When it comes to your body, the natural health approaches are the best. After all, who knows better than Mother Nature? When we investigate the ingredients of nature through extensive scientific research, we can make great strides in the advancement of natural medicine and supplements.
Bala combines three enzymes, turmeric, bromelain, and papain, in our proprietary blend which we have researched and studied. Enzymes are biological molecules, typically proteins, that significantly speed up the rate of virtually all the chemical reactions that take place within cells. For instance, your stomach contains enzymes to help you break down your food faster so that your body can get to absorbing the nutrients. Without enzymes, nothing in our body would work. A significant combination in our formula is turmeric and bromelain together, two plant enzymes that are derived from natural sources. We found that these two have a harmonious relationship when it comes to muscle recovery and pain relief.
What is turmeric?
Known for its inflammation-fighting and pain-relieving abilities, turmeric, also known by its Latin name, Curcuma longa, was historically used in traditional medicine. A relative to the ginger, turmeric is a plant native to Southeast Asia and grown commercially in that area, including India. Its rhizome, the root of the turmeric plant, is the part most often utilized as it contains curcuminoids, the active compounds that is responsible for its anti-inflammation properties. Today, aside from being used for medicinal purposes, turmeric is present in some cultural cuisines, cosmetics, and dyes. Typically, the turmeric’s rhizomes are dried and grounded into a powder and taken in capsules as a supplement and added to various culinary dishes, such as Indian curry.
In addition to being a natural anti-inflammatory, turmeric is also rich in antioxidants! Antioxidants are compounds that inhibit oxidation, a reaction that causes the breakdown of cells. They neutralize the free radicals, which damage your cells and DNA, in your body to help prevent oxidative stress, which is when there is a negative imbalance of free radicals that leads to damage. Antioxidants are immune-boosting, and many fruits contain various forms of antioxidants, such as kiwis or strawberries. Antioxidants have also been known to have minor pain-relieving properties as well. While it is still an emerging area of research, it definitely appears to show promise!
When taken orally, it was found that Turmeric has a low bioavailability or absorption, meaning that it had difficulty fully reaching the bloodstream to be effective. In order to achieve the desired results, it meant taking much more turmeric, which can quickly get expensive. Luckily, there are some ways to increase turmeric’s bioavailability! One way that was found was with a compound found in black pepper, piperine. It was found that when paired with piperine, absorption of turmeric increased! Another way, which is utilized in Bala, is with bromelain, the enzyme found in pineapple stems!
What is bromelain?
Extracted from the pineapple stem, bromelain is a pain-fighting, inflammation-reducing enzyme that has been gaining popularity in the athletic world. Athletes are taking bromelain as a way to reduce muscle and joint inflammation due to exercise. The belief is that this would speed up recovery and help them get back into training quicker; they’re not too far off!
Bromelain is known to help promote healing, decrease swelling and bruising, and reduce tenderness, and this includes recovery post-workout. When you are exercising, your muscles experience microtears from exertion, which it then heals from. This is how our muscles grow and get stronger. Taking bromelain can help during this healing process and allow your muscles to feel better sooner and allow you to get back into your next workout.
Taking Turmeric and Bromelain Together
Bala contains a blend of turmeric, bromelain, and papain that all work to help reduce inflammation and pain in muscles and joints. But turmeric and bromelain in particular have an interesting relationship. Both enzymes are anti-inflammatory ingredients and help reduce pain, they just carry these out in different ways. And even better, they synergize and complement each other! Turmeric combined with bromelain greatly increases its potency by increasing turmeric’s ability to be absorbed by the body. The result? An effective pain-fighting enzyme blend to help you on your rest days!
For Bala, combining nature and science is the essence of our brand. We researched this synergistic effect between turmeric and bromelain and made it into a portable stick pack for on-the-go hydration and muscle recovery. Without a doubt, we’ve created an effective and natural pain-relieving drink for athletes and everyday people alike in order to help people regain their freedom of movement while avoiding unhealthy ingredients.
