Good news if you love Indian food! Studies have found that curcumin, an active ingredient in the spice turmeric, works better than pain-relieving drugs to reduce inflammation and pain without the risks.
Pain-relievers like Tylenol, Ibuprofen, and Acetaminophen are often thought to be harmless because they are sold over-the-counter, but they still have dangerous side-effects and should be used sparingly and with caution. The FDA has recently recommend that medications reduce the amount of acetaminophen they contain to less than 325 mg to reduce the risk of liver damage. One tablet of regular Tylenol has 325 mg and extra strength contains 500 mg. One study recently found that the children of women who took Tylenol during pregnancy or breast-feeding had higher risk of developing ADHD. NSAID pain-relievers are also associated with leaky gut which has been found to contribute to ADHD and promotes inflammation in the body, increasing the risk of numerous symptoms and conditions including autoimmune disorders.
The FDA now says that the data does not support daily use of aspirin as a preventative measure for people who have not already had a heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular event. The benefits of daily use, even at a low-dose, have not been found to out way the risks of brain and stomach bleeding. Aspirin also depletes nutrients and antioxidants such as Vitamin C, E, folic acid, iron, potassium, sodium, and zinc. Aspirin use is associated with an increased risk of:
- cataracts, macular degeneration and blindness
- hearing loss and tinnitus
- kidney failure
- certain types of breast cancer
- erectile dysfunction
Pain-relieving drugs work by masking symptoms, but do not address the root problem and further promote imbalance in the body. For chronic muscle and joint pain, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, the following have been found to be more effective than pain-relieving drugs:
- An anti-inflammatory diet, or one that stresses real, fresh food and healthy fats, like a Paleo or Mediterranean diet
- Cooking with health-promoting herbs like turmeric and healthy fats like coconut, macadamia and olive oil. Alternatively, you can find high quality curcumin and fish oil supplements like Design’s For Health C3 Curcumin Complex and OmegAvail Synergy.
- See your chiropractor regularly to get checked for subluxations and get adjusted to improve the brain to body connection and the body’s ability to adapt to stressors from the environment.
In addition to pain relief, side-effects include numerous benefits throughout the body’s systems, especially the heart and brain.
Yours in Health,
Erin O’Maley
