Put down the ibuprofen. Try this first.

In most cases, western medicine is not the answer.

In fact, the western medical system should be more of a last resort than a first choice — but in today’s world, it’s an unfortunately popular first choice for men. 

I’ve been through the medical system, and it failed me. When my body broke down, that’s where I turned first. From a diagnosis of ‘chronic fatigue’ when I was just living a shitty lifestyle, developing an extreme allergic reaction to antibiotics after having medicinal drugs thrown at me like candy, nothing truly helped until I turned to natural therapies, beginning with an honest look at my lifestyle. 

As I always say, becoming the man you want to be starts with taking accountability, beginning with small steps every day. If you’re an athlete, or you train, and you’re dealing with inflammation, pain and injuries, there are many pain relief solutions just as effective as pharmaceutical anti-inflammatories. 

Our body is a powerful machine with built-in tools for wellbeing. So here’s a step you can take next time you feel yourself reaching for an ibuprofen or paracetamol bandaid. These are the things to try first. 

1. Check yourself

Get real with yourself for a second and take an honest look at your lifestyle. It’s likely that in some areas, you’ll find that you’re not doing yourself any favours. 

• How’s your nutrition? Is it shit food, or is it real sustenance? Are you providing enough fuel to power yourself in the gym and on the field?

• What does your lifestyle look like? Are the late nights and binge drinking harming your ability to train and perform? 

• Do you sleep much? How many qualtiy hours are you getting? How’s your actual sleep quality?

• How’s your recovery? Do you choose active recovery over lazy days? Is your recovery where the magic happens, or are you having missed opportunities? 

• What’s happening at the biochemical level? It’s better to move beyond throwing darts in the dark, though this might require the eyes of an expert.

2. Get right

If you’re leaning on painkillers as the solution, you’re doing it wrong and this will only lead to further long term damage. 

Improving your nutrition, lifestyle, training and sleep will allow you to take full advantage of your body’s natural healing tools. If you need an action plan, Optimise My Performance is for you. It’s the pathway to achieving the ultimate version of yourself, so you can dominate and own your place in the world at peak mental and physical performance.

3. Try natural remedies

There are all sorts of incredible natural remedies that might be lying in your kitchen cabinet right now, so if youre in pain and suffering form chronic inflammation give this one a go. 

Curcumin, an extract of turmeric (a common kitchen spice), is a proven anti-inflammatory without the side effects (Paultre et al., 2020). It’s a natural COX-2 inhibitor, which means it reduces our levels of C-reactive protein, a marker associated with arthritis and cardiovascular disease — both inflammatory conditions. Curcumin depletes the nerve endings of Substance P, the neurotransmitter of pain receptors. It also inhibits eicosanoids, the molecules that trigger our inflammatory response, making it the better choice over NSAIDs. Studies show a reduction in pain and improvement in function, similar to that of NSAIDs, but with a reduction in adverse events (Paultre et al., 2020).

I’m not against western medicine, it is essential especially in times of emergency or trauma but I believe that we should utilise our body’s natural abilities to the fullest before reaching for temporary bandaids. We need to stop constantly popping pills like sleeping tablets, painkillers and anti-inflammatories because they can have serious side effects, including gastrointestinal function and impaired tendon and ligament healing.

Be smarter about your training, educate yourself around healthier nutrition, implement a better sleep routine and importantly speak to natural health practitioner around alternative options to these short term solutions. Your body will thank you in the long run.

ANDY LUCAS
MEN’S HEALTH + WELLBEING COACH

From naturopathic services to men’s health coaching, Andy Lucas is on a mission to improve the lives of men, starting with the foundations of health and wellbeing. Utilising a no-BS framework titled The Healthy Man Method , Andy guides men to optimise their wellbeing through six steps that bring it back to the foundations of health — cutting through fads with an action plan that works. A certificated Naturopath (Bachelor of Health Sciences – Naturopathy) and Personal Trainer (Certificate III & IV - Personal Training), Andy helps men become free of physical challenges and limitations, so they can better succeed in their experience of life. Find out more here.