Gout

I was recently asked about gout and what medications work best. Of course there are some that work extremely well, but instead of going right for the prescription or even over the counter medications try this first. If you are in an acute flare up of gout you will need medication to get it under control.

If you have had gout in the past, try drinking more water. Studies have shown that individuals with a history of gout were 40% less likely to develop another attack if they drank 5-8 glasses of water a day. It's simple, dehydration allows uric acid to concentrate in the blood stream which makes uric acid crystal formation more likely. These ccrystals get deposited around joints which results in the red, hot painful joint.

Stem Cells and 10 Illnesses #10

The last area where stem cells may be helpful is in the growth of new organs where there is organ failure. One of the problem we face today is a shortage of transplantable organs for those needing them. Many patient's die because there are not organs available.

Two years ago researchers were able to grow a beating rat heart in the lab from stem cells from newborn rats. This hold great potential for the future.

Stem Cells and 10 Illnesses #9

Another area where stem cells are being considered in terms of correcting problems is in blood disorders. There is a lot of research that is looking at the use of stem cells in Sickle cell anemia.

Studies have been done with mice with the sickle cell trait and have shown a complete cure with stem cells made from their own skin cells. This is truly a hopely finding for those who suffer from this disease.

Stem Cells and 10 Illnesses #8

One of the diseases that I think there is real potential for is arthritis, specifically osteoarthritis which is the most common form of arthritis. You may also have heard it called degenerative joint disease. This is a disease that is the result of the wearing away of the protective cartilage in joints. Once gone, it is gone.

Researchers are looking at ways to use stem cells to replace the lost cartilage and repair these degenerated joints.

Stem Cells and 10 Illnesses #7

Next in my list of disease is lung disease. Texas researchers have successfully developed stem cells into lung cells in the lab. They have shown strong evidence that these cells can actually repair lung tissue damage in mice.

Some of the conditions that this could help would be lung damage from a variety of diseases as well as from trauma to the lungs from car accidents, gun shots or sports injuries.

Stem Cells and 10 Illnesses #6

Another disease where stem cells could be useful is Lou Gehrig's disease. This is a very debilitating disease that many who are diagnosed with only live for 3 to 5 years. This disease damages the muscle controlling motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord.

Scientists are researching ways to help stem cells become motor neurons that could be transplanted into these patients.

Stem Cells and 10 Illnesses #5

Number 5 on my list falls in the same category with the neurodegenerative diseases. Alzheimer's is a disease that progresses by degrading and killing brain cells, which leads to memory loss, cognitive decline, and sometime behavior problems.

There is a lot of skepticism as to whether stem cells could help in this disease, but I feel there is potential here.

Stem Cells and 10 Illnesses #4

The fourth disease you might have already guessed if you thought about it. Since stem cells have the potential of repairing nerve damage, using them to help in Parkinson's Disease is a logical step.

Because of the effect of Parkinson's on the motor function of patient's suffering from the disease, researchers have put stem cells into mice with a similar neurodegenerative disease. what they found was an increase in the motor function of these mice.

Stem Cells and 10 Illnesses #3

The third disease where stem cells could prove to be very helpful is in heart disease. Because this is the leading cause of death in the United States, researchers are looking at this strongly.

The hope is that stem cells could regenerate normal heart muscle to replace heart muscle that has been damaged. There has been success with this in mice.

Stem Cells and 10 Illnesses #2

The next disease that I think stem cells have potential in is Diabetes. Now it is only going to work in Type 1 diabetics where the function of the islet cells has ceased in the production of insulin. Not the same as in type 2 diabetes.

Scientists have been able to coax human stem cells into producing insulin in diabetic mice. I think it is just a matter of time before they can do this in humans.

The matter of type 2 diabetes is not that the islet cells are not producing insulin, but rather they are shooting out lots of insulin. There is a problem at the cell receptor site with the insulin attaching there - we call it insulin resistance.

Stem Cells and 10 Illnesses

I just read some more information about another illness that stem cells may be able to help, so I thought I would put together my top 10 list of illness.

