Seven Ways to Protect Your Heart With Anti-Inflammatory Alternatives

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Seven Ways to Protect Your Heart With

Anti-Inflammatory Alternatives

http://www.mercola.com/2005/jan/12/anti_inflammatory.htm

By Dr. Joseph Mercola with Rachael Droege

 

After one popular pain-killing drug, Merck's Vioxx, was pulled from the

market and two others, Pfizer's Bextra and Celebrex, had their safety severely

questioned, many Americans are opting to leave their anti-inflammatory drugs on

the shelf -- and understandably so.

 

These drugs are in a class of painkillers known as cox-2 inhibitors, which

are part of a larger class known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

(NSAIDS), and are often used to treat arthritis and other pain. Let's take a

quick

look at these drugs' disturbing past:

 

- Vioxx was pulled from the market in September 2004 after a study showed

that patients taking the drug faced twice the risk of heart attack

http://www.mercola.com/2004/oct/6/vioxx_recall.htm

 

- Bextra was found to double the risk for heart attack and stroke

http://www.mercola.com/blog/2004/nov/10/bextras_risks_higher_than_vioxx

 

- The National Institutes of Health announced, also in December 2004, that

over-the-counter pain reliever Aleve has been linked to an increased risk of

heart attack and stroke

http://www.mercola.com/2005/jan/5/anti_inflammatories.htm

 

 

 

In light of all of these significant warning signs, increasing numbers of

patients, particularly those with arthritis, are seeking pain relief through

alternative methods -- and they're in luck. Probably the most important way is

to

reduce inflammation is to eliminate sugar from your diet and for most of us

that also includes all grains. Just this simple strategy may provide amazing

relief.

 

If eliminating sugar and grains doesn't provide you with the relief you seen

then the following herbal solutions provide the benefits of painkilling drugs

without raising your risk of serious health problems like heart attacks and

stroke.

 

You should work with your own knowledgeable health care professional, someone

who understands natural medicine, to develop the best combination of herbal

alternatives for you.

 

Ginger:

This herb is anti-inflammatory and offers pain relief and stomach-settling

properties. Fresh ginger works well steeped in boiling water as a tea or grated

into vegetable juice. Powder capsules are also available, but I recommend

using the fresh root.

 

Boswellia:

Also known as boswellin or " Indian frankincense, " this herb contains specific

active anti-inflammatory ingredients, referred to as boswellic acids that

animal studies have shown significantly reduce inflammation. This is one of my

personal favorites as I have seen it work well with many of my rheumatoid

arthritis patients

 

And in another study of 175 patients with rheumatic disorders such as

rheumatoid arthritis, 122 participants had reduced stiffness and inflammation

just

two to four weeks after starting on boswellia.

 

Fish Oils:

The omega-3 fats EPA and DHA found in fish oil have been found, by many

animal and clinical studies, to have anti-inflammatory properties htt

p://www.mercola.com/2003/jan/1/fish_oil.htm that reduce joint inflammation and

promote

joint lubrication.

 

Animal based omega-3 fats are absolutely essential for any comprehensive

anti-inflammatory program. They form the precursors to the molecules that

actually

produce or inhibit inflammation in your body (prostaglandins). That is why it

is essential to make sure you are getting enough. It is also vital to

understand that you need to reduce omega-6 fats like vegetable oils seeds and

nuts,

as it is actually the ratio of omega 6:3 fats that determines how much

inflammation is present. You could theoretically consume enough omega-3 fish

oils to

work but then ruin the effect by consuming too many omega-6 fats.

 

Those of you who read the newsletter regularly know that I'm a fan of

Carlson's brand fish oil and cod liver oil

http://www.mercola.com/forms/carlsons.htm

as I have seen clear and often substantial improvements in my patients who

use it. It has shown particularly positive benefits in those with rheumatoid

arthritis.

 

You can find the Carlson's fish oil/cod liver oil in my Recommended Products

section; your local health food store may also carry Carlson's, and usually

they are very helpful in recommending any other trustworthy brands.

 

Bromelain:

This enzyme, found in pineapples, is a natural anti-inflammatory. It can be

taken in supplement form, but eating fresh pineapple may also be helpful.

 

Cetyl Myristoleate (CMO):

This oil, found in fish and dairy butter, acts as a " joint lubricant " and an

anti-inflammatory. The delicious raw butter we carry from organic pastures

contains " Wulzen anti-stiffness factor. " This factor has been found to be highly

effective in reversing arthritis and protects against calcification of joints.

I have also used this for myself to relieve ganglion cysts and a mild

annoying carpal tunnel syndrome that pops up when I type too much on

non-ergonomic

keyboards. I used a topical preparation for this.

 

In one study of 106 people with various types of arthritis who did not

respond to NSAIDs, 63.5 percent of those who took CMO orally and applied the

cream

topically (it's available both in oral supplement and cream forms) improved,

compared to only 14.5 percent of those taking a placebo.

 

Evening Primrose, Black Currant and Borage Oils:

These contain the essential fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which is

useful for treating arthritic pain. These are the exception to omega-6 fats

that are necessary to have in your diet. It is reasonable for many to take these

as a supplement, particularly if you struggle with dry skin in the winter, as

this is a strong indicator that you are deficient in these fats

 

In one study of 37 rheumatoid arthritis patients, those who received 1.4

grams of GLA per day reduced the number of tender joints by 36 percent, the

tenderness of the joints by 45 percent, the number of swollen joints by 28

percent,

and the degree of joint swelling by 41 percent. The placebo group showed no

significant improvements.

 

I personally prefer the use of GLA supplements from evening primrose oil but

borage oil contains a higher concentration of GLA, which means you need fewer

capsules, and it tends to be less expensive.

 

Cayenne Cream:

Also called capsaicin cream, this spice comes from dried hot peppers. It

alleviates pain by depleting the body's supply of substance P, a chemical

component of nerve cells that transmits pain signals to the brain.

 

 

 

--

 

Related Articles:

 

Finally -- FDA Admits That ALL Anti-Inflammatories May Kill You

http://www.mercola.com/2005/jan/5/anti_inflammatories.htm

 

Two Tried-and-True Tips for Pain Relief

http://www.mercola.com/2003/dec/20/pain_relief.htm

 

Vioxx and Celebrex (Cox-2 Inhibitors) May Affect Kidneys

http://www.mercola.com/2000/jul/9/cox2_kidneys.htm

 

How Vioxx and Celebrex Increase Your Risk of Heart Attack

http://www.mercola.com/2002/may/1/celebrex_vioxx.htm

 

Warning: Taking Bextra May Harm Your Health

http://www.mercola.com/2004/dec/29/bextra.htm

 

In Light of Vioxx, Bextra Getting A Closer Look

http://www.mercola.com/2004/nov/6/bextra_vioxx.htm