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 had a hip replacement three weeks ago. What (if anything) should I be taking to make sure I support optimal healing? Any suggestions would be appreciated.” — Mary A., Milwaukee, WI

A. Dear Mary, I am glad to say I do have some recommendations that will assist in the healing process. However, I would encourage you to talk with your doctor and see what he or she thinks about the following protocol.

I would first recommend trying a combination of bioavailable curcumin with boswellia, DLPA and nattokinase to help with any pain you may be experiencing. Each ingredient works in a slightly different manner to get you comfortable as quickly as possible. I advise taking one capsule of this blend three times a day.

I would also suggest using a different multi-ingredient formula that combines bioavailable curcumin, boswellia, vitamin D and fructoborate. This quartet of ingredients helps to rebuild joint structure, as well as provide additional relief from joint pain and stiffness. I recommend taking 1 capsule of this blend three times daily.

Keep in mind that standard curcumin is very poorly absorbed, so make sure the products you choose feature a curcumin with excellent absorption that has been proven in published human studies. The best form I have ever found uses micronized curcumin blended with turmeric essential oils in a patented process. This curcumin has been shown in published human studies to be up to 10 times better absorbed than standard curcumin. It’s also important to find a formula that features a boswellia extract that has filtered out the majority of beta-boswellic acid, to at least 5% or less. Unlike most boswellic acids, beta-boswellic acid is actually pro-inflammatory. Removing it greatly enhances the potency of the boswellia extract. You also want a boswellia extract that includes at least 10% or more of acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKBA), the most active component of boswellia.

You may also want to consider adding a bioavailable silica product extracted from horsetail. Many people never think about silica when it comes to bone health, but it is one of the most important minerals we need. Because silica is poorly absorbed, you want to look for a product that contains organic silica and bioflavonoids, blended with marine lipids. This greatly increases absorption and will help you achieve the best benefits. I recommend taking 20 mg, three times daily for two weeks, followed by 20 mg, twice daily thereafter.

Healthy Regards!

Terry . . . Naturally