Probably one of the illnesses more in the lime light are spinal cord injuries. Last year, researchers started looking at the effects of stem cells on spinal cord injury patients, with hopes that these individuals would regain some feeling and use of their extremities.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Someone remarked to me recently that there seems to be an epidemic of obstructive sleep apnea and she wondered why. To me it seems obvious, because one of the leading causes of sleep apnea is obesity.

With the increasing weight of Americans, you should expect to see more sleep apnea. Yes there can be problems with tonsils and other related causes, but the number one thing is weight. Many people who lose weight stop having the sleep apnea issues.

Potential Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer Part 4

The last thing to watch for is pressure or pain. Sometimes this is very subtle, but if you are experiencing any kind of discomfort in the stomach or pelvic areas, you should be checked out. Especially if you have any of the other symptoms I've talked about over the last 4 days.

While these symptoms can relate to many problems which are easily treatable, discovering ovarian cancer early is essential in terms of optimal treatment.

If you're not sure, see you health care provider and let them evaluate what is going on.

Potential Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer Part 3

The third thing to watch for is a sense of urinary urgency. Now this is also related to a urinary tract infection, so it is definitely something to get checked out. As we age, women have less of the traditional signs and symptoms of a urinary tract infection as they did at younger ages.

If you don't have a urinary tract infection, someone needs to be checking for why you are feeling the urinary urgency. An ovarian tumor as it grows puts pressure on the bladder and causes that sense of urgency.

Potential Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer Part 2

The next symptom to watch for is similar to bloating, but is really an unusual feeling of fullness. This usually occurs during meals that you have a sense of feeling full faster than usual.

Be aware of this and get it checked out.

Potential Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

Sometimes I think I need to make you aware of subtle symptoms that may indicate that you have a problem. Over the next few days I'll be giving you some symptoms that you should be aware of and see medical attention should they occur.

First of all is bloating. It is easy to write this off to something you ate, but if it happens more often than not, get checked for an ovarian problem. Fluid from ovarian tumors can start to build and a sensation of bloating occurs. Many women can write this off to a few pounds of weight gain, but listen to what your body is saying and get it checked out.

What to Drink?

I just saw another article about what we should be drinking. I have said this before, but it is still worth repeating. Get rid of those sodas. If you're drinking regular sodas or diet sodas, it does not matter. The regular sodas cause weight gain and are definitely linked with Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease as well as any other disease that is a result of obesity.

Diet soda really do not help you lose weight. In fact you may gain weight drinking diet sodas because they increase your appetite, so you end up eating more. Not to mention the fact that you are putting artificial sweeteners, flavors and other chemicals into your body.

You best bet - good old water.

Omega 3 Protects Us Part 5

The last disease I will talk about is one that millions of us have or suffer from, and that is arthritis. For those of you suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, there are some studies that show less morning stiffness, pain and swelling.

Because the omega 3s work as an anti-inflammatory, it is easy to understand why they would be helpful in arthritis. Any disease whose basis is inflammation will be subject to at least some improvement with the use of omega 3s as a supplement or in foods that you eat.

Exercise and HDL

One of the things that I have recommended to my patients for a long time is that exerecise can actually help increase your good cholesterol. For those of you who are concerned about cholesterol levels, look at your HDL - that is the most protective lipid in the body.

And yes exercise does help raise the HDL levels. The higher these levels the better.

Omega 3 Protects Us Part 4

Are you one of the millions of people who have high blood pressure (hypertension)? If so, you should be on an omega 3 supplement. Omega 3 has shown a moderate improvement in blood pressure. This seems to be somewhat dose related in that the higher the dose of omega 3, the more the benefit to the blood pressure.

Omega 3 Protects Us Part 3

I will mention this, although if you have read this blog much you will know that I do not believe that cholesterol is our problem. The problem is inflammation.

But to be specific about cholesterol since it has been beaten into our heads, omega 3 has been studied a great deal in relation to cholesterol. While the omega 3s don't work specifically on cholesterol, they have shown a reduction in tryglycerides which is a fat related to cholesterol and heart disease.

