General Health

Nutritional Supplements and Detoxing to Reduce Inflammation

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Arbonne Healthy Fit Kit

Filed in: General Health, Medicinal Herbs, Nutrition

How Alkaline Rich Foods Help Reduce Inflammation and Balance to Your Body

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It has been widely said that “you are what you eat”; this statement should be replaced with “you are not what you eat but what you absorb.”  The human body is a very complex organism and when properly taken care of can fight off disease, pain and cancer.  However in the American diet today, we have gotten to reliant on the quick and easy food to satisfy our body’s fuel needs.  No one has a garden in their backyard or raises their own poultry, swine or beef.

A higher alkaline content in the body has been found to reduce inflammation.  Inflammation is the enemy of our body.  Below is an article outlining the benefits of an alkaline diet and list foods to eat.

In researching the Alkaline Diet, there are many similarities between it and the Anti-Inflammatory Diet. The Alkaline Diet divides foods into higher pH groups which potentially show more alkalinity and those in lower pH groups which show more acidity in their nature. [The relative alkalinity or acidity of foods is measured by the pH value of the ash residue that remains after a food has been metabolized by our body. This ash can be acid, alkaline or neutral depending upon the mineral content of the food.]*

Although the Anti-Inflammatory Diet does not relate foods to pH values, many of the recommended foods are the same. Basically sugar, refined foods, fatty foods, meats, dairy, yeast, carbonated drinks, chips, chocolate and alcohol should be limited as they all leave an “acid” ash. Vegetables, fruits and seeds should be increased, as they leave an “alkaline” ash. The American diet tends to lean towards being an over-acidic diet, resulting in chronic health issues, fatigue, gum and teeth problems, susceptibility to colds, chronic pain and inflammation. The Alkaline diet can help balance the acidity and perhaps even prevent some of the health issues that arise with eating an acidic diet.

Read more about the Benefits of a alkaline rich diet to reduce inflammation…….

Alkaline Balanced Nutritional Food Supplements

To get a just start on your diet, we have found that Arbonne International Health & Wellness Feeling Fit Kits is a great way to get started.  These kits have a 30 day supply of a chemically balanced all vegan food supplement which includes; protein shake powder mix in vanilla or chocolate, energy fizz powder – citrus & pomegranate (high PH and vitamin B for energy), pro-biotic, pre-biotic enzymes to help with optimal digestion of you food.  All this is under $10.00 per day.

Until you get your diet under control and chemically balanced.  Sooner Relief Herbal Pain Relief is your best solution to relieving pain safe and quick.  For centuries, the medicinal herbs formulated in Sooner Relief Herbal Pain Relief gel have been found to quickly absorb in the skin and aid in reducing inflammation of joints and speed recovery to bruises and sore muscles.  For fast long-lasting pain relief without the dangers of NSAIDS ORDER Sooner Pain Relief.

 Alkaline Rich Foods that can be eaten Freely

Vegetables
Brussels Sprouts +0.5
Broccoli
Peas, Ripe +0.5
Asparagus +1.3
Comfrey +1.5
Green Cabbage, March Harvest +2.0
Lettuce +2.2
Onion +3.0
Cauliflower +3.1
White Cabbage +3.3
Green Cabbage December Harvest +4.0
Savoy Cabbage +4.5
Lamb’s Lettuce +4.8
Peas, Fresh +5.1
Zucchini +5.7
Red Cabbage +6.3
Rhubarb Stalks +6.3
Leeks (Bulbs) +7.2
Watercress +7.7
Spinach, March Harvest +8.0
Chives +8.3
French Cut Green Beans +11.2
Sorrel +11.5
Spinach (Other Than March) +13.1
Garlic +13.2
Celery +13.3
Cabbage Lettuce, Fresh +14.1
Endive, Fresh +14.5
Cayenne Pepper +18.8
Straw Grass +21.4
Shave Grass +21.7
Dog Grass +22.6
Dandelion +22.7
Kamut Grass +27.6
Barley Grass +28.1
Soy Sprouts +29.5
Sprouted Radish Seeds +28.4
Sprouted Chia Seeds +28.5
Alfalfa Grass +29.3
Cucumber, Fresh +31.5
Wheat Grass +33.8

Root Vegetables:
White Raddish (Spring) +3.1
Rutabaga +3.1
Kohlrabi +5.1
Horseradish +6.8
Turnip +8.0
Carrot +9.5
Beet +11.3
Red Radish +16.7
Summer Black Radish +39.4

