Nutrition and Pain

Anti-Inflammory Nutrients and Herbs

I am currently reading ‘Clinical Applications on Neuromuscular Therapy – Vol 1 Upper Extremity’, and I am extremely impressed with the information in the book. I am slowly progressing through the book. This is actually one of my main course books for my Higher Diploma course in Neuromuscular Therapy (NMT).

While I was reading through chapter 7 ‘The Internal environment I came across an interesting section on treating inflammation on a muscle when healing form an acute trauma. It was mentioned in the section that fish oil, pineapple stem, and papain from the papaya plant all reduces inflammation. Remember that inflammation is a necessary process of the healing process, so never try to eliminate inflammation, just try to reduce it. But what was interesting to me was the that the fish oil study was done back in 1986 (Moncada 1986). So it has been know for a long time that fish oil is a great supplement.

Whole body Inflammation and treatment

What also was of interest was the section on how important magnesium (Mg) and potassium are in reducing inflammation, and controlling pH levels. Low levels of Mg were linked to cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, hypertension and diabetes (Jing et al 1995). Barbagello et el (2003) stated:

that intracellular Mg has also been shown to be effective in modulating insulin activity ( mainly through oxidative glucose metabolism).

Barbagello et el (2003) also state:

A poor intracellular Mg concentration, as found in noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and in hypertension patients, may result in defective tyrosine-kinase activity at the insulin receptor level and exaggerated intracellular calcium concentrations. Both events are responsible for the impairment insulin action and worsening of insulin resistance in NIDDM and hypertension patients.

They further concluded:

We further suggest that a reduced intracellularMG concentration might be the missing link helping to explain the epidemiological association between NIDDM and hypertension.

The very next paragraph went on to talk about diet and inflammation where Seaman (2006) suggests:

We can craft a diet that is rich in foods that are know n to be anti-inflammatory .... such a diet would be free of simple carbohydrates because they drive hyperinsulinemia and the expression on syndrome X.

Seaman conclude that a hunter-gather style diet would be the diet prescription for people with chronic disease and inflammation.

Within the following paragraph it is discussed how non-steriod anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be harmful to the body, and the authors (Chaitow and DeLany) are strongly of the opinion that other, less harmful methods, should be employed in preference to NSAIDs whenever possible.

Amen!

RB

References:
Clinical Applications on Neuromuscular Therapy Vol 1 – The Upper Extremity 2nd Ed

Barbagello M, Dominguez L J, Galioto A et al 2003, Role of magnesium in insulin action, diabetes and cardio-metabolic syndrome X. Molecular Aspects of Medicine 24 (1-3): 39-52

Jing M, Folsom A, Melnick S et al 1995, Association of serum and dietary magnesium with cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, insulin, and carotid arterial wall thickness. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology 48 (7): 927-940

Moncada S 1986, Leucocytes and tissue injury, the use of eicosapentenoic acid (EPA) in the control of white blood cell activation. Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift 98 (4): 104-106

Seaman D 2006, National considerations for inflammation and pain. In: Liebenson G (ed) Rehabilitation of the spine 2nd Ed. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore