Two Natural Remedies for Spinal Cord Injuries

Disclaimer: Results are not guaranteed*** and may vary from person to person***.

curcuminHere we have a nice-looking health breakthrough that, although based on a study performed on rodents, points to some big promise. Have you or anyone you know suffered a spinal cord injury?

They are more common than you might think. Well, there are two great natural remedies to consider that come from fish and an Indian spice. Read on to find out.

Natural Remedies for Spinal Cord Injuries

Researchers out of UCLA found that a diet enriched with “docosahexaenoic acid” (DHA) and curcumin could protect an injured spinal cord and minimize the clinical and biochemical effects of spinal cord myelopathy.

DHA, the subject of a vast amount of health research, is considered the most powerful omega-3 fatty acid and the one with the biggest impact on our health. Curcumin is the leading component of turmeric, an Indian spice and well-known herbal agent.

DHA could reduce inflammation and strengthen the structure of cellular membranes. Curcumin could also fight inflammation, while possessing antioxidant powers. Both herbal remedies are safe and have proven positive effects on an injured brain.

From that, the study thought the combination could also protect the spinal cord from the cascade of injuries that stem from a chronic spinal cord
issue.

RECOMMENDED: DHA for Sharper Thinking Skills and Better Memory

“Cervical spondylotic myelopathy” is the most common spinal disorder in middle-aged patients. Wear and tear on the spine, due to age or a narrowing of the spinal canal, leads to a compressed spinal cord. While the initial injury can be surgically corrected, the secondary injuries have proved difficult to treat.

So where do we go for non-invasive treatments? Drugs or natural medicine usually. In the lab, researchers studied three groups of rats that had myelopathy. The first group was fed a Western diet high in sugar and saturated fat; the second group, a diet with DHA and curcumin; and a third group, the standard diet for rats.

Animals fed the Western diet had major problems with walking throughout the six-week study. Those on the DHA-curcumin diet had no significant difference in walking ability before or after developing myelopathy — and had better gait function six weeks later.

There were some other key issues at play, including “brain-derived neurotrophic factor” (BDNF). This is a key factor in neural repair and promotes transmission of messages up and down the spine. Well, levels of BDNF were far lower in the rats on Western diets, while there was no drop in those rats on curcumin and DHA.

All in all, it shows that diet can play an important role in the response to spinal injury. Anyone who suffers a spinal injury may want to speak to their doctor about the possibilities presented by natural medicine.