Fruits
Limes +8.2
Fresh Lemon +9.9
Tomato +13.6
Avocado (Protein) +15.6

Non-Stored Organic Grains And Legumes
Buckwheat Groats +0.5
Spelt +0.5
Lentils +0.6
Soy Flour +2.5
Tofu +3.2
Lima Beans +12.0
Soybeans, Fresh +12.0
White Beans (Navy Beans) +12.1
Granulated Soy (Cooked Ground Soy Beans) +12.8
Soy Nuts (soaked Soy Beans, Then Air Dried) +26.5
Soy Lecithin (Pure) +38.0

Nuts
Brazil Nuts +0.5
Almonds +3.6

Seeds
Sesame Seeds +0.5
Cumin Seeds +1.1
Fennel Seeds +1.3
Flax Seeds +1.3
Caraway Seeds +2.3
Sunflower Seeds +5.4
Pumpkin Seeds +5.6
Wheat Kernel +11.4

Fats (Fresh, Cold-Pressed Oils)
Olive Oil +1.0
Borage Oil +3.2
Flax Seed Oil +3.5
Evening Primrose Oil +4.1
Marine Lipids +4.7

Foods you should eat sparingly

Fish
Fresh Water Fish -11.8

Fruits
(In Season, For Cleansing Only
Or With Moderation)
Rose Hips -15.5
Pineapple -12.6
Mandarin Orange -11.5
Bananna, Ripe -10.1
Pear -9.9
Peach -9.7
Apricot -9.5
Papaya -9.4
Orange -9.2
Mango -8.7
Tangerine -8.5
Currant -8.2
Gooseberry, Ripe -7.7
Grape, Ripe -7.6
Cranberry -7.0
Black Currant -6.1
Strawberry -5.4
Blueberry -5.3
Rasberry -5.1
Yellow Plum -4.9
Italian Plum -4.9
Date -4.7
Cherry, Sweet -3.6
Cantaloupe -2.5
Red Currant -2.4
Fig Juice Powder -2.4
Grapefruit -1.7
Watermelon -1.0
Coconut, Fresh +0.5
Cherry, Sour +3.5
Bananna, Unripe +4.8

Non-Stored Grains
Brown Rice -12.5
Wheat -10.1

Nuts
Walnuts -8.0
Macadamia Nuts -3.2
Hazelnuts -2.0

Fats
Sunflower Oil -6.7
Coconut Milk -1.5

 

 

Filed in: General Health

Fungal Meningitis Outbreak Is Linked to Steroid Shots

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There have been a lot of news about hundreds of people developing fungal meningitis with several being fatal.  The common thread that helped piece all the cases together was back pain and the use of injected steroid from a Boston, MA based pharmaceutical compounding company.

Millions of Americans suffer from back pain.  Many believe that the only solution is steroidal injection to reduce inflammation.  This type of treatment has been affective and safe until now.  Prolonged treatment of oral steroid drugs and also non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be harmful to your over all health.

In the article by Carolyn Y. Johnson of the Boston Globe, outlines the investigation that covered several states and several months.

Fungal Meningitis Linked to Steroid Injection for Back Pain

There are natural vegan pain gels that with frequent use can relieve back pain.  Even severe back pain.  The uses of medicinal herbs over the centuries have proven to be both safe and beneficial in relieving pain with many of their natural properties being an anti-inflammantory.  One such product is Sooner Relief.

At hospitals scattered across the country, it was the horror story of the waning days of summer. Teams of physicians faced the same medical mystery — patients with life-threatening infections with an unknown cause. There were subtle hints that they were dealing with a highly unusual illness, and astute clinicians and state and federal health officials worked to connect the dots. Ultimately, they would discover that these seemingly isolated cases were the leading edge of an outbreak of a fungal meningitis so rare that many doctors will never see a case in their lifetimes.

“The fact we had two people with strange presentations, related to the epidural injection, I hope would have been a bellwether for us,” Dr. Robert Latham said.

MARK HUMPHREY/ASSOCIATED PRESS

“The fact we had two people with strange presentations, related to the epidural injection, I hope would have been a bellwether for us,” Dr. Robert Latham said.

The cases would quickly be linked to three batches of an injected steroid produced by a Framingham compounding pharmacy, but by that time 14,000 people in 23 states had received the injections for back and joint pain. More than 300 have fallen ill, and 25 have died.

