Whenever an issue arises in my body or in a friend's or client's, I always turn to nutrition, supplements, and natural remedies first! I have realized that most people don't operate this way at all. They immediately turn to a pharmaceutical method to quickly resolve the problem or they just suffer and don't know what to do.
It made me realize that people are simply uninformed on the benefits and differences of pharmaceuticals versus supplements and natural remedies. There are so many benefits of turning to natural remedies first and it truly is the best strategy for helping your body in the long run.
Yesterday I was working with a new client who confessed their leg is in pain 90% of the time. I immediately asked him if he was taking any supplements to help with inflammation or joint pain. He told me that he doesn't consider it joint pain, it is more muscular, and that he just takes a lot of Advil to help manage the pain
.
The issue here is that Advil is merely a band-aid. If you have a short-term issue like a headache then Advil could do the trick and put you back on track with life. It does serve a purpose.
If you are having a long-term, chronic issue then Advil really isn't your best bet. It isn't helping to support your body in a way that will help it heal. It is not resolving the root cause of the problem, it is only sticking a bandaid over it. Have you ever looked up what the side effects of long-term Advil use are?! The first result when I googled it was:
"Regular use of ibuprofen may eventually cause kidney and liver damage, bleeding in the stomach and bowels, and an increased risk of a heart attack."
I use Healthline as a credible resource quite often so I turned to their website next and found even more information about it that helped back up that simple summary of side effects. I'm using Advil as an example here but this concept applies to all pharmaceuticals.
Pharmaceuticals are the prescription and over-the-counter drugs most people turn to first. Unfortunately, these drugs put a band-aid on the issue and do nothing to actually treat the problem at hand. As soon as the drug wears off, the issue returns, and you will most likely need to take more. The other issue about drugs is that they come with quite a few side effects and can be detrimental with long-term use.
I think we have all heard those crazy prescription commercials on TV, right? Each prescription comes with a laundry list of side effects that can be quite alarming. Cipro is a drug that treats urinary tract infections but it has a side effect of causing tendon ruptures. According to the FDA, pain, swelling, and tears of tendons in the heel, shoulder, and hand are more likely when taking the class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones like Cipro.
When it comes to natural remedies and supplements, these solutions are actually supporting the body and trying to help it heal and come back into balance. These methods generally do not have side effects aside from feeling better. I find the worst case situation with a supplement is generally that it may not work for you and you have to try out a few different ones. On a rare occasion, it could be something you don't know you are allergic to but I'm highly sensitive and have yet to experience that myself.
If a prescription isn't working, it could be that it isn't helping or that you are dealing with massive side effects from it that make it impossible to continue use. That is one more reason I wish more people would turn to natural remedies first and use pharmaceuticals as a last resort. Many people go on one prescription and then need to take a couple more to manage the side effects of the first prescription. That isn't the best approach.
Unfortunately, not enough people are educated on natural remedies and the drawback of the supplement industry is that it is not regulated by the FDA, so companies can get away with a lot and the consumer never knows. GNC is one place I never buy supplements, I would rather go to Whole Foods or shop online. The type of supplements GNC tends to sell are the ones that have fillers and actual drugs that aren't even listed on the labels but are included in the ingredients. I am a member of Consumer Labs and get new reports daily on different supplements that have toxic ingredients or drugs in them so this isn't a rare occasion, it is common practice. If you do want to turn to natural remedies more often just make sure you know the company is legit and the ingredients are non-toxic.
I was shocked when I found out I had heavy metal poisoning a couple of years ago because I live such a clean, organic lifestyle. That made me hyperaware of the heavy metals that are a result of medical procedures and that are in our foods and supplements, so now I do my due diligence first.
DoTERRA is one of the best companies I have found for both supplements and essential oils. I have done so much research on trustworthy companies that do enough lab testing to make sure their ingredients are pure and that they are sustainably harvested and there are very few companies.
This is why I offer supplement counseling for my clients! Nobody has the time to research all these companies and read lab reports and PubMed studies on each supplement but I'm nerdy in this department.
If you were simply looking for an alternative to Advil that would help you naturally decrease the inflammation in your body, I would try these four natural remedies that have worked well for my clients:
1. Deep Blue Polyphenol Supplement: This comes in pill form and you take two daily to help address inflammation in the body. It is:
Patent-pending, fast-acting frankincense extract shown to help support muscle and joint comfort and function*
Includes proprietary, standardized extracts of ginger, curcumin, resveratrol, and other polyphenols to soothe occasional aches and discomfort*
Can be used in tandem with Deep Blue Rub
Contains the doTERRA Tummy Tamer blend of Peppermint, Ginger, and Caraway Seed so it also helps with digestion.
Sodium lauryl sulfate-free HPMC vegetable capsules
2.. Deep Blue Rub: A topical ointment that helps provide instant relief to problem areas. This is made of essential oils that are cooling and help cool the flame of inflammation. All my clients love this one! They also sell a sample size that can be nice to throw in your gym or travel bag.
3. Dual Chamber Turmeric Capsules: doTERRA is the first to combine CPTG Certified Pure Tested Grade™ Turmeric essential oil and Turmeric extract in a dual chamber capsule, creating a uniquely powerful synergy of tumerones and curcuminoids, in order to maximize the effectiveness and benefits of both compounds for a healthy inflammatory response.*
4. EndoFlame CBD: If you find the turmeric approach from either the Deep Blue or Turmeric capsules doesn't work for you, you may have a cannabinoid deficiency causing your pain. Every animal actually has an endocannabinoid system that can become deficient and that is why CBD has become such a popular supplement these days. I have found significant bone pain relief from this supplement but I know that my pain is not caused by inflammation.
If you are going to be shopping on DoTERRA, I highly recommend their membership. It is $35/year but gives you 25% off on all their products. It is well worth it since you need new supplements monthly. They also have non-toxic cleaning products and beauty products too.
The CBD supplement is on Amazon so in that case, I recommend adding it to the subscribe and save program so you can get a discount on it with your other monthly staples.
Any ailment in your body can be addressed naturally. A couple of weeks ago my partner's daughter came to visit and she told me she had been having an intense earache for two days. I put some tea tree oil on a q-tip and after about 2 minutes in her ear, the pain was gone and never returned. I have hundreds of stories like this.
We have a lot more power over these little ailments in life than we realize. I just want to make sure you are not suffering unnecessarily and it is better to actually treat and heal your issues than stick a bandaid over them! From better digestion to deeper sleep to enlarged prostates, there are natural remedies you can turn to that actually work.
If you need help turning to natural remedies more often, I am happy to do a free consultation. I am an advocate of DoTERRA now and have also found a few brands on Amazon that I trust. I do make a small commission if you buy any of the products I recommend so I don't charge for the session, but please don't feel obligated to buy!
I do this because I want people to learn more about natural remedies and supplements that they could turn to in an effort to feel and age better, not to make an income. A guarantee when you work with me is that I will be completely transparent and my heart is always in the right place.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
**You can't rely on the FDA BUT you can look at the medical studies that have been done on frankincense and turmeric to see they have medically proven that these natural remedies work. Go to PubMed and search for "frankincense" or "turmeric" if you want to dive deeper.
Comments