Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. Dear Terry, “I have rheumatoid arthritis. Should I take the pain formula you recommend, with the special curcumin, boswellia, DLPA and nattokinase, or should I take the special curcumin just on its own? Thank you.” — Wendy T., Green Bay, WI

A. Dear Wendy, I am glad to share information on using nutritional supplements to support various diseases, but this does not replace the oversight and advice of your doctor. Please review any supplement recommendations with your physician to make sure they are right for you. Since rheumatoid arthritis causes pain and inflammation, and is also a complex autoimmune disease, it can be tricky to find the best supplement protocols to help you address these issues. The special absorption curcumin that has up to 10 times the absorption of plain curcumin is an excellent choice for balancing the body’s inflammation pathways. It also supports new collagen development, which is needed for tissue repair, improves immune system function, and is a super-potent antioxidant. Though it may reduce pain because of its influence on inflammation and tissue repair, it is not designed to address pain. However, the blend of FOUR ingredients, including the special absorption curcumin is designed to address pain. Each ingredient works in a slightly different manner to get you comfortable as quickly as possible. If pain is an issue, I’d definitely recommend starting with the formula. The dosage is one capsule three times a day. Rarely, some people need to increase to two capsules three times a day for a week or two, and then drop down to a lower dose. Some people report to us that they do well on one capsule daily. However, since no two people are alike, I’d suggest you adjust the dosage to whatever gives you the best response. However, additionally, you may want to take the special curcumin by itself once a day. The extra curcumin will help with the root causes of your pain and inflammation by helping to reduce rheumatoid arthritis activity. In fact, in a human study that should be published this year, the special absorption curcumin was compared to a prescription drug for rheumatoid arthritis called diclofenac sodium (brand name Voltaren). Therefore, I’d advise you to use the special curcumin once a day (may increase to twice daily if needed) and stay on that protocol. Then use the pain formula to address pain. If your pain subsides, you can taper off on the pain formula and use only as needed.

Healthy regards!

Terry . . . Naturally