Read More…… Doctors Piece Together Rare Cases

The CDC issued the following about the fungal meningitis outbreak:

  • As of October 22, 2012, a total of 54 patients have CDClaboratory-confirmed fungal meningitis. This form of fungal meningitis is not contagious. CDC’s laboratory has confirmedExserohilum rostratum in clinical specimens for all but two patients. Of those two patients, one has been found to be infected with Aspergillus fumigatus and one withCladosporium [JPG - 36 KB]. These fungi are common in the environment but were not a recognized cause of meningitis prior to this outbreak.
  • CDC and FDA have confirmed the presence of a fungus known as Exserohilum rostratum [JPG - 183 KB] in unopened medication vials of preservative-free MPA from two of the three implicated lots (Lot #06292012@26, BUD12/26/2012 and Lot #08102012@51, BUD 2/6/2013). The laboratory confirmation further links steroid injections from these lots from NECC to the outbreak. Testing on the third implicated lot continues.
  • CDC and state health departments estimate that approximately 14,000 patients may have received injections with medication from the three implicated lots of methylprednisolone, and nearly 97% have now been contacted for further follow-up.
  • Patients and clinicians need to remain vigilant for onset of symptoms because fungal infections can be slow to develop. In this outbreak, symptoms typically have appeared 1 to 4 weeks following injection, but it’s important to know that longer and shorter periods between injection and onset ofsymptoms have been reported. Therefore, patients and physicians need to closely watch for symptoms for at least several months following the injection. See updated Patient Guidance for more information, and contact your physician if you are concerned you may have become ill from your injection.
  • Information about the investigation and guidance for clinicians, including interim treatment guidelines, is available at www.cdc.gov/hai/outbreaks/meningitis.html. CDC recommendations are subject to change as more information becomes available. Read more…… CDC Fungal Meningitis Outbreak

There are natural vegan pain gels that with frequent use can relieve back pain.  Even server back pain.  The uses of medicinal herbs over the centuries have proven to be both safe and beneficial in relieving pain with many of their natural properties being an anti-inflammantory.  One such product is Sooner Relief.

Filed in: General Health

Arthritis Treatment – Top Effective Treatments

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Arthritis pain doesn’t just affect you physically, it also wears on you mentally.  For many arthritis suffers, the mental and spiritual suffering can be just as worse as the physical pain.  However, there are treatments and natural remedies that can help with coping with arthritis disease.  Here is an interesting article from New York Time Health Guide about the many different arthritis treatments.

arthritis treatment

Arthritis Treatment NY Times Health Guide

The goal of treatment is to reduce pain, improve function, and prevent further joint damage. The underlying cause cannot usually be cured.

LIFESTYLE CHANGES in ARTHRITIS TREATMENT

Lifestyle changes are the preferred treatment for osteoarthritis and other types of joint inflammation. Exercise can help relieve stiffness, reduce pain and fatigue, and improve muscle and bone strength. Your health care team can help you design an exercise program that is best for you.

Exercise programs for Arthritis Treatment may include:

  • Low-impact aerobic activity (also called endurance exercise)
  • Range of motion exercises for flexibility
  • Strength training for muscle tone

Physical therapy for Arthritis Treatment may be recommended. This might include:

  • Heat or ice
  • Splints or orthotics to support joints and help improve their position; this is often needed for rheumatoid arthritis
  • Water therapy
  • Massage

Other recommendations for Arthritis Treatment:

  • Get plenty of sleep. Sleeping 8 to 10 hours a night and taking naps during the day can help you recover from a flare-up more quickly and may even help prevent flare ups.
  • Avoid staying in one position for too long.
  • Avoid positions or movements that place extra stress on your sore joints.
  • Change your home to make activities easier. For example, install grab bars in the shower, the tub, and near the toilet.
  • Try stress-reducing activities, such as meditation, yoga, or tai chi.
  • Eat a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables, which contain important vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin E.
  • Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as cold water fish (salmon, mackerel, and herring), flaxseed, rapeseed (canola) oil, soybeans, soybean oil, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts.
  • Apply capsaicin cream over your painful joints. You may feel improvement after applying the cream for 3-7 days.
  • Lose weight, if you are overweight. Weight loss can greatly improve joint pain in the legs and feet.

Medications are also a treatment that might be a solution for you.  However, you should be aware of the side effects of long term use of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug)  Sooner Relief Herbal Pain Relief is your best treatment of arthritis pain.  The herbal formula centered around the medicinal herb ARNICA is fast acting, deep penetrating and last lasting relief.  Try today RISK FREE – SOONER RELIEF – or call 888-321-4001 for more information.

Filed in: Arthritis, General Health, Medicinal Herbs

Alternative Solutions to Alleviate Joint Pains and Avoid Replacement Surgery

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Joint Pain Relief

Alternative Solutions to Alleviate Joint Pain

If your joints are giving you trouble, yet the side effects that can come with regular use of anti-inflammatory medications are issues you’d prefer to avoid, there are plenty of solutions that fall somewhere between suffering in silence and aggressive treatments like joint replacement surgery. A number of alternative therapies have proven helpful in alleviating joint pain due to knee or hip injury, arthritis and other chronic joint conditions, ranging from nutritional approaches and exercise to natural joint supplements, acupuncture and chiropractic care.

