Frankincense: One of Several Anti-Inflammatory Nutrients
Gold. Frankincense. Myrrh. Three gifts mentioned around the holidays often are neglected the rest of the year…except gold. We do hear a lot about gold! Well, frankincense is one of various nutrients and phytonutrients getting more attention for its anti-inflammatory traits. Patients at Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn are quite aware that we converse about inflammation and its part in Ashburn and Herndon 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 stated 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 added to conventional medications and medical interventions. The goal of said supplementation is to reduce inflammation which is controlled by the immune system and which is a contributor to chronic disease as well as acute illness. The review covered many specifics like how supplements impacted inflammatory and immune factors - whose names you may not hear much about but impact in your health - like interferon-g, nuclear factor-Kappa B, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-a, and CD4+ T cells, among others. Studies like these are garnering much attention today as the need to avert chronic illness and reduce the severity of acute illnesses of all types that people globally are dealing with. (1) Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn is excited to see these developments in the more natural approaches to health evolve!
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FRANKINCENSE
You’ll note that frankincense was one of the nutrients talked about above. A recent study featured the benefits of its supplementation. Frankincense is an oil extract taken from the Boswellia tree. It has been used 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 components of frankincense. In combination with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosahexaenoic acid (EPA), it promoted lipid mediator change of innate immune cells from pro-inflammatory to boosted anti-inflammatory action of frankincense from Boswellic acid. (2) For Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn, frankincense needs to be gifted throughout the year and not just at the holidays! Nutritional findings like this are just so interesting, particularly when we know that inflammation plays a role in spine-related pain that we treat every day. Let’s talk about our anti-inflammatory nutritional supplement at your next Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic visit.
CONTACT Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn
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 describes the interaction of the immune system and inflammation as well as how spinal manipulation can benefit the immune system.
Make your Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic appointment soon to visit 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 hold in decreasing inflammation!
