Frankincense: One of Several Anti-Inflammatory Nutrients
Gold. Frankincense. Myrrh. Three gifts talked about throughout the holidays often are overlooked the rest of the year…except gold. We do hear a lot about gold! Well, frankincense is one of various nutrients and phytonutrients garnering more attention for its anti-inflammatory traits. Patients at Amelia Chiropractic Clinic hear us discuss inflammation and its part in Fernandina Beach back pain and neck pain a lot, so anti-inflammatory supplements with anti-inflammatory nutrients are welcome!
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY NUTRIENTS
A new narrative review of medical literature about the effects of certain nutrients and phytonutrients on immune system function and on the reduction of inflammation concluded that patients with all types of health issues, minor to severe, may well benefit from daily supplementation of acetyl-L-carnitine, Vitamin C, Aloe vera polysaccharides, Vitamin B12, beta-glucans, bilberry, black seed oil, coenzyme Q10, curcumin (turmeric), garlic, resveratrol, ginger, hydrolyzed rice bran, lipoic acid, mistletoe, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin E (d-alpha- and gamma-tocopherol), selenium, shiitake mushroom and its derivatives, isoflavones, Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), zinc, and frankincense. Such supplementation may be in addition to conventional medications and medical therapies. The goal of this supplementation is to reduce inflammation which is controlled by the immune system and which is a contributing factor to chronic disease in addition to acute illness. The review covered many specifics like how supplements impacted inflammatory and immune factors - whose names you may not hear much about yet have a role in your health - like interferon-g, nuclear factor-Kappa B, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-a, and CD4+ T cells, and others. Studies like these are getting lots of attention today as the need to avert chronic illness and decrease the severity of acute illnesses of all types that people globally are dealing with. (1) Amelia Chiropractic Clinic is eager to see these developments in the more natural approaches to health evolve!
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FRANKINCENSE
You’ll notice that frankincense was one of the nutrients listed above. A recent study highlighted the benefits of its supplementation. Frankincense is an oil extract taken from the Boswellia tree. It has been utilized in anti-inflammatory folk remedies for a long time. Using bowellic acids like the 3-O-acetyl-11-keto-βBA (AKBA) are unique anti-inflammatory factors of frankincense. In combination with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosahexaenoic acid (EPA), it stimulated lipid mediator change of innate immune cells from pro-inflammatory to enhanced anti-inflammatory action of frankincense from Boswellic acid. (2) For Amelia Chiropractic Clinic, frankincense needs to be gifted throughout the year and not just during the holidays! Nutritional findings like this are just so interesting, particularly when we realize that inflammation has a role in spine-related pain that we treat every day. Let’s talk about our anti-inflammatory nutritional supplement at your next Fernandina Beach chiropractic appointment.
CONTACT Amelia Chiropractic Clinic
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox, developer of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management, on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he illustrates the interaction of the immune system and inflammation as well as how spinal manipulation can beneficially impact the immune system.
Make your Fernandina Beach chiropractic appointment today to see us! Though we’re not sure when myrrh will get its due, we’ll be happy to see that frankincense is getting its due for the role it may play in reducing inflammation!
