About 10 days ago I started to experience new aches and pains. First it was my thumb area, then my foot, then my shoulder. I’m not getting any younger, so at first I brushed it off as just being something that comes with age. But I know better. Every issue has a root cause.  I’m not a Doctor but I self-diagnosed myself with increased inflammation. 

What is Inflammation?

Inflammation is A normal part of the body’s response to injury or infection. Inflammation occurs when the body releases chemicals that trigger an immune response to fight off infection or heal damaged tissue. (1) All processed foods can cause inflammation. They can alter the bacteria that live in our gut, and that alteration has the ability to interact with our immune system and eventually trigger it in a way that leads to chronic inflammation.(2)

I haven’t been taking my supplements consistently, which I believe is part of the problem. And I have been eating more foods lately that can cause inflammation. 

There are 5 types of foods that can cause inflammation. 

• Red meat and processed meats, including bacon, hot dogs, lunch meats and cured meats.
• Refined grains, including white bread, white rice, pasta and breakfast cereals.
• Snack foods, including chips, cookies, crackers and pastries. (my weakness)
• Sodas and other sweetened drinks.
• Fried foods.

I am currently working on changing my core foods and going back to the Mediterranean diet, and also using natural solutions to help decrease the inflammation.  I went grocery shopping today and most of my cart was produce and chicken. There are some foods that can help decrease inflammation and I tried to load up on those. 

Foods to Decrease Inflammation

Here are 13 foods to decrease inflammation.

• Berries
• Fatty Fish
• Broccoli
• Avocado
• Green Tea
• Peppers
• Mushrooms
• Grapes
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Tomatoes
• Dark Chocolate
• Cherries
• Leafy Greens

Supplements to Decrease Inflammation 

Along with a diet focused on whole foods, supplements can help support a healthy gut and healthy cells to kick inflammation to the curb. I have written a blog previously about how supplements helped me end over 3 years of Planter Fasciitis pain in 3 weeks. You can read that post here.  

LLV 3-pack

This supplement 3-pack is more powerful when taken together and it is priced to encourage that. The 3 pack is $85 for those with a wholesale membership, while a single bottle is $70. I, like many people these days, am on a tight budget. I take a “half dose” daily so they last 2 months instead of one. That being said, my advice to anyone who thinks they are too expensive is to spread them over 2 months. That works out to about $14 per month per bottle for the highest quality supplements on the market. It’s a no brainer.

AlphaCRS

is the powerhouse. It has 6 anti-inflammatory properties. This is where we see less pain and less brain fog. 

Microplex VMZ

is our Food and Nutrient supplement. It has the equivalent of 12 servings of fruits and vegetables in a daily dose. No matter how hard we try to eat properly, it’s hard to get that much nutrition entirely without supplement. This is our energy booster! 

The Xeo Mega

is our omega fatty acid supplement. Here we are helping support skin, hair and nails along with cardiovascular and brain function. This helps you get that proper amount of healthy pure fats our bodies need. 

Turmeric

Alongside a healthy diet, regular exercise, and solid sleep, Turmeric Dual Chamber Capsules add a natural one-two punch in the fight against free radicals and promotion of a healthy inflammatory response.

PB Assist/GX Assist

PB Assist: PB Assist+ is a proprietary formula of prebiotic fiber and six strains of probiotic microorganisms in a double-layer vegetable capsule. It helps to improve your digestive health, particularly the intestines and colon. PB Assist+ delivers 6 billion CFUs of active probiotic cultures and soluble prebiotic fructooligosaccharides that encourage friendly bacterial growth. The time-release, double-capsule delivery system is designed to help protect the sensitive probiotic cultures from stomach acid. PB Assist+ offers a unique, safe, and effective way to deliver the well-recognized digestive and immune system support benefits of probiotics.

GX Assist: GX Assist is a combination of CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® essential oils and caprylic acid to help support a healthy digestive tract by creating an unfriendly environment for potential threats that can disrupt digestive immunities and cause digestive upset. GX Assist contains a proprietary blend of dōTERRA CPTG Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils from Oregano, Melaleuca, Lemon, Lemongrass, Peppermint, and Thyme. The GX Assist blend may improve microbial balance. This proprietary blend helps purify and cleanse the digestive system.

Essential Oils to Support Pain with Inflammation

A change in diet and supplements can work to decrease inflammation in the body but it  can take 3+ weeks to kick in. It can be helpful, in the meantime, to use natural products, like essential oils, to help with the pain associated with inflammation. 

Frankincense

Frankincense’s anti-inflammatory effects may help reduce symptoms of osteoarthritis and possibly rheumatoid arthritis.

Frankincense may help reduce symptoms of IBS and and ulcerative colitis by reducing inflammation in your gut.

Frankincense may help relieve asthma symptoms and reduce the amount of asthma medication needed.

Frankincense extract may help fight gum disease and maintain oral health.

Compounds in frankincense may help kill cancer cells and prevent tumors from spreading. (3)

Marjoram

Marjoram has been used in a variety of traditional and folk remedies and can provide important health benefits. For example, compounds derived from marjoram have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties.

Copaiba

Copaiba essential oil has been used in traditional medicine for many purposes, including as an anti-inflammatory and to help with wound healing.

If you haven’t tried using natural products yet I’d love to encourage you to give it a go. You can reach out to me here and put WINNER in the subject like to schedule a chat. If you want to do your own research you can go to my official doTERRA website here. I switched to natural solutions from OTC and other pharmaceuticals 7 years ago and have never looked back! They are cheaper, safer and highly effective. 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.