Exponentially increasing the amount of an anti-inflammatory agent produced by the body

Inflammation can heal you, debilitate you, or it can ultimately kill you.  The endocrine system releases molecules that are chemical signalers that work to keep your inflammation in check. Wouldn’t it be great if there were a way to increase those chemical signalers - maybe even increase their numbers exponentially?   There is.

Inflammation has a positive role in healing wounds and fighting infection.  The swelling, redness, and warmth are signs that your immune system is sending white blood cells, immune cell-stimulating growth factors, and nutrients to the affected areas 2. After an ailment is resolved that inflammation should go away.  If the inflammation persists it can lead to a number of inflammatory conditions including heart disease, cancer, arthritis, skin conditions, plus respiratory and gastrointestinal problems.  It makes weight loss more difficult, and it can interfere with sleep.  

Cytokines are chemical signalers that are released by the cells affected by the stress of a wound or infection; they trigger inflammation.  Not all cytokines trigger inflammation. There is a subgroup of cytokines called myokines; they reduce inflammation.  One of those myokines is Interleuken 6. In a Bulletproof podcast Doug McGuff, Body By Science author, had this to say about Interleuken 6:

“Interleukin 6 has an anti-inflammatory effect but it also has neat bio chemical effects. It very aggressively up regulates the uptake of glucose into the muscle cell and glucose utilization and glycogen mobilization. It also ramps up lipolysis. Mobilization of fatty acids from stored body fat and it’s ramping through the cell, through the mitochondria to do beta oxidation of fatty acids all of that is augmented and ramped up by Interleukin 6. Other things that it does, is it stimulates the release of nitric oxide which causes vessel dilation. Increasing blood flow into the skeletal muscle but it has the more long term effect with modulating blood pressure towards more optimal levels and it actually accesses a lepton surrogate to increase insulin sensitivity so it has just this one myokines has so many beneficial effects that we’re looking for."

 How do we get more Interleukin 6?  Dr. McGuff again:

“Interleukin 6 is liberated from contracting skeletal muscle particularly when it’s doing high intensity work but pretty much in any sort of muscular activity. It is released to some degree and it increases as the intensity of exercise rises, it’s released in exponentially greater degree.”

 At our Austin Strength Training and New Orleans Strength Training locations with our clients we use a high intensity strength training protocol, a protocol that exponentially produces more anti-inflammatory myokines.

With inflammatory conditions such as arthritis the wrong exercise can inflame joints even more. The trick is to work the muscles without inflaming the joints.  We have an extensive line of MedX equipment with medical rehab features that are gentler on the joints.  We also employ a low-impact exercise protocol that minimized forces place on the joints.  This allows us to safely work the muscles intensely.  For arthritis pain sufferers this results in stronger muscles, increased mobility, and decreased inflammation, and protection of the joints to facilitate a life uncompromised by pain.  For arthritis pain sufferers the positive results can be surprising, sometimes well beyond anything you would expect.

Breaking the cycle of arthritis pain and immobility

For arthritis pain sufferers improper exercise leads to more pain, more joint inflammation, and restricted mobility.   However, the right exercises with the right equipment can produce totally unexpected results.

In 2012, I had injections for arthritic shoulder pain. At the time, the doctor proposed the idea of getting shots every few months. Although he told me, "It's no big deal," I made it my mission to avoid those shots.  I avoided the injections for five years.

Unfortunately, I had a serious fall resulting in injuries to my shoulders and arms. The x-rays indicated that nothing was broken; just inflamed arthritic joints. Injections in my shoulder and arm gave me no relief.  My mobility was becoming increasingly restricted. 

After four weeks of no improvement in my condition, I decided to exercise. My trainer restricted my movements to a relatively pain-free range of motion, certain movements were eliminated, but overall we proceeded as normal. My expected outcomes were either:

· the pain would be no worse, and that would be a victory.

· the pain would be worse and would cause me to plot another path to recovery.

After the workout, I was breathing hard for several minutes. It was an exhilarating feeling after the weeks of idleness. Four hours after the workout, my blood pressure (BP) was 102/63. I've been on high blood pressure medication for 36 years. Those are extraordinarily low numbers for me.

The breathing and the BP numbers are indicative that the workout had produced a systemic effect beyond just tired muscles. A systemic effect produces a hormonal response including pain-mediating endorphins and anti-inflammatory myokines.  I slept well and woke up refreshed – no tossing and turning to find a position where I was not in pain.

I was amazed to find I could lift my arm over my head – not possible before the workout. Pain associated with arthritis can lead to immobility and weakness. This leads to more pain – rinse and repeat.

At Austin strength trainers and New Orleans strength trainers we work with pain sufferers to reverse that cycle. We have an extensive line of MedX equipment with medical rehab features that are gentler on the joints.  This allows us to safely work the body to a deep fatigue.  For arthritis pain sufferers this leads to stronger muscles, increased mobility, and protection of the joints that facilitates a life un-compromised by pain.