If you’re a weekend warrior like me, spending most of your week in front of a computer, then going out and working on your yard all weekend or skiing at the lake or some other physical activity to which the body is not accustomed, you’ll appreciate this article.

Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS), such as aspirin, ibuprofen and Alleve (Naproxen Sodium), are among the most widely used non-prescription drugs on the market. Nearly everyone has taken one of these pharmaceutical drugs at one time or another. Likewise, a large percentage of NSAID users have experienced mild to severe, and even deadly side effects.

The primary problem with these drugs is gastric irritation and bleeding, caused by suppression of the natural protective mucus that coats the stomach and protects it from self-digestion from stomach acids. It is estimated that approximately 120,000 people are hospitalized each year with gastrointestinal bleeding due to NSAID use. Conservative estimates are that 16,500 die as a result.

Let me repeat that… 16,500 people die each year from NSAID side effects.

As of yesterday, May 31, 2010, the total number of US casualties in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars combined with those who died in the 911 attack, comes out to 8,438. Sadly, nearly twice that number, die each year due to NSAID side effects.

There has to be a safer alternative.

There is. It’s called bromelain and it’s a protein-digesting enzyme found in pineapples. When taken on an empty stomach, which facilitates the absorption of bromelain, the enzyme passes into the bloodstream and decreases migration of neutrophils (pro-inflammatory white blood cells) to sites of injury and inflammation, along with a number of other related anti-inflammatory effects.