Omega 3 Protects Us Part 2

The first disease I will talk about in relation to the omega 3s is heart disease. As you know, omega 3 is a power anti-inflammatory. So it is not surprising that studies have shown a significant decrease in the number of sudden death from heart disease in those individuals that take an omega 3 supplement. In fact, in one study of 11,000 people talking omega 3 supplements, there was a 45% decrease in the risk of sudden death from heart disease.

It is pretty well accepted today that if you are at risk for heart disease because of family history or for any other reason, you should be taking an omega 3 supplement. You can also get omega 3 from fish, but you need to eat wild fish not farm fish. Of course my favorite is salmon.

Omega 3 Protects Us

We hear a lot about how much fat we need to lose, but lets talk about the fat we need to live. The omega 3 fatty acids are essential for us to live well. Why omega 3 is so important is that the body cannot make it on it's own. We have to eat it. The food supply being what it is today, we get more omega 6 which we don't need - these are the bad fats when we get them excessively.

You may have seen the ads on TV for the new "prescription" omega 3 fatty acids. Don't buy into that one. If you get a good brand of omega 3 you can do it over the counter. This is the drug companies putting it in a bottle and expecting that you will pay more for it.

Over the next few days, I will talk about various diseases and the effect of omega 3.

Melanoma Risk Part 7

Lastly, keep your immune system strong. A weakened immune system is not always able to protect you from melanoma. Remember that the immune system helps ward off cancers and is killing cancer cells every day of our lives so that they can take hold in our bodies.

Melanoma Risk Part 6

While I talked about different climates yesterday, you need to keep in mind that some of the northern climates like areas in Canada have increased risk because the ozone layers have developed holes. So sunburn increases the risk. A high intensity sun burn that causes blisters really increases your risk of melanoma significantly.

Melanoma Risk Part 5

Where you live also plays a part in the risk for melanoma. Those who live in sunnier climates are more likely to develop a melanoma. Places like Floriday or Arizona tend to increase your risk just because of the amount of sun each day. If you live in Michigan, or Pennsylvania your risk is decreased.

Melanoma Risk Part 4

The next risk factor has to do with your complexion. If you have fair skin, you are more likely to develop a melanoma than someone with darker or olive skin. The melanin in darker skin helps protect you from the sun.

Melanoma Risk Part 3

Have you ever had a mole removed that was "precancerous"? You should know what the pathology of the mole is. If the pathology report showed a dysplastic nevus you are at increased risk to develop a melanoma.

Melanoma Risk Part 2

The next risk factor for melanoma is freckles or moles. If you have lots of moles or freckles, you may have an increased risk of developing melanoma. This is particularly true if the moles or freckles are large.

Are You at Risk for Melanoma?

Are you even worried if you are at risk? First you should know that melanoma is the most deadly of skin cancers. It's not as common as basal cell or squamous cells cancers, but melanoma is the one to fear the most.

I'll be going over some of the risk factors over the next several days.

First is history. If you have ever been diagnosed with a skin cancer - any skin cancer you are at increased risk for melanoma. Additionally, if a parent or sibling has had a melanoma, your risk increases even more.

Control Your Health Part 3

Today I'm going to talk about hypertension or high blood pressure. It's estimated that over 70 million Americans have this disease. Some are being treated and there are a great many who have no idea that their blood pressure is elevated. First and foremost, get it checked, know what your numbers are.

Then you can begin to manage it. Even if you don't know your numbers, assume that you have it and begin to take care of yourself. First thing is to reduce your salt intake. The end of June I did a series on salt. Go back and take a look at those posts for more information. Avoid the prepared or processed foods as well as foods that are just naturally salty.

Reduce the saturated and trans fats in your diet. the trans fats are mostly in processed foods.

Avoid excessive alcohol which elevates the blood pressure.

Manage your stress through exercise, meditation, better sleep. Ask for support from your family and friends.

