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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 various nutrients and phytonutrients receiving more attention for its anti-inflammatory traits. Patients at Chiropractic Solutions hear us chatter on about inflammation and its role in San Jose back pain and neck pain very often, 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 immune system function and on inflammation reduction concluded that patients with all types 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 reduce inflammation which is regulated by the immune system and which is a contributor to chronic disease as well as acute illness. The review got into specifics like how supplements impacted inflammatory and immune factors - whose names you may not hear much about but play a role 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 demand to prevent chronic illness and reduce the severity of acute illnesses of all sorts that people globally are dealing with. (1) Chiropractic Solutions is excited to see these developments in the more natural approaches to health come about!

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FRANKINCENSE

You will note that frankincense was one of the nutrients listed above. A new study highlighted the benefits of its supplementation.  Frankincense is an oil extract extracted from the Boswellia tree. It’s been used in anti-inflammatory folk remedies for many years. Using bowellic acids like the 3-O-acetyl-11-keto-βBA (AKBA) are unique anti-inflammatory factors of frankincense. In combination 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 Chiropractic Solutions, frankincense needs to be gifted throughout the year 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 San Jose chiropractic appointment.

CONTACT Chiropractic Solutions

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 interaction of the immune system and inflammation as well as how spinal manipulation can positively affect the immune system.

Schedule your San Jose chiropractic appointment now 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 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."