in the stomach. It combines well with cramp bark for muscle spasms and menstrual cramps.

19. Feverfew- fever reducer, also helps to reduce the incidence of migraine headaches. Feverfew mixes well with White Willow Bark and Cramp Bark.

20. Organic 8 Greens– builds the immune system to better handle reducing inflammation, bad bacteria, and infection. Greens are excellent for those with arthritis. Taking Greens is also complementary with taking Fish Oil capsules or eating oily fish as part of your diet.

21. Aloe Vera Juice- 1 to 2 oz. 1 to 3 x daily acts as an anti-inflammatory for the entire system. It is healing to intestinal tissues and can be helpful for many gut illnesses. Some with IBS find Aloe Vera to cause diarrhea or cramping however. If it doesn’t work for you, there is always another product to try. Aloe Vera Juice can be very helpful in reducing arthritis pain. For those with issues of constipation, whole leaf aloe vera juice is recommended. For those with diarrhea or concerns that aloe vera will cause diarrhea, use the type called “inner fillet” which is better for these problems.

22. Enzymes- these are associated with digesting food for most. But enzymes digest more than food when taken WITHOUT food between meals. When taken between meals and following with plenty of water, enzymes digest bad bacteria, inflammation, pain, mucous, swelling at injury site, and cleans the entire cardiovascular system (veins, arteries, capillaries). If you have never tried enzymes for these problems, you are missing out on what for some is an amazing result. Bromelain Enzyme is excellent for digesting inflammation and is often times helpful for arthritic pain, swelling, and injuries. Pancreatin Enzyme can be helpful taken 10 minutes before eating a meal. It doesn’t contain HCL so it will not contribute to too much acid and still provide a broad full spectrum of digestion. Papaya Enzyme is especially good for protein digestion. This enzyme can be helpful taken at an evening meal if you are consuming protein. Serrapeptase is beneficial for many things but especially to help break down plaque in the veins and arteries. We carry the 120,000 units size only. The small mg. sizes are not effective.

23. DMSO- this is applied externally to non-broken skin to reduce inflammation, swelling, and pain. Excellent for bone, backs, and injury, especially sports injuries to muscles and bone. Do not massage DMSO into the skin. It is a dehydrator. Simply apply and let it dry – about 15 to 20 minutes. It can turn the skin red if you massage it so only pat it onto the area. See the separate post for DMSO use is you need instructions on this. You can also add a couple of drops of the appropriate essential oil to DMSO and it will help it penetrate deeper into the area of inflammation.

24. DMSO2– Organic Sulfur- a total body support for building new tissue, supporting old tissues, and giving your body the gift of the true building blocks of good health. You cannot make this in your body and you cannot store it. Taking it everyday is recommended. See POST 28 and 202 on the website for detailed information for taking Organic Sulfur. MSM contains sulfur but only about 30%. Organic Sulfur is about 99% or 100%, making it 3 x more effective than taking MSM. Organic Sulfur also is an anti-aging product which also helps to keep your skin tight.

25. GABA- helps to balance out the brain receptors in the transmission of pain. Take this at bedtime along with any sleep herb for better rest if you need it. It is complementary when taken with magnesium.

26. Magnesium- calms the signals of pain from the brain. Calms the nervous system and helps to keep nerves from over-firing. Take with GABA for added benefit, 1 hour before bed with water on an empty stomach.

Include One or More of These Anti-Inflammatory Foods in Your Daily Diet

• Dark Berries– blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, cranberries (do not combine berries with banana or avocado at meals)
• Green Tea  3-5 cups per day between meals
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) “nature’s Teflon”
• Onions, Garlic and sulfur-rich foods
• Spinach– 2 or 3 times per week, but not daily
• Dark Leafy Greens
• Turmeric (if you do not eat pepper in your meals, add pepper to better potentiate the benefits of this spice)
• Walnuts. Walnuts contain the omega 3 fatty-acid Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA) and Pistachios
• Oily Wild-Caught Salmon, Cod, Mackerel, Anchovies, Sardines, Halibut
• Chia Seed, Flaxseed;  these are plant sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Add chia to yogurt to help improve gut flora
• Kefir– drink a 4 oz. glass daily if you have stomach problems. Kefir also can be found in non-dairy form at the grocery store
• Sorghum (in place of oatmeal) for better fiber for intestinal inflammation
• Prebiotics– inulin, guar gum;  these promote probiotics
• Avocado
• Foods that Produce Glutathione;  okra, asparagus, avocado, spinach
• Cruciferous Vegetables (cooked);  cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, broccoli sprouts, brussels sprouts, watercress, bok choy