When an injury is experienced, whether it be a sudden ankle sprain or long term back ache I often hear of people reaching for ibuprofen as solution.
Whilst I am not here to change your current medication I would like to discuss the purpose of ibuprofen and suitable alternatives should you prefer a more natural approach or if you struggle to take ibuprofen due to other underlying medical conditions, especial those of a gastrointestinal nature.
In this article I will discuss:
- What is Ibuprofen and how does it work?
- Natural Alternatives to Ibuprofen
- A suggested natural anti-inflammation protocol
What is ibuprofen and how does it work?
When the body is injured, either short or long term, the process of wound healing begins. One of the stages of wound healing is the inflammatory stage. This stage is vital for the repair of tissue however if the inflammation gets out of control inappropriate levels of pain can be experienced.
Pain produced via inflammation is causes by chemical substances known as ‘inflammatory mediators’ , such as prostoglandin and interleukin.
None Steroidal Anti-Inflammatories (NSAIDs) such as Ibuprofen are designed to reduce the production of inflammatory mediators such as prostaglandin and interleukin by shutting down the enzyme that makes them (COX).
There are however several natural supplements which also help to shut down the COX enzyme and can also increase tissue healing alongside reducing inflammation.
Natural Alternatives to Ibuprofen
- Omega 3 fish oils are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, in particular n3 PUFAS, which have been shown to have a large anti-inflammatory affect and also to enhance tissue healing and repair times. Omega 3 has been found in numerous studies to be equally as affective as ibuprofen with no severe side effects. The whole purpose of increasing omega 3 fatty acids it to rebalance the ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids in your diet which is a particular problem of modern western diets. This will covered in an additional article.
- Curcumin, derived from turmeric is a spice which a large number of well know health benefits, not least among which are its ability to reduce inflammation.
- Sage oil is another nutrient with great anti-inflammatory effect. The Ursolic acid found in sage is often used to compare the relative potency of other anti-inflammatory substances.
- Ginger is well known in aiding digestion, reducing nausea and increasing circulation. The increase in circulation helps to improve blood flow to healing tissues. Ginger, like the other natural supplements above also helps to affect the Cox2 pathways of inflammation and the production of inflammatory substances such as interleukins and prostaglandins discussed earlier in the article.
- Anti-Oxidants are also a great way to reduce tissue healing times. Anti-oxidants scavenge substances known as ‘free radicals’ from the body. These ‘free radicals’ peak in times of stress on the body, such as an injury.
- Pine bark has been shown to enhance circulation at a cellular level meaning that wound healing times are often reduced.
A Suggested natural anti- inflammatory protocol
I would like to state that I have no link to Biocare or receive any profits from your use of their products, I do however use the products myself on a regular basis. This is why I recommend their products on both price and quality.
This protocol is recommended for 1month period with a reassessment of the supplements afterwards.
Biocare Curcumin Plus- Taken as suggested on the label
http://www.biocare.co.uk/
Biocare Mixed Ascorbate– Taken as suggested on the label
Biocare Mega EPA – 3 capsules per day (spread throughout the day)
Or Omegacare Liquid – 1 teaspoon(5ml) (twice daily)
https://www.thefinchleyclinic.com/shop/omegacare-225ml-p-447.html
Andrew Smy (Chiropractor)