Natural and Artificial Painkillers
Endorphins and enkephalins are the body’s natural painkillers. When a person is injured, pain impulses travel up the spinal cord to the brain. The brain then releases endorphins and enkephalins. Enkephalins block pain signals in the spinal cord. Endorphins are thought to block pain principally at the brain stem. Chiropractors for decades have been telling people to have their upper cervical spine, at the base of the brain stem, checked for misalignment adjustments. You don’t want any interference in this critical pathway. Both endorphins and enkephalins are morphine-like substances whose functions are similar to those of opium-based drugs. Today, the word “endorphin” is used generically to describe both groups of painkillers. These naturally occurring opiates include enkephalins (methionine and leucine), endorphins (alpha, beta, gamma, and delta) and a growing number of synthetic (artificial) compounds.
In the mid-1960s scientists proposed theories that the opiate narcotics (opium, heroin, morphine) mimic the actions of naturally occurring chemicals within the brain. They believed that these narcotics act as painkillers by manipulating the brain’s receivers for those naturally occurring substances.
In the late 1970s researchers learned that there are specific areas in the brain that control pain. It is those areas that opiates attach themselves to in order to perform their functions. It was only then that researchers were able to identify the two naturally occurring pain killers, endorphins and enkephalins. This offered opportunities for developing drugs similar in structure to the natural pain-killing substances. However, Chiropractors have been telling people this same thing since 1895.
Methionine and leucine are both essential amino acids, meaning that the human body cannot synthesize them, and it therefore must be ingested. In other words, if you are not getting enough raw protein, or your body cannot efficiently break down the proteins, you will be lacking these 2 essential amino acids. This also means your body will not be able to effectively fight pain and will be at the doctors’ mercy to prescribe synthetics such as oxycontin or hydrocodone; which are heroin derivatives and highly addictive.
It would be well worth your while to schedule an appointment with your chiropractor; and hopefully do a Zyto scan to determine your bodies protein needs.
A word of caution, if you are taking a protein supplement; make sure it is a whole food supplement that your body can make use of, or you will still be lacking enough Methionine and leucine.
For more info / questions call Dr. Cole of Vivatek Disc Rehab at (843) 249-5100 or stop in M-F 8am – 5pm to see what VivaTek Disc Rehab can do to fix your ailing discs
