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 among several nutrients and phytonutrients getting more attention for its anti-inflammatory features. Patients at Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries are quite aware that we converse about inflammation and its part in Manchester back pain and neck pain very often, so anti-inflammatory supplements with anti-inflammatory nutrients are well received!

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY NUTRIENTS

A recent narrative review of medical literature about the effects of certain nutrients and phytonutrients on immune system function and on the reduction of inflammation determined that patients with all sorts of health issues, minor to severe, may well get some advantage 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 therapies. The goal of such supplementation is to decrease inflammation which is regulated by the immune system and which is a contributor to chronic disease in addition to acute illness. The review got into specifics like how supplements affected inflammatory and immune factors - whose names you may not know very well yet 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 gaining much attention today as the need to prevent chronic illness and decrease the severity of acute illnesses of all types that people globally are dealing with. (1) Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries 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 talked about above. A new study featured the benefits of its supplementation.  Frankincense is an oil extract extracted 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 components of frankincense. Combined with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosahexaenoic acid (EPA), it stimulated lipid mediator change of innate immune cells from pro-inflammatory to boosted anti-inflammatory action of frankincense from Boswellic acid. (2) For Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries, 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 acknowledge 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 Manchester chiropractic appointment.

CONTACT Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries

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 communication between the immune system and inflammation as well as how spinal manipulation can positively affect the immune system.

Make your Manchester chiropractic appointment now 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 have in reducing inflammation!

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"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."