Mind-Body Exercise to Alleviate Joint Pain

Many people have found that practicing yoga, qi gong and tai chi — exercise combined with meditation and breathing techniques — help in alleviating joint pain and stiffness. There is some scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of these practices, with several studies showing improved symptoms in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis patients who participated in mind-body exercise programs.

Acupuncture Alleviate Joint Pain

Acupuncture has also been shown to be effective in temporarily relieving symptoms of joint pain and stiffness. According to research done by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, patients with arthritis in the hip and back have shown improvements in pain levels and mobility after acupuncture.

Joint Supplements Alleviate Joint Pain

Many arthritis sufferers and people with knee or hip injury have reported improvements in joint pain and stiffness with the use of joint supplements, such as glucosamine, chondroitin, fish oil and MSM, which have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects. Scientific evidence on the effectiveness of these products has been conflicting, with some studies showing them to have beneficial effects and others finding little or no benefit.

Chiropractic Care Alleviate Joint Pain

Chiropractic care has provided effective relief for joint pain associated with knee or hip injury as well as chronic joint issues. Treatments that are commonly used in chiropractic care include joint manipulation, deep tissue massage, exercise, joint supplements and nutritional therapy, among others.

Surgery Alleviate Joint Pain

Joint replacement can be an effective treatment for chronic joint pain when all else fails. However, it should be considered an option of last resort, since it is major surgery, with a long, intense recovery period, and there can be complications. For example, a number of hip replacement patients have had problems recently with faulty or poorly designed hip implants, issues serious enough to spur a rash of recalls and hip replacement lawsuits.

Metal-on-metal implant systems were the primary source of these problems, causing metallosis in some patients, as well as high rates of early implant failures. Metallosis is a serious condition that is caused by implant debris, as tiny metallic particles are shed from the implants. These particles accumulate in the soft tissues around the implant, causing extreme pain and inflammation in some patients, as well as localized tissue death and bone loss, issues that caused many implants to loosen or fail.

Metallosis, implant failure, and other hip replacement complications make revision surgeries necessary for many patients. These procedures are costly and can be painful and difficult, especially if there is joint damage due to implant complications, and often are not as successful as an original hip replacement, leaving patients with reduced joint function.

Elizabeth Carrollton writes about defective medical devices and dangerous drugs for Drugwatch.com.

Sooner Relief Herbal Pain Relief Gel is a safe and beneficial solution to alleviate joint pain.  The vegan formula is made up from the best combination of medicinal herbs to provide fast and deep penetrating long lasting relief.  Try today SOONER RELIEF!!!

 

Filed in: Exercise for Pain Relief, General Health, Pain Management

Safe Arthritis and Muscle Pain Relief

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A Peruvian born Oklahoma City doctor specializing in internal medicine and rheumatoid physician has created a pain relief gel formula of all-natural ingredients that can give relief to joint pain, muscle discomfort and improve mobility. The doctor states that when looking for an alternative to oral pain medication precaution should be used. Oral medication be it OTC or prescription, can cause harm with prolong use from addiction to stomach or liver damage. Most pain gels contain Menthol. As an active ingredient you should look to see if the product is FDA Compliant. Other ingredients that offer safe and beneficial relief are Aloe Vera and MSM. Look to see if the pain relief gel consists of various medicinal herbs and is manufactured with a strict adherence to the German Commission E-Monographs. The commission was established in the 1970′s to evaluate and report on the safety and effectiveness of over 300 herbs. One of the most reliable medical herbs is Arnica. It is recognized worldwide as an anti-rheumatic and pain reliever.

Pain relief gels with Menthol and Arnica can help joint pain in the hands, knees, elbows and shoulders. Some pain gels have also been found helpful in relieving discomfort to sore muscles, tendons and ailments related to fibromyalgia, Restless Leg Syndrome, and Myofascial pain just to name a few.

Pain relief in minutes

There are many pain relief gel products available. However, many of them are presented as a topical analgesic and only offer temporary relief on the most top layer of your tissue. The two different types either contain capsaicin or Menthol. Capsaicin based analgesics offer a warm to hot feeling on the skin. Many orthopedic doctors do not recommend using heat for inflammation and pain relief. The other is menthol based which gives a soothing cool relieving feeling. Pain relief gels that are formulated with medicinal herbs to aid in the pain relieving and delivery of the gel into the tissue are the best. These gels are more costly but the end results can be noticed over other national name brand analgesics. Pain gels with medicinal herbs can give you relief much faster than most joint supplements and safer than over the counter pain relievers that can cause stomach and liver problems with prolonged use.

Look for pain relief gels that have the following:

    • FDA Compliant – Menthol is the active ingredient and manufactured to FDA compliance
    • Soothing cool relief with no capsaicin or salicylates (aspirin)
    • No animal products or animal testing
    • No artificial dyes or No dangerous parabens
    • No greasy residue
    • Made in the U.S.A.