Lastly, but should be the first thing that you do is to control your weight. Losing just 5% of our body weight can have a significant impact on the blood pressure. Eat lots of greens, fruits and vegetables. Specific foods that are helpful for blood pressure include avocados, cantaloupe, broccoli and kidney beans.

Control Your Health Part 2

Yesterday I talked a little about Diabetes. Today I want to talk about gastroesophageal reflux (GERD). Because of our increasing weight in this country, we are seeing more and more of this disease. What it causes is persistent heart burn and indigestion.

The first thing is to lose weight - see yesterday's post - all that is there on losing weight pertains to this disease as well. There are a couple of other things you can do to take control here. Cut down on caffeine and alcohol intake. Both of these will make the symptoms worse.

Eat so that you have 3-4 hours before you go to bed. Eating and immediately lying down will make the symptoms worse. Try to stay up right after eating for at least 2 hours.

Eating smaller more frequent meals will also help. If you eat a big meal you are more likely to feel the symptoms increase, due to the increase pressure in the stomach from all the food.

Lastly reduce your intake of fatty foods and chocolate. Both of these will relax the sphincter that is between the stomach and the esophagus which will allow more acidic stomach contents to come up into the esophagus and cause a burning sensation.

Control Your Health

If you've been diagnosed with a disease such as diabetes, gastroesophageal reflux, or hypertension (high blood pressure), take control and don't let the disease control you. You can change your outcome by taking control of your life instead of letting the disease take control of you.

Let's talk about diabetes first. I'm specifically going to talk about type 2 diabetes. The first and the most impact on taking control of this disease is to lose weight. The first step in losing weight is to look at what you're eating. You want to lose about 10% at least of your body weight. The heavier you are, the more you will want to lose. Don't turn to some diet plan, learn to eat sensibly and avoid that foods that will make the diabetes worse. Sugar is not always the enemy. Simple carbs like bread, pasta, and rice are by far worse enemies than sugar. You want to get your carbs from fruits and vegetables. Foods to focus on are beans, nuts, vegetables and fruit. Be sure that you get some protein with every meal. Your first bite should be of protein so that the pancreas begins to create insulin in the right amount to help you utilize the calories you will be consuming.

If you must have dessert, make it a piece of fruit - that is the best dessert ever!

Strength Training #2

A little more about endurance versus strength. Muscle are made up of different fibers, two of which are what are called fast twitch and slow twitch.

Fast twitch fibers can exert a great amount of force (needed for muscle strength). However, these fibers lack endurance, they fatigue easily. Just to give you the idea, someone who is a competitive power lifter, can lift a weight so heavy that only 1 rep can be performed.

Slow twitch fibers are those needed for endurance. While these fibers are not capable of exerting a great amount of force, they can sustained repeated contractions over a long period of time. An example of the use of this fiber is the long distance runner, or someone who is lifting a very light weight and can do a very high number of reps.

So the bottom line is to vary your exercise routine - one day use lighter weights and go for endurance. The next time use heavier weights and go for strength.

Strength Training

I'll be giving your a few tips about strength training over the next few days.

To get the most out of your workout, more is not necessarily better. To obtain the best results in strength training, chose a weight that fatigues the muscle by the time you reach the end of the set. The higher the number of repetitions the greater the muscular endurance, while the lower the number of reps the more strength is gained.

My formula for a simple set is to start with 12 reps, wait 1 minute then do 10 reps, wait 1 minute then do 8 reps, wait 1 minute then do 6 reps, wait 1 minute then do 24 reps. At the end of the 24 reps the muscle should be fatigued if the weight if heavy enough.

Top Antioxidant Rich Foods

Here are 10 of the best antioxidant rich foods - start incorporating them into your diet.

1. Blackberries
2. Blueberries
3. Strawberries
4. Walnuts
5. Artichokes
6. Cranberries
7. Raspberries
8. Pecans
9. Cloves
10 Coffee - yes but see my other posts about coffee!

Happy Fourth of July

Enjoy the day - eat good things and celebrate safely!

