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In a recent article regarding the differences in pain experiences between men and women, I discussed a certain biomarker for inflammation. It is called high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and it turns out that women have more of this protein in men. However, there are other biomarkers for inflammation in the bodies of both men and women. And here’s how this works: the more of these biomarkers or specific proteins that you have in your system, the greater your chances of developing debilitating and life threatening diseases. As the Cleveland Clinic explains, “…uncontrolled inflammation plays a role in almost every major disease, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and even depression.”

So, this raises the question: is there a way to reduce these proteins in your system? Several studies show that this is indeed the case, and with significant success. Very specifically, these studies focused on nutritional supplements consisting of encapsulated fruit and vegetable juice powder concentrate. All that means is that, while each study was looking for something different, they all gave their test subjects a capsule with really dense nutrients from fruits and vegetables. That also means that an underlying issue is one of nutrition.

Nutritional Supplements and Fibromyalgia

Years ago I met a woman who introduced me to a product called Juice Plus+. Don’t freak out. This isn’t an ad or plug. I’m sure there are other options out there. I’m just evaluating this particular one because so much clinical research has been conducted using this very product. In fact, my friend who introduced me to Juice Plus+ started taking it because she had fibromyalgia. On a scale of 1-10, her pain constantly registered at a 12. But she started taking this supplement 20 years ago and since that time, her pain stays at about a level 2. Furthermore, she can exercise regularly as well without any of the debilitating side effects that come with exercise for a fibro patient.

I protested: “Why can’t I just eat really healthy? Won’t that be the equivalent to me paying for this supplement every month?” Actually, their website explains it better than I can: “Juice Plus+ is whole food based nutrition, including juice powder concentrates from 30 different fruits, vegetables and grains. Juice Plus+ helps bridge the gap between what you should eat and what you do eat every day. Not a multivitamin, medicine, treatment or cure for any disease, Juice Plus+ is made from quality ingredients carefully monitored from farm to capsule to provide natural nutrients your body needs to be at its best.”

Nutrition and Inflammation, Immunity, and Illness

At the end of the day, hardly anyone eats the necessary servings of fruits and vegetables. And what we do eat is lacking in nutrition, whether it’s organic or not, because we have depleted the soil of nutrients due to overuse. We’ve all heard of success stories where patients have turned their health completely around by making nutritional adjustments. But then again, there are those for whom it seems to have no effect whatsoever. I’ve read about people who have used Juice Plus+ to fix everything from fibromyalgia and migraines to acne and obesity. Many people swear by it. Frankly, I tried it years ago and didn’t notice a single difference in my health and well-being. But my life was much different then and so was my health.

Remember the biomarkers I referred to earlier? Well, the National Institutes of Health reported on one such study that measured inflammation biomarkers before and after introducing their test subjects to Juice Plus+. While they did not report any differences in high-sensitivity C-reactive proteins, they found significant differences in other proteins directly tied to inflammation.

Another Juice Plus+ study found that it led to an increase in immunity and antioxidants. They added that “consumption during this study period resulted in increased plasma nutrients and antioxidant capacity, reduction in DNA strand breaks, and an increase in circulating γδ-T cells.” Still another study that evaluated a Special Forces unit of male police officers found that Juice Plus+ led to greater immunity and subsequently fewer sick days, among other things.

Bottom Line

It’s no secret that we are all lacking in proper nutrition. Even the healthiest among us generally take supplements to make up for any unknown deficiencies. Juice Plus+, both as a brand and in the copious research that has been conducted with it, make a really good case for the healthful benefits. You may or may not have the same experience as my friend who used it to help with her fibromyalgia, very successfully I might add. In fact, depending on your place in life and your health, you may end up with an experience like mine. Nevertheless, when dealing with fibro and related conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, trying something that is proven to boost immunity and reduce inflammation could be life changing.

Have you ever tried Juice Plus+ as a remedy for your fibro or inflammation? Perhaps you found a comparable product and, if so, what was it? What was your experience with these products?