Stop living with pain and start living your life to its fullest. For most pain gels using daily, you can enjoy the activities that were given up due to pain.

 

 

Filed in: Arthritis, General Health, Medicinal Herbs, Pain Management

What is a Compound Pharmacist

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The need for pain management is responsible for the manufacture of a considerable percentage of all drugs manufactured in the world. With an aging population, and the increase in long-term health problems throughout the globe, it appears that the need for more pain therapy will continue to expand over time. At the same time, it is becoming more apparent that a one-size-fits-all line of attack to medication simply does not work for all patients. Clinically trained pharmacists who specialize in the pain management field are re-emerging as the necessity for their knowledge increases.

While~Even as} it is true that, for most maladies, mass-produced medications are effective, persistent pain sufferers may find little comfort from them. Unpleasant and potentially dangerous side-effects can impair relief and even make the patient’s circumstance worse. And human bodies tend to adapt to the constant stream of medication entering it, Read more

Filed in: General Health, Medicinal Herbs, Nutrition

What are Purine rich foods

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Purine rich foods contribute to a painful type of arthritis called gout. The human body needs a small amount of purine, but it can cause problems if you consume it in excess amounts. Purine gets converted into uric acid. Uric acid that does not get removed from the blood stream normally gets expelled in urine. If the body does not process it properly, it converts to uric acid into urate crystals. Urate crystals build up in joints and cause the type of arthritis known as gout. A good way to avoid developing this painful condition is to reduce the amount of purine rich foods that you eat.

One popular solution for the symptoms of gout is to eat fifteen to twenty cherries a day. Fresh cherries are best, but canned cherries work too. Cherries have an enzyme that neutralizes uric acid and are high in anthocyanins, which have high antioxidant properties as well as anti-inflammatory action. For the best results, drink plenty of water while eating the cherries. The water will keep your urine diluted, which will help your body excrete uric acid and prevent crystals from forming.

Taking large amounts of vitamin C serves as an effective medicine for gout. A study was conducted where two groups of people were given different vitamin C intakes. The people given more than 1,500 mg of vitamin C a day were 40% less prone to getting gout than those who consumed less than 200 mg a day. Doctors are commonly prescribing vitamin C to their patients today to combat the gout.

A major change in diet is an important, if not primary, natural medicine for gout. Gout is seriously aggravated by purine foods, and may even be the sole reason for the gout. Some purine foods include organ meat, meat gravy, stock, mussels, herring, anchovies, shellfish, sardines, asparagus, and mushrooms. White flour, spinach, cauliflower, dried beans, poultry, and sugar may also need to be avoided, being somewhat high in purine. Alcohol, especially beer, is very high in purines and must also be avoided, unless you can compensate with drinking much water along with the beverages to keep acid from building up in your system. Replace these foods with fruits, berries, vegetables, whole grains, and especially wheat grass.

What is Gout? Gout is the result of too much uric acid that builds up in the body over a period of time.  The uric acid forms very sharp crystals that cluster around the joints causing the pain, inflammation and tenderness associated with gout. Since gout is caused by the formation of uric acid crystals that the body does not get rid of you need to know about some factors that might cause gout.

Chinese physicians have used mulberries to treat gout for centuries. The bioflavonoids in mulberries help remove uric acid from the blood stream and reduce the production of Urate crystals. One excellent supplement to help lower the impact of purine rich foods is Goutezol. The ingredients in Goutezol boost a persons immune system as well. Not only does this mulberry derived supplement defend against gout by blocking the absorption of purine, it lowers your risk of catching other illnesses as well.

Looking to find info on Gout Foods, then visit our site to find the best advice on Know About Anti Gout Diet Tips for you.

Filed in: General Health, Nutrition

Healthly Living – Chronic Pain Myths

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Chronic Pain Myths:

My body must be in danger if it’s hurting -

Pain doesn’t always represent ongoing physical harm. The nervous system might be firing off erroneous message, or your body’s is having trouble producing its natural painkilling substances. The fear of damage and illness also may distort your nervous system causing you to hurt even more. Understanding the pain is not actually harming your body may not cure your pain but can provide significant relief.

Bed rest is good when you’re in pain –

There was a time not long ago when doctors prescribed bed rest as recuperation from, or treatment for, many acute and chronic ailments. While the medical community no longer supports this practice, many laypersons still self-prescribe bed rest for considerable time, only to find their symptoms mysteriously getting worse instead of better. Your body needs movement and the demand it places on its various systems to survive. Inactivity causes bones to lose calcium, a reduction of nutrients to the muscles, joints become stiff or stiffer. This in turn causes the cartilage to deteriorate and arthritic changes to commence and progress.

