This article was written by John Biggs, BSc, NCP. John has been counseling people on how to achieve and maintain better health naturally for 24 years, and started Optimum Health in 1993. His qualifications include a Bachelor of Science degree specializing in Foods and Nutrition from the University of Alberta, and he is registered with the International Organization of Nutritional Consultants as a Nutritional Consulting Practitioner. John is also an eager and ongoing student of the Institute for Functional Medicine.

As discussed in the last article, when our joints wear down we can support them by consuming the substances that cartilage and other joint connective tissues are made of, such as collagen, hyaluronic acid, glucosamine, and others. But when the problem is more than
simple wear and tear, and involves excess inflammation, these components are not likely to help as much as they are not readily incorporated by the joint until the inflammation is reduced. Therefore, when dealing with ailing joint(s) a good approach is to reduce
inflammation first before attempting to rebuild.

If a joint gets physically injured or traumatized, our experience has been that collagen type II can be phenomenally helpful in the healing process, presumably because it contains all of the above structural elements, and is also anti-inflammatory. But when the inflammation is chronic and ongoing, due to age, prolonged stress, or illness, extra antiinflammatory
help is generally needed. There are several natural herbs and supplements which can be helpful for this, and that can be used together in synergistic combinations.

The effects of the herb turmeric and its active component curcumin are becoming widely known for their anti-inflammatory and immune modulating benefits, as are green tea, and a flavinoid called quercetin. An Ayurvedic herb called Boswellia also has extremely
broad, far reaching anti-inflammatory properties. And a substance found in Rosemary called Ursolic acid is also a powerful inhibitor of enzymes that create inflammation.

Rosemary is also very antioxidant, and since the relationship between oxidation and inflammation is like that between heat and a flame, antioxidants also provide secondary anti-inflammatory effects. In this regard grapeseed extract is also very valuable. A versatile antioxidant that exerts its effects in many tissue, the OPC’s (oligomeric proanthocyanidins) in grapeseed extract also have the additional benefit of binding to and strengthening our connective tissue.

The skins of red grapes also contain another polyphenol that has recently received much attention called Resveratrol. Found in many plants, including Japanese Knotweed, resveratrol is being hailed for its protective gene modulating, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-aging effects. In studies on species such as fruit flies, fish and mice Resveratrol actually seems to mimic many of the positive genetic effects of calorierestriction, and has also been shown to be a potent inhibitor of numerous inflammatory enzymes and gene expressions. (An abundance of references are available upon request.)

As such, its inclusion in the diet has positive implications for an almost mind-boggling array of conditions and situations including increased lifespan, energy and mitochondrial function, diabetes, cancer, sexual function, sex hormone balance...and the list goes on. So how could one substance do all of this? Though in each case there are specific answers as to why and how, in general, remember that there are huge overlaps between inflammation, oxidation, energy production, immune function, hormone balance, and tissue pH. They are all intricately connected as part of a single system. As such, an effect on one generally produces effects on all the others as well.

References available on request.