Give up the Soda Pop

I was just at the store and watching what people were buying in preparation for the fourth of July. I almost got sick when I saw people buying case of soda pop. I was reminded how so many people who are trying to lose weight say to me "but I drink diet soda." My question to them is why? What is the nutrient value of soda pop - zilch, zero, none, nada. It doesn't matter whether it's diet or regular. What you're getting is either sugar or chemicals that taste like sugar, carbonated water which leaches the calcium out of your bones setting you up for osteoporosis later in life, more than a healthy dose of caffeine depending upon what brand you are drinking and oh yes, you get that other chemical artificial flavor!

Why or why would you put that stuff into your body?? The other thing that dieters may not be aware of is that diet soda can actually increase your appetite, so that you eat more. Go back to the basics - water, it's good for you!

Back Pain Good Habits to Get #7

Avoid high-impact exercise like running, softball, rowing, basketball, and tennis. All of these sports increase the pressure on the back and the musculature which can increase the back pain. Once you have resolved your back pain, you can return to these exercises, but do it gradually. If the pain returns, give up that exercise - it is not going to be right for you!

Better yet is to start walking or use low-impact machines like a bike or elliptical trainer. Another thing that will help is to work on the musculature in the core of the body. Crunches and reclined leg lifts will help strengthen the back muscles and take the strain off of the spine.

Back Pain Good Habits to Get #6

If you are lifting things, lift with you leg muscles. Not sure why this is italicized today, but that's technology!

So lift with your upper legs. Squat to pick something up and then come up from the legs not the lower back. Do not bend to pick up things.

You can also use a three point stance if you're picking up something that you can hold in one hand. Using a table or solid object that will not move, place one hand on the object, as you bend at the waist, lift the opposite leg straight out behind you. (hold the solid object with the left hand and lift the right leg out straight behind). Pick up the object with the free hand.

Back Pain Good Habits to Get #5

How you sleep plays a huge part in the development of back pain. You should be sleeping on our side or back. The biggest contributor to back pain is when you sleep on your stomach. Think about it, the back is not in proper alignment when you are on your stomach - the lower lumbar area is pushed upward instead being allowed to me in it's normal S shape. Also the head is turned putting stress on the musculature of the upper back and neck - the muscles are not in a relaxed position.

Get a body pillow and learn to sleep on your side. You may be amazed at how much this helps!

Back Pain Good Habits to Get #4

Now this one doesn't pertain to guys, but ladies, give up the high heels. Yes they are fashionable, but they can be very hard on the back. You need a good solid flat base of support so that your body is not pitched one direction or the other. This is actually what causes the back muscles to become fatigued and begin to ache.

Back Pain Good Habits to Get #3

Regardless of whether you are sitting or standing for long periods of time, take a break! If you are sitting, get up every hour and move around. You don't have to walk a mile, but at least walk around for 2-3 minutes.

If you are standing in one place, do the same - walk around for a couple of minutes. Changing the position is helpful in terms of keeping the back musculature from becoming over fatigued.

Back Pain Good Habits to Get #2

If you stand most of the day, stand with good posture. Don't stand with all of your weight on one leg. Your weight should be evenly distributed between both legs. Also, if you stand for a long period of time in one place, flex the knees - this will help alleviate the pressure particularly on the lower back.

If you're standing in a pretty still position, think about tightening the calves or curling your toes which activates the muscles in the legs. This will also help alleviate pressure.

If you're working with things that weigh more than a couple of pounds, work with them as close to the body as possible. the further away they are the more torque and pressure that is put on the lower back.

Back Pain Good Habits to Get

Back pain is one of the most common complaints these days. The good news is that there are some habits you can develop to help alleviate your back pain. Over the next few days I'll be going over some of these helpful habits.

First and foremost, if you sit much during the day, be sure that you sit straight up. If you're using a computer, you shouldn't be slouched over to use it. Make sure the key board is the right height when you are sitting straight up. If your chair does not have a built-in lumbar support, the get a lumbar support cushion for your chair. This will help you stay up right and support the lower back which is usually where most back pain is located.