An uncomfortable chair is bad for you –

A comfortable chair is potentially more harmful and destructive to your back than an uncomfortable one for a few important reasons. First and foremost, comfort promotes prolonged sitting. Sitting for 45 minutes or longer puts a damaging amount of pressure onto your lower back, hips, and knees. Also, the lack of movement while seated holds your muscles to short, tight positions to accommodate the posture of sitting. Once you get up and move around, the muscles impose an excessive load on the joints. While prolonged sitting in any type of chair is detrimental to your muscles and joints, ergonomic chairs make a bad situation better. Still, for the best results, get out of your seat and move around every 45 minutes, and don’t be afraid to fidget!

You just have to live with it –

Your physician may claim to have run through all the available options and there is simply nothing more to be done. In reality, there are a vast number of treatments that can drastically reduce your pain or limit its impact on your life. Take pain pills for example. If you’ve tried one type of drug that worked well but gave you undesirable side effects, there are other drugs in that same class of medication that could have a very different effect on you chemically. Perhaps drugs aren’t the best type of treatment for you. Some form of nerve distraction therapy, such as acupuncture, yoga or massage, may ease your pain much more effectively. The main thing to keep in mind is that there are more options to fight chronic pain than even your physician may know. If your doctor makes you feel like a pest for asking about pain control, you should look for another one.

Mind / Body Treatments:

These practices are based on the interconnectedness of mind and body, and the power of one to affect the other. They’ve shown to help control chronic pain by reducing stress, tension and depression, factors that intensify pain. Mind and body therapies also help promote an overall sense of well-being.

Biofeedback –

Biofeedback translates information about your body into visual or audio cues. You are connected, usually by electrodes taped to your skin but sometimes by handheld thermometers, to computers and monitors that allow you to “see” muscle tension as a pattern on a screen or “hear” your temperature as a series of beeps. Over time, you learn how to control these body functions by paying attention t the feedback and experimenting with ways to manipulate it. After you’ve figured out how to relax your muscles or raise your body temperature or change some other aspects of your physiology in the practitioner’s office, you can duplicate the effect on your own. Electromyography (EMG), is the most popular biofeedback which teaches you to control muscle spasms (learn about EMG). Biofeeback has been proven to reduce headaches, chronic muscle tension, anxiety, TMJ, and insomnia.

Hypnosis –

By slipping into a trancelike, highly suggestible state, patients can learn to control body functions that are usually involuntary. They can reduce their blood pressure, heart rate, and level of stress hormones, and possibly even change how the brain activates during a pain sensation.

When you’re under hypnosis, your mind is in a state of deep concentration and is receptive to suggestion. A therapist can use this mental state to offer you alternative, relaxing responses to pain. For example, she may suggest that upon feeling pain, you lower your blood pressure instead of raise it; or she may use imagery instead, suggesting that you imagine that your pain is controlled by a dial that you can turn down at will. Your therapist should be certified by either the National Board for Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists or the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners.

Meditation –

We’re all pretty good at thinking. The problem is that most of us are unable to stop. You know the feeling, your mind plays one particular worry or though over and over, in an obsessively running loop. Or maybe it chatters away at you about a thousand different things.

Meditation is a way of quieting that chatter. By bringing your focus to your breath, a mantra, or the like, you give your mind something simple to hold on to as you gradually let go of the world. By controlling your attention, you’re accomplishing something deeply therapeutic. You begin to feel more relaxed, more at peace with yourself. This feeling usually lasts far beyond the meditation itself, so that when stress comes flying your way, you have the psychic resources to deflect it. For people with nerve-related pain in particular, meditation is often more effective than any other therapy at turning down that nerve noise and letting you get on with your life.

Yoga –

What makes yoga so powerful for back and other kinds of pain? When you practice yoga, you use physical exercises, breathing and relaxation techniques, and meditation to help you integrate these different aspects of your being. Such integration has a strengthening effect on your whole self, and fortifies your resistance to pain. Yoga helps you become more accepting of your body and of your pain, less judgmental and reactive. With time, you’ll also become an expert on your body; you’ll know what makes it feel worse and how to coax it into balance.

Finally, the poses themselves can ease your pain. They make you stronger and more flexible, improve the circulation to your joints and muscles, and stimulate your brain to produce painkilling chemicals.

Breathing techniques –

Pain can literally take your breath away. Over time, many chronic pain sufferers develop a pattern of shallow inhalations that are the breath equivalent of junk food. When you aren’t breathing deeply, you may experience muscle tension or have trouble sleeping. By bringing greater awareness to your breathing, you can induce a state of relaxation at will.

