The six best natural painkillers

The six best natural painkillers

1. Turmeric contains curcumin

Curcumin, the active ingredient in the yellow curry spice turmeric, works as well as anti-inflammatory drugs, but without the side effects. Like NSAIDs, it blocks the formation of the pro-inflammatory prostaglandins (PGE2), as well as leukotrienes. In fact, it turns out to be what everyone hoped drugs like Vioxx would be and has been used for its medicinal properties in Ayurveda for hundreds of years. There is no evidence of any downsides, even in high doses of 8g a day.

2. Olives contain two potent painkillers

Like turmeric, olive extract decreases levels of pro-inflammatory substances. Studies on olive pulp extract have shown that it reduces levels of two inflammatory messengers called TNF-alpha and interleukin-8. In fact one study with mice found that the extract reduced TNF-alpha levels by 95%. Some of the newest pain-killing drugs work by reducing TNF-alpha.

3. An extract of hops is an anti-inflammatory

An extract from hops, called isooxygene, is one of the most effective natural painkillers of all. It works just as well as painkilling drugs. Not only is it almost as effective as ibuprofen but it also doesn’t have the gut-related side effects of anti-inflammatory drugs. This is because ibuprofen also inhibits COX-1 (the so called ‘good’ COX, because it produces prostacyclin, which protects the gut lining), whereas the hop extract does not.

4. Quercitin – a red onion a day

Many plant foods contain flavonoid compounds, which are known to inhibit inflammation. One of the most potent is quercitin. One red onion, or a cup of berries, or three servings of greens provides about 10mg of quercitin. Other good sources of quercitin include red wine, tea, grapefruit, broccoli, squash, red grapes, cranberries and citrus fruits. This is one reason why vegetarian diets have proven highly effective in reducing pain and inflammation. However, taking fifty times this amount, 500mg a day, quercitin becomes a potent anti-inflammatory inhibiting the production of the pro-inflammatory prostaglandins (type 2) and also inhibiting the release of histamine, which is involved in inflammatory reactions.

5. Glucosamine works better with MSM

Glucosamine is proven to slow progression of osteoarthritis of the knee. Good quality evidence shows it works as well as ibuprofen but with less side-effects. In four high-quality 2005 studies that gave glucosamine sulphate versus NSAIDs, the glucosamine worked better in two, and was equivalent to the NSAIDs in the other two.

Although there is evidence that chondroitin works, the research does not show that it works better than glucosamine. Most of the research has been done using glucosamine sulphate, but the most absorbable form is glucosamine hydrochloride. Promising results are reported for pain relief and relief from arthritis in people taking daily supplements supplying 1 to 3g of one of the most effective sources of sulphur, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). A combination of both glucosamine and MSM is particularly effective.

6. EPA rich Omega 3 reduces joint pain

There’s no question about the benefits of upping your intake of omega 3s. A meta-analysis of 17 randomized, controlled trials assessing the pain relieving effects of omega-3 PUFAs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or joint pain found that supplementation with EPA rich Omega 3 fats for 3-4 months reduces patient reported joint pain intensity, minutes of morning stiffness, number of painful and/or tender joints and NSAID consumption.

Putting it all together
The real magic comes when you take all these together. In practical terms this means both eating more of all these foods on a daily basis and supplementing 2 EPA rich omega 3 fish oil capsules, aiming for 1,000mg of EPA and day and combination supplements of the other natural remedies discussed above. You need at least 1 gram of glucosamine to make a difference and almost as much MSM. With the right combination formula containing most of the above you’ll probably need 2 a day to maintain freedom from pain, 4 a day if you are in pain and 6 a day for acute pain.

Excellent thread Jack! very interesting! I'm going to look more into this, btw, I still haven't been able to get hold of the hemp oil!

I hate taking these industrial meds, I'm in the middle of a big problem about them right now! I need certain treatment but I've been refusing it due to the side effects! I'm still not sure what I'm going to do

Lexi wrote:

Excellent thread Jack! very interesting! I'm going to look more into this, btw, I still haven't been able to get hold of the hemp oil!

I hate taking these industrial meds, I'm in the middle of a big problem about them right now! I need certain treatment but I've been refusing it due to the side effects! I'm still not sure what I'm going to do

I've stopped all the painkillers sleeping tablets valium kind of stuff.
I take gabapentin ...good diet which unfortunately you can't do ....I eat raw onion garlic ginger I eat oily fish ...red wine and weed.
I've stuck this about three weeks now against everyones advice and I've improved ...not a lot but I have.
Coincidence maybe ...who knows?
I'm sticking to it for now cos all the industrial shite so many people seem to be taking is a bit scary.
It's all dangerous stuff.

Heres where the info came from ...
admin@patrickholford.com.
Thousands of people came to my recent Natural Pain Killer lecture series and I heard remarkable stories of recovery, from previously crippled arthritics who are now completely symptom free, to chronic headache and IBS sufferers now in the clear. In my lecture I talked about the importance of healing the gut, easily damaged by painkillers, with a combination of digestive enzymes, probiotics and glutamine, and identifying and eliminating food allergies.The other key is the right combination of natural pain killers.

I do try to eat a garlic clove everyday..pureed, RM does too! and now also the dog! she hates the smell but likes the taste I also have probiotic drinks and drink lucozade. It's hard for me to get anything down without it being rejected!

I'm so scared to take the treatment that they want me to have! I really don't know what to do, it's dangerous if I don't take it and dangerous if I do!

Thanks Jack, I appreciate all this info!

Lexi wrote:

I do try to eat a garlic clove everyday..pureed, RM does too! and now also the dog! she hates the smell but likes the taste I also have probiotic drinks and drink lucozade. It's hard for me to get anything down without it being rejected!

I'm so scared to take the treatment that they want me to have! I really don't know what to do, it's dangerous if I don't take it and dangerous if I do!

Thanks Jack, I appreciate all this info!

I haven't a clue who I'd ask in your position ...even Googling it is difficult.
My dog gets a clove of garlic everyday and has done since three months old.
She's now ten and never had fleas or worms ...She has a bath about once a year ....she's like a pup.
Very playful bright healthy bitch.
What I need is not something from a factory right now ...I'm convinced of that ...fucking dreadful stuff.

There is no answer, either way it's a gamble! the only way I'll be forced into making a decision is if the doctors start to bully me...which they will! they wont have had many people refuse the treatment, I suspect but I've had one of the meds before and it damned near killed me!

The worst problem caused by lab made drugs is the long term effects! I have a lot of problems that are caused by the amount of steroids I had to use as a child! and I believe the amount of antibiots that I've taken in my lifetime have contributed massively to my diseased stomach!

I just don't know if I can do it to myself..again!! but if I don't?

Whats made us all live longer healthier lives is sanitation clean water and a good diet.
Not industrial drugs.