Boswellia Serrata: A Natural Painkiller More Powerful Than Ibuprofen
8 minute read
When it comes to pain, the standard reaction is to head to the bathroom and grab the ibuprofen from the cabinet. As great as these nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are for providing pain relief, they can often bring unpleasant side effects, too.
For this reason and a few others, people are looking for more natural alternatives to popular medications. When it comes to pain relief, the best natural remedy is something you may have never heard of by this name but need to know: Boswellia serrata.
Meet the Mystery Plant
Boswellia, which is commonly known as frankincense, comes from a native Indian tree called Boswellia serrata. It has been used for its healing and medicinal properties for centuries, commonly treating conditions such as arthritis, fever, pain, and heart disease.
The common link between these health problems is pain-related inflammation, and it is the superior anti-inflammatory characteristics of Boswellia that makes it the perfect pain reliever.
The anti-inflammatory benefits of Boswellia are derived from its Boswellia acids and terpene compounds. These compounds are strong-smelling antioxidant agents that can also be found in citrus, mint, and eucalyptus plants too.
Studies have shown that pain relief is brought about by the inhibition of specific pro-inflammatory enzymes, making Boswellia a possible natural option for NSAIDs.
Studies with osteoarthritis patients found that Boswellia supplements were able to suppress pain and immobility caused by the condition. The powerful anti-inflammatory effects were seen within a week of administration, providing quick joint support.
With decreased joint swelling and pain while increasing flexion and mobility, Boswellia is proving to be a natural wonder for inflammation-related conditions. Being non-toxic and natural is just an added bonus.
Fighting Inflammation
Inflammation is part of your body’s immune response. Antibodies are rushed to the scene of infection, injury or towards any invading pathogen to protect you from harm. Damage to our bodies of any kind cannot heal without the inflammatory response. Unfortunately, there are occasions where the inflammatory response can get out of hand and become widespread.
Chronic inflammation such as this can cause several serious diseases and pains. The components of Boswellia, however, are perfectly designed to combat this condition and can help keep your inflammation under control. By controlling inflammation, you can relieve the aches and pains associated with health problems such as arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, and even cancer. Let’s look at these health problems a little more in-depth.
Arthritis
This is the blanket name given to several different conditions where inflammation causes joint pain and stiffness. Millions suffer from joint swelling, redness, stiffness, reduced range of motion, and debilitating pain.
Typical therapy involves medications, physical therapy, and sometimes surgery. Boswellia provides a more natural alternative to these and is proven to be as effective if not more so. Boswellia extract is a fast acting joint supplement that reduces pain, improves flexion of affected joints, and improves joint function significantly when part of a daily treatment program.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
This condition is characterized by the ongoing inflammation of all or part of the digestive tract. The most common types are ulcerative colitis, in which ulcers develop along the lining of your large intestine, and Crohn’s disease, where inflammation affects the gut lining as well as nearby tissues. Symptoms of IBD include:
♦ Diarrhea
♦ Fever and fatigue
♦ Abdominal pain and cramping
♦ Weight problems
♦ Bloating
The pain and discomfort of IBD can be treated by addressing the underlying inflammation problem. Boswellia can improve gastrointestinal health by controlling inflammation.
As your intestinal lining heals, the pain will disappear and digestive health will improve. Studies conducted with ulcerative colitis patients found that Boswellia treatment allowed for 82 percent of them to go into full remission, showing the strong anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects of this wonderful plant.
Asthma
Asthma is a painful lung condition caused by inflammation. As your airways become inflamed, they narrow and swell, making it difficult and painful to breathe. Asthma can be minor or it can cause serious pain and interfere with your daily activities, potentially even causing a life-threatening respiratory attack.
Boswellia has been used in ancient and traditional medicines for the treatment of respiratory complications, making it a top choice for helping with asthma.
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Boswellia effectively controls the inflammation that triggers asthma symptoms and daily treatment can reduce symptoms and even make them disappear altogether. Interestingly, when combined with curcumin, another anti-inflammatory agent, Boswellia treatment significantly decreases inflammatory markers in the body.
Cancer
While there is no definitive cure or method of prevention for cancer, there are ways to inhibit the development or spread and reduce your chances of developing a tumor. Chronic inflammation can damage cells to the point where cancer becomes a strong possibility. Boswellic acids have been shown to induce cell death which removes cancerous cells.
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In addition to this, triterpenoids within the Boswellia plant possess antitumor properties. Boswellia treatments have been shown to:
♦ Slow aggressive tumor growth in breast cancer cells
♦ Inhibit prostate cancer growth
♦ Stop cancer cell viability and induce cell death
♦ Stop the spread of malignant leukemia and brain tumor cells
♦ Suppress pancreatic cancer metastasis
How to Get Your Boswellia
Boswellia supplements are available in capsule, powder, and tincture form. You want to make sure you get a high-quality brand and also need to verify that the standardized Boswellia extract contains 37.5 percent boswellic acids at a minimum.
As with any treatment or therapy, you should check with your doctor first, but, if traditional pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications are not working, Boswellia could be the solution you seek.
The Bottom Line
Used successfully for centuries, Boswellia acts is the perfect joint health supplement that possesses the ability to combat chronic inflammation and allows your body time to heal. Inflammation can wreak havoc throughout your body, causing pain and serious disease.
Long-term use of medications has been linked to serious stomach problems and the development of ulcers, which might have you looking for a more natural pain reliever. Look no further than Boswellia serrata. It is more than an aromatic plant; it delivers healing powers to take away any and all of your pains.
