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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 among various nutrients and phytonutrients receiving more attention for its anti-inflammatory features. Patients at Hollstrom & Associates Inc are quite aware that we talk about inflammation and its role in Largo 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 inflammation reduction concluded 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 interventions. The goal of such supplementation is to decrease inflammation which is controlled by the immune system and which is a contributing factor to chronic disease in addition to acute illness. The review got into specifics like how supplements impacted inflammatory and immune factors - whose names you may not know very well 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 getting lots of attention today as the need to prevent chronic illness and reduce the severity of acute illnesses of all types that people around the world are dealing with. (1) Hollstrom & Associates Inc is excited to see these developments in the more natural approaches to health come about!

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FRANKINCENSE

You’ll notice that frankincense was one of the nutrients talked about above. A recent study highlighted the benefits of its supplementation.  Frankincense is an oil extract extracted from the Boswellia tree. It’s been utilized in anti-inflammatory folk remedies for many years. 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 enhanced anti-inflammatory action of frankincense from Boswellic acid. (2) For Hollstrom & Associates Inc, frankincense needs to be gifted year-round and not just at the holidays! Nutritional findings like this are just so interesting, especially when we know that inflammation has a role in spine-related pain that we treat every day. Let’s talk about our anti-inflammatory nutritional supplement at your next Largo chiropractic appointment.

CONTACT Hollstrom & Associates Inc

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 positively affect the immune system.

Schedule your Largo chiropractic appointment today 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 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."