Q. Dear Terry, “I was playing basketball a few days ago and took an elbow to the ribs. It wasn’t painful at first, but now it’s bruising and tender. What can I do to relieve the pain?” – Bobby G., Marana, AZ

A. Dear Bobby, When it comes to dealing with pain and inflammation, I think there are three ingredients that are incredibly safe and effective. I prefer a blend of curcumin, boswellia, and black sesame oil for fast pain relief. Curcumin from turmeric is one of the world’s leading natural pain medicines. Curcumin fights inflammation in the body, which is one of the key drivers of the pain response. The curcumin I prefer is blended with turmeric oil and offers a broader spectrum of compounds from the turmeric plant.

Boswellia works synergistically with curcumin to modulate the inflammatory pathways in the body. Inflammation is not a singular activity, but instead a combination of many inflammatory pathways. Boswellia works exceptionally well on a pathway called 5-lipoxygenase, or 5-LOX. This pathway is incredibly hard to address from a conventional or natural perspective. A placebo-controlled clinical study found that people had a higher pain threshold and greater pain tolerance when taking boswellia. I would take a boswellia that is uniquely standardized to contain high levels of the key compound AKBA (acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid), and low levels of the pro-inflammatory compound BBA (beta-boswellic acid).

Lastly, sesame oil contains compounds that have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects for synovial (joint) tissue, which include some of the joints in the ribcage. A compound within sesame oil, called sesamin, helps to protect the cushioning elements of our joints.

A clinical study using curcumin and boswellia emulsified in black sesame oil demonstrated that the herbal ingredients worked as fast as acetaminophen for acute pain. Additionally, the herbal group was 8.5 times better than acetaminophen at alleviating the emotional aspects of pain, such as fatigue, fear, and distress. Plus, these ingredients are protective for the liver, stomach, and kidneys – unlike traditional pain relievers.

I recommend taking 1,000 mg of these ingredients one or two times per day.

Healthy Regards!

Terry . . . Naturally