Frankincense: One of Several Anti-Inflammatory Nutrients

Gold. Frankincense. Myrrh. Three gifts mentioned around the holidays often are overlooked the rest of the year…except gold. We do hear a lot about gold! Well, frankincense is one of several nutrients and phytonutrients garnering more attention for its anti-inflammatory factors. Patients at Aaron Chiropractic Clinic hear us discuss inflammation and its part in Fort Wayne back pain and neck pain a lot, so anti-inflammatory supplements with anti-inflammatory nutrients are well received!

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY NUTRIENTS

A new narrative review of medical literature about the effects of certain nutrients and phytonutrients on the function of the immune system and on the reduction of inflammation stated 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 in addition to conventional medications and medical therapies. The goal of said supplementation is to reduce 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 play a role in your health - like interferon-g, nuclear factor-Kappa B, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-a, and CD4+ T cells, and others. Studies like these are garnering much attention today as the demand to avert chronic illness and decrease the severity of acute illnesses of all sorts that people around the world are dealing with. (1) Aaron Chiropractic Clinic 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’s 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. Combined with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosahexaenoic acid (EPA), it stimulated lipid mediator change of innate immune cells from pro-inflammatory to enhanced anti-inflammatory action of frankincense from Boswellic acid. (2) For Aaron Chiropractic Clinic, frankincense needs to be gifted year-round 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 Fort Wayne chiropractic visit.

CONTACT Aaron Chiropractic Clinic

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 illustrates the communication between the immune system and inflammation as well as how spinal manipulation can beneficially impact the immune system.

Make your Fort Wayne 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 managing 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."