Outwit Inflammation

Who does not know the aches and pains after a long day of working outside, or taking a long walk or hike on a day off? All winter long we look forward to the long, warm summer days. And when those days are here, we experience those all-too-familiar aches, that tend to get worse as we age. No matter if it’s our muscles, our joints, our tendons, or ligaments that are causing these aches, they have one thing in common; they are all part of an inflammatory process.

Inflammation is part of our body’s reaction to just about any intensive stimulus; when you scratch your skin for a long time, it will inflame. If you are exposed to the sun for too long, your skin will inflame. When we contract a wound or break a bone, it's healing also comes with an inflammatory process, and likewise when we have an infection, or when we just use our joints and muscles intensely. Inflammation is part of a necessary healing process, and one of the properties of inflammation is pain.

While inflammation is a natural and desirable process--a part of the body’s reconstructive work--it’s certainly desirable to reduce these pains. Inflammation can also overshoot and no longer be productive, instead of leading to chronic degenerative conditions. These conditions are frequently seen in athletes with chronic joint or Achilles tendon problems, or in physically active workers who go through repetitive motions. Also, many chronic degenerative conditions usually associated with old age, such as dementia or gout, are also part of the inflammatory processes.

Luckily, nature provides us with many options to mitigate the inflammatory process. It’s important to get a lot of these nutrients and plant compounds with our food, but sometimes we need the extra help of a natural remedy, such as an herbal extract, or a vitamin or mineral capsule. 

Omega 3 fatty acids are an important factor to keep inflammation under control. They are essential for the human body, that is to say, the body can’t make them itself, and we have to consume them with food. Even though some foods such as spinach, walnuts, winter squash, or flaxseed contain decent amounts of Omega 3s, the major source of it is fish. For those who consume little-to-no fish, taking 3-6 capsules of a high-dose Omega 3 product is highly recommended. Besides being anti-inflammatory, Omega 3s have a host of other beneficial effects such as lowering high blood pressure, lightening the mood, and protecting from heart disease.

Among the vitamins, vitamin E is the most important one when we talk about keeping inflammation in check. Many high-fat foods are high in vitamin E, such as sunflower seeds, avocado, or almonds. Some lower-fat options include butternut squash, spinach, and sweet potatoes. Besides this vitamin’s anti-inflammatory properties, it also helps against fatigue, rashes, headache, and bruising, amongst others. As a supplement, you can take up to 1200 IU per day, which is three 400 IU capsules. Since many other vitamins (such as vitamin A and C) are also anti-inflammatory, a high-dosed multivitamin that contains all of them is certainly a good approach.

Digestive enzymes help us to digest food. Examples are bromelain (found in pineapple) and papain (found in papaya). Many fresh fruits contain digestive enzymes. Fermented vegetables and raw egg yolks also contain these enzymes, as do many dairy products such as yogurt or kefir. Digestive enzymes are generally anti-inflammatory, but they also help digest food better and therefore absorb more nutrients. They help you to make the best of every ounce of food you eat! They are also available as a supplement, individually, or as blended digestive enzymes. Take them with or after a meal, not on an empty stomach, to best support the digestive process.

In plants, intensive color is a giveaway that contains a lot of beneficial phytochemicals, many of which also help mitigate inflammation. Be sure to eat a colorful diet, and you can’t really go wrong! Especially known for their anti-inflammatory benefits are turmeric – which is recommended specifically for arthritis and other chronic inflammatory conditions – and ginger, which is delicious both in food and enjoyed as a tea.

The list of herbs that help combat inflammation is long: devil’s claw, cayenne, licorice root, etc. Each one of them has different and additional benefits. That is why many of them are found as a combination in the liquid extract formulas by Mountain Meadow Herbs, where they work synergistically to achieve a better result than each one of them could individually (“1 + 1 = 3”).

The Everyday Joint & Muscle Formula is itself a combination of three other MMH Formulas, which is why it was previously called “3-in-1”. The three formulas are Anti-Inflammatory, designed specifically to control inflammation; Allevi-Ritis, with joint health in mind; and Herbal Calcium, a blend that helps improve calcium levels, which is an important factor for joints, muscles, and bones. The formula contains extracts of the following: stinging nettle leaf, devil’s claw root, olive leaf, yucca root, horsetail herb, oatstraw herb, skullcap herb, barberry root bark, bilberry fruit, cayenne fruit, cornsilk herb, chamomile flower, licorice root, St. John’s wort herb, blue vervain and/or European vervain herb. 

Finally, a diet high in sugars and starch has the tendency to cause inflammation, and therefore it is suggested to limit starches and sugars and eat more healthy fruits, vegetables, nuts, and herbs.

So, this year you will know how to outwit inflammation. To a healthy and active summer, without ailments and pains!