Topic 1: Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids contain both EPA and DHA. I recommend 1000 mg a day for everyone as a preventive, protective measure because of these heart healthy benefits:

1. Decreasing inflammation, including in artery walls, which is a major factor in heart attacks
2. Acts as a natural, weak blood thinner that can decrease blood clots

In addition, because of its anti-inflammatory properties, omega-3s can help with the pain from inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. To get these benefits, I often recommend up to 3000 mg a day. However, because it can thin blood, people who take it in these quantities should have their blood checked to ensure it is not thinning too much.

Topic 2: Chronic Pain (Minute 6)

Chronic pain is one of the hardest things for patients and doctors to deal with.

• 65 million Americans suffer from back pain alone, one of the most common causes of chronic pain. Exercise is one of the best things you can do for this, including walking or specific exercises for the back.
• Over 40 million Americans suffer from chronic headaches. Taking 1000 mg of aspirin has been found to help with the pain as much as prescription medications, but it has drawbacks, including stomach/GI and kidney problems, allergies, and blood thinning, and cannot be taken repeatedly.
• 40 million Americans suffer from arthritic pain from wear and tear on the joints. Exercise, or movement can actually help by forcing the fluid back into the cartilage, increasing the cushioning effect.

The way we traditionally deal with pain is narcotics and prescription drugs (which have numerous side effects), aspirin (which we discussed above) or Tylenol (which is one of the leading causes of liver damage, when taken in excess).

But there are other, natural, options that have been used for decades or even centuries. Some of the best things from nature that we can do to deal with pain include:

• Bromelain, an enzyme derived from pineapple, is a natural analgesic, or pain reliever. Over 200 studies have been done on it, and it has been shown to be helpful with knee injuries and pain, inflammation and pain in the vertebrae, and other sources of pain.
• Cat’s claw, an herb, has a strong anti-inflammatory effect. Studies have shown it to be effective in relieving osteoarthritic knee pain and rheumatic pain.
• Ginger extract has been used for thousands of years for multiple ailments, including inflammation and musculoskeletal pain. A study by the Veterans Medical Center found that ginger improved knee pain on all levels.
• Oxygene from hops extract is a selective form of a COX-2 inhibitor, but without the side effects of the prescription, synthetic versions. It is 30 times more selective and potent than aspirin and ibuprofen.
• Boswellia has a high anti-inflammatory effect. It has been shown to be effective in colitis, or inflammatory colon, as well as arthritic symptoms.
• Turmeric root extract, or curcumin, also inhibits the COX-2 enzyme, and has been used for centuries to address pain and swelling. It naturally increases the production of cortisone in the body. (It is also a anti-histamine.)
• Feverfew has long been used for migraine relief by inhibiting the inflammatory mediators and dilating the blood vessels in the head. It also works on serotonin, which helps the cells talk to each other.
• Willow bark, the source of salicylic acid, which is modified to produce aspirin, but does not have the side-effects of aspirin. It can produce a potent anti-inflammatory effect, thus reducing the pain.

We can take the extracts from these plants and herbs, concentrate it, and put it into a capsule. The product I developed that incorporates these natural ingredients in combination is Duramet. I have been able to take many people off of their pain medication with this formulation. The trade-off for not having side effects is that it may take longer to work, so be patient and give it time – even 3 months – to have an effect.

Even if the pain is not completely relieved by these natural ingredients, one of the goals is to at least reduce the amount of prescription medication needed. Integrative medicine is combining the natural with the traditional medications, when necessary, to achieve the optimal results.

Topic 3: Spices (Minute 51:30)

We talked about ginger as a pain reliever, but there are many spices that have heath and medicinal benefits:

• Oregano has been used for centuries to fight infections, including staph and fungal infections
• Turmeric/Curcumin in addition to an anti-inflammatory, has been found to stifle cancer cells and may help decrease the plaque found in Alzheimer’s Disease
• Cinnamon helps normalize blood sugar by making our insulin more sensitive