Deep breathing and breath exercises are useful for almost everyone. For many people with nerve pain, breathing and other mind-body techniques are an especially important source of relief.

Improving Your Sleep:

To improve your sleep, it’s important to recognize factors that may be contributing to your restless nights.

Conditions that may interfere with sleep besides pain:

1. Stress

2. Anxiety

3. Depression

4. Alcohol

5. Stimulant medications

6. Regular use of over-the-counter sleeping pills

7. Lack of physical activity

8. Change in your environment

9. Poor sleep habits

You can do several things to get a good night’s sleep -

1. Establish regular sleep hours. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. Following a regular pattern often improves sleep.

2. Sugar can help you sleep. While sugar is not health food, it can help you sleep. It causes the brain to produce serotonin, the neurotransmitter that plays a central role in sleep, moods, and pain control. Fruit sugars work as well as table sugar. So have some orange juice and a cookie an hour before bed.

3. Avoid high-protein foods in the evening. They can block serotonin production. Try to avoid fish, poultry, meats, eggs, and large servings of beans or tofu in the evening if a good night’s sleep is your goal.

4. Limit your time in bed. Too much sleep can promote shallow, unrestful sleep. Aim for 8 hours of sleep a night. Some people can get by on just 4 or 5 hours. Others need up to 10 hours a night. Don’t stay in bed longer than 10 hours.

5. Don’t “try” to sleep. The harder you try, the more awake you’ll become. Read or watch television until you become drowsy and fall asleep naturally.

6. Use sleeping medications wisely. If you decide to use a sleeping medication, make sure your choice is one of the new imidazophridines or, preferably, a tricyclic antidepressant. Use the medication only as an initial boost to help you start your sleeping program and then gradually wean yourself from the medication after you’ve met your sleeping goals.

7. Limit bedroom activities. Save your bedroom for sleep and sex. Don’t watch TV or take your work materials to bed.

8. Avoid or limit caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. Caffeine and nicotine can keep you from falling asleep. Alcohol causes unrestful sleep and frequent awakenings.

9. Minimize interruptions. Close your bedroom door or create a subtle background noise, such as a fan, to drown out other noises. Keep your bedroom temperature comfortable, and drink less before bed so you won’t have to get up at night to go to the bathroom.

10. Keep active. Regular physical activity helps you sleep more soundly. Try to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily, preferably 5 to 6 hours before bedtime. Also keep occupied throughout the day. Boredom promotes restless sleep.

11. Check your medications. Ask your doctor if they might be contributing to your difficulty sleeping. Also check over-the-counter products to see if they contain caffeine or other stimulants.

Arthritis: Eating Guidelines for an Anti-inflammatory Diet

1. Consume mostly fruits and vegetables—minimum of 5 servings a day.

2. Eat fish three to five times a week, or use fish oil supplements.

3. Use olive oil instead of vegetable oil or butter.

4. Minimize the amount of meat, dairy and butter—or even become a vegetarian.

5. Take Vitamin E, 400 IU and Flaxseed oil, one tablespoon.

6. Lower your daily caloric intake.

7. Identify and avoid inflammation trigger foods.

Inflammatory-safe foods

1. Brown rice

2. Cooked or dried fruits: cherries, cranberries, pears, prunes (but not citrus fruits, bananas, peaches, or tomatoes)

3. Cooked green, yellow, and orange vegetables: artichokes, asparagus, broccoli,chard, collards, lettuce, spinach, string beans, summer or winter squash, sweet potatoes, tapioca, and taro

4. Water: plain water or carbonated forms, such as Perrier, are fine.

5. Other beverages, even herbal teas, can be triggers.

6. Condiments: modest amounts of salt, maple syrup, and vanilla extract are usually well-tolerated.

Some people use fish oils for their anti-inflammatory omega-3s. However, plant-derived oils have none of the fish odor that can be apparent in the perspiration of people using fish oil. They also tend to be more chemically stable, so they do not oxidize as quickly. They are also lower in saturated fats.

Several spices also show anti-inflammatory effects by blocking enzymes that would otherwise make inflammation-producing prostaglandins. These spices are ginger, clove oil, garlic, turmeric, and cumin.

Best inflammation-fighting foods

Eating at least one food from each category every week will provide the greatest amount of phytochemical, anti-inflammatory compounds.

