Supplements to Help Combat Inflammation

Healthy diet and lifestyle choices are the most important things you can do to take control of your stress and reduce chronic inflammation. However, there are also many anti-inflammatory supplements out there that will help give the body a little more support when needed. Before we go any further one word of caution: Not all supplements and supplement brands are created equal!  There are significant differences in quality, inactive ingredients, and bio-availability between supplement brands and types. There is also shockingly little regulation when it comes to what labs and producers can put in “nutritional” supplements. The frightening thing from a doctor’s perspective is these facts are not widely known and most supplements can be bought over the counter.  A conversation about brands and ingredients is outside the realm of this blog, but PLEASE check with your doctor before taking any supplements. High Quality Omega – 3’s are highly important. A good quality omega-3 fatty acid supplement is important for everyone to take on a regular basis because it helps with mood support, brain function, and decreasing inflammation.  The therapeutic dose for most people is 2-3 grams a day. Quality is essential when it comes to omega-3’s.  If you open the bottle and it smells rancid, fishy, or rotten, it is unsafe to use.  Unfortunately, most fish oils that are sold over the counter come from low quality fish meal and are an inferior product.  These bad quality fish oils can actually cause more inflammation. Which is the exact opposite of what you want! Talk to your doctor about what brands are recommended for you and your needs. Curcumin is a great anti-inflammatory spice. Curcumin, a component of the spice turmeric that can be taken in supplement form, is another great anti-inflammatory supplement.  When using this spice for medicinal purposes, you want to make sure that black pepper is added as it highly increases the absorption, or that you are using Meriva, a proprietary preparation that is more bioavailable.  Therapeutic dosages for curcumin vary per person, but a standard dose is about 1 gram per day. Ginger, resveratrol, bioflavonoids, boswellia, and CoQ10 are other well known anti-inflammatory supplements.  It is best to talk to your doctor about which anti-inflammatory supplements may be best indicated and safest for you. Supplements are a short term fix. While these supplements are helpful at reducing inflammation, they shouldn’t be used as a bandaid.  It is important to determine and treat the root cause of your inflammation and remove any obstacles to cure in your healing process. As with all chronic health conditions, mental health disorders should be properly evaluated and treated by a trained and licensed mental health professional.  There are many causes and contributing factors to mental disorders, and finding the root cause(s) of your problem is the first step in helping you to feel better.   If you are struggling with mental health challenges and think a natural approach would suit your needs give us a call. We will be happy to hear from you and discuss treatment options you have available.