Peanut Butter

I have for many years told my diabetics that they could use a little peanut butter for breakfast to get some protein with their meal. While this is still sound advice, there is more to peanut butter and other nut butters for that matter.

Many people worry about the caloric content. The key word to be aware of here is moderation. I once recommended peanut butter to my brother and he ate half a jar the first time he had some. I had to say, no, no - just 2 tablespoons a day - that is equivalent to one serving.

Nut butters contain lots of good nutrients like unsaturated fats which can help actually lower cholesterol levels. If you're allergic to peanuts, try almond or cashew butter. These not only taste great but have valuable nutrients in them.

Salt Tips #9

If you are eating out, check out the content of sodium in foods online. Most of the chains can be found on line. I know we always pick on McDonald's, but here are some sodium facts about their foods, Big Mac contains 1010 milligrams of sodium. Here's one that may surprise you, McDonald's Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich contains 1690 milligrams of sodium.

Burger King and Wendy's are comparable in their sodium content. So let's look at chicken. Kentucky Fried Chicken regular recipe breast contains 1147 milligrams.

What you can see is that when you eat out the sodium mounts up quickly. When I said a few days ago to shoot for 1000 milligrams, I meant for the whole day not just one meal.

Salt Tips #9

One of the ways that you can reduce salt in home cooked meals is to rinse canned beans and vegetables with water. Salt is often used in the preservation of food, so rinsing it will at least remove some of that. Better yet is to cook fresh vegetables rather than canned ones.

Salt Tips #8

Be aware that labels that say less sodium or reduced sodium only mean that there is less than the regular bran by this manufacturer. There is no set amount about how much it should be reduced by. Often times the label is supposed to infer that there is 26% less salt than the regular version of the product. While this can be good, it can still mean that there is way too much salt in the item.

Again. READ those labels!

Salt Tips #7

Here's something to watch for. If you see sodium free on the label, all it means is that there is less than 5 milligrams per serving. So if the serving size is one small thing and you know that you usually eat a couple of dozen of whatever it is, you have gone from 5 milligrams to 120 milligrams in a handful of whatever it is. Bottom line is be aware of the serving size as well as the sodium content.

Salt Tips #6

If you are seeing a label that says low sodium, look to see what the sodium content per serving is. Low sodium means that a single serving should contain no more than 140 milligrams of sodium. If the label says very low sodium, there should be no more than 35 milligrams of sodium in a single serving.

Salt Tips #5

If you are really going to limit salt, look for foods that are labeled as salt-free. However, you still need to look at the label to see what is in the food. Other forms of sodium salts are sodium citrate and sodium bicarbonate.

Salt Tips #4

To add flavor to something like vegetables or pasta, use some salty foods very sparingly. In other words don't drown the food in these. But put a small amount of salty cheese, brined olives, or a splash of soy sauce added to vegetables or pasta can really give it some flavor without overdoing it. Now when I say a splash of soy sauce, I don't mean a cannon ball splash worth!

Be careful about how much you add. A little can go a long way and really enhance the food without giving you a lot of extra sodium.

Salt Tips #3

Use other things to flavor food instead of salt. Each time you sprinkle the salt shaker you're adding about 150 milligrams of sodium. Now think about it. When you shake the salt shaker do you only do it once? Three shakes and you're up to about 450 milligrams!

Use herbs, fruit juice, flavored vinegar or wine. One of my favorite things to do is to put fresh herbs in a small bottle of vinegar. Then use it as flavoring.

Here's another clue - don't add salt to cooking water of potatoes, rice, pasta or cereals.

Salt Tips #2

Start eating in. That does mean to order take out and bring it in. But start cooking at home. Home cooked meals will contain much less salt than restaurant food or processed foods. Cook fresh meats, fish, vegetables. Use fruit as a dessert.

Read those boxes for the amount of salt they contain. Only pick boxed foods that contain less than 600 milligrams of sodium per serving.

Salt Tips #1

The first way to decrease the salt intake in your diet is to eat more whole foods. What I mean here is to shop the perimeter of the grocery store for the fresh foods. Minimize or better yet stop buying the prepackaged foods.