1. Cruciferous vegetables Bok choy

2. Broccoli

3. Brussels sprouts

4. Cabbage

5. Cauliflower

6. Kale

7. Watercress

 

1. Green Vegetables Chard

2. Collards

3. Lettuce

4. Mustard greens

5. Spinach

 

1. Legumes Black beans

2. Chickpeas/garbanzo beans

3. Kidney beans

4. Navy beans

5. Peas

6. Pinto beans

7. Soybeans

 

1. Berries Blackberries

2. Blueberries

3. Raspberries

4. Strawberries

 

1. Beta-carotene-rich foods Apricots

2. Cantaloupe

3. Carrots

4. Mango

5. Pumpkin

6. Sweet Potato

Major inflammation trigger foods

 

1. Dairy products

2. Corn

3. Meats

4. Wheat, oats, rye

5. Eggs

6. Citrus fruits

7. Potatoes

8. Tomatoes

9. Nuts

10. Coffee

Osteoarthritis

Vitamin E relieves pain and improves mobility in patients with osteoarthritis. A typical dosage regimen is 400 IU each day, or 100 IU for people with high blood pressure.

Filed in: General Health, Medicinal Herbs, Nutrition

Chiroprator Matt Spaulding & Sooner Pain Relief

By admin  

Norman local chiropractor achieves personal victory

By Joy Hampton
The Norman Transcript

NORMAN — Dr. Matthew Spaulding, a Norman chiropractor, participated in his first body building competition ever Oct. 29 and won first in his division, light weight novice.

“It was a lot of fun,” said Matt Spaulding following the event.  But the long hard road to get there was anything but fun. It was filled with challenges.  “It is about health,” Spaulding said of his reason for competing. “When I was in chiropractic school, we had a lot of ex-athletes and body builders.”

Those athletes made an impression he never forgot and he decided he wanted to set a good example of fitness and health for his patients.  “It’s a picture of health. If your nutritionist is 50 pounds overweight, you may not think he knows what he’s talking about,” Spaulding said. “There are plenty of doctors around that aren’t in shape.”

pain relief matt spauldingDoctors care for people’s health, but may not be physically active and in-shape despite that concerns about nutrition and weight-loss are of high interest nationally these days. Spaulding believed committing himself to the self-discipline of body building would help him integrate concerns about health and dieting into his practice.

“There’s so much fat loss and diet and exercise. I get a lot of questioning about that,” Spaulding said. “I’ve always kind of wanted to do that (body building), but didn’t know if I had the right genetics.”

Spaulding started training with friend Wayne Buck in order to get fit.  “He told me it (body building) was about the diet and discipline.”  Buck also told him it would be hard. But Spaulding doesn’t mind a challenge and he had the perfect motivation. Spaulding lost his middle brother Tim and dedicating this goal to Tim was the ideal to challenge himself while honoring Tim’s memory in his own way.

“I’ve had to spend two hours a day on the step mill which is basically stairs as a treadmill … that’s a long time. You want to give up every few steps,” Spaulding said. “My brother Tim’s deal was, he never gave up on anything. He may have failed a million times, but he never gave up on it.”

Tim tried multiple times to get into dental school, but once he finally made it, he got a scholarship. Tim’s motto in life is enshrined on his gravestone: “Dream big, live large, never, never never give up.”

When things got tough, Spaulding thought of his brother and kept up the challenging diet and hard work because he didn’t want to let his brother down. He said preparing for the body building competition was one of the most challenging things in his life.

“It’s the second hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Spaulding said, with losing his brother the hardest.  Spaulding believes it was a challenge Tim would have approved — Tim ran track and high-jumped in college and was really fit.  It’s common these days for Spaulding to hear, “You look so much more like Tim now,” from family and friends.

“That’s been really special to me,” he said.  Spaulding started working toward the body building competition last February.  “I’ve learned a lot more than I thought I would from it,” he said. “I’ve lost right about 40-45 pounds this year. It’s good for me to do something like this and accomplish it.”

The training method first builds an athlete up to build muscle mass. Once the athlete has put on that heaviness, the weight is stripped down so that body fat is minimal and muscle mass is optimal.  “Sooner Relief was key to my workout.  Applying Sooner Relief before workout and immediately following relieve muscle soreness and I believe helped my muscles recovery sooner.”

“It’s definitely a process,” he said.  Spaulding was mentored by Dr. J. G. Smith of Norman since he was about 5-years-old.  He and his oldest brother, Dave, and his father were in a 3-wheeler accident that dislocated his father’s shoulder and injured Spaulding’s back. Dr. Smith worked with their injuries and Spaulding was impressed.

In 6th grade, Spaulding played football and jammed his neck. Once again, Dr. Smith helped.  “All of his patients love him,” Spaulding said.  Spaulding attended Community Christian School. His degree came from Oklahoma  University.

Spaulding had the goal to establish a practice in Norman before the age of 25.  “That was my dream,” Spaulding said. “By the grace of God, it worked out, and I made my goal.”  Now this determined chiropractor has achieved another goal. It’s a goal he hopes would make his brother Tim proud.

Filed in: General Health, Muscle Pain, Nutrition

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