Think about your grocery store - what foods are on the perimeter - fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh meat, fresh fish - these are the things on the perimeter.

Salt

Most Americans who don't read food labels and keep the salt shaker handy consume upwards of 4,000 milligrams of salt a day. So how much salt should we be getting. According to the American Heart Association dietary guidelines, adults should be getting about 2,300n milligrams a day. This is about a teaspoon of salt.

Just because you can't taste the salt doesn't mean that it is not there. Read that package label and see just how much salt is in those packaged foods. You'll be amazed.

Studies indicate that if you can keep you salt intake to about 1,000 milligrams a day, there is less heart disease and less high blood pressure. Obviously eating more fresh fruits and vegetables also helps in decreasing heart disease and keeping the blood pressure lower.

Over the next few days I'll be giving you some tips on lowering salt intake in your diet.

Posture and Back Pain Part #5

Another method used to help you move better and easier is the Feldenkrais Method. This method focuses on you learning to move with greater ease, skill, and awareness. This particular method is about self discovery rather than teaching you a specific way to move.

The person working with you on the Feldenkrais method will look at the larger picture. They will look for patterns which create stress to a particular place. The focus is to improve movement through the whole system. These classes are often taught as Awareness Through Movement or Functional Integration. By clarifying your own self image you will be able to inform your body mentally regarding movement.

Posture and Back Pain Part #4

Often times the cause of back pain is from habits and tensions that individuals carry in their body from day to day. This can include things like hunching over a computer, tensing the neck and jaw when driving, or tensing the back when driving with the position of the foot on the gas.

The Alexander method helps people learn how to use their bodies with more ease and less tension. These exercises are designed to go through the simple movements of sitting, standing, walking or bending and to make these movements simple and easy so that you expend minimal effort and improve the use of your body.

Posture and Back Pain Part #3

An exercise regime that is fairly new to the US but has been used a lot in Asia and Europe is the Franklin Method. This is a science based approach that uses imagery, touch and movement.

This method facilitates ease and comfort in the body and helps to maximize the body's potential for movement. It combines movement with imagery exercises, since the mind's awareness of function can improve the function. A Franklin method practitioner works with you to determine how you move. The using anatomical knowledge, imagery, and direct physical awareness the practitioner will determine the pattern that causes the pain. They will then teach you how to use the mind and the body to move the body in the way in which it was designed.

Posture and Back Pain Part #2

One of the things to know about back pain is that the body will do whatever it has to do to keep you moving. This may result in you not actually moving as you were intended to move which results in pain.

Another form of exercise which is often helpful in back pain is tai chi. This is sometimes described as meditation in motion. The gentle movements work on balance and include deep breathing. These movements help balance the body and free up movement.

You can start by taking a few lessons from a tai chi master and then you can work at home with a DVD once you know the basic movements.

Posture and Back Pain

Since back pain seems to be a common problem in our society, I thought it woul be a good idea to talk about some methods that can help chronic back. The first thing to know about back pain is that it is usually telling you something is out of alignment. This does not necessarily mean that you need to see a chiropractor, but it does mean something is not exactly lined up correctly.

There is a group of exercises that can be designed for you specifically based on posture photos and a comparison with symptoms. These exercises are simple movements that are specifically designed to put you back in line. This method is called the Egoscue Method and was developed by Pete Egoscue who suffered from chronic back pain. This method is utilized by many clinics nationally and internationally.

Yawning and Your Brain

Have you ever been some where and you yawned and someone looked at you like "am I boring you?" Yawns actually are a good thing and if you are a speaker and see someone yawn take it as a compliment. While we often think that yawning is related to boredom, fatigue, or just plain rudeness, it is not. Yawning helps cool down our brains so that they function better.

Our brains function much better when they are cool. Believe it or not multiple studies have been done studying yawns and increases in brain and body temperatures. Many people still believe that yawning happens because of a lack of oxygen. There was a study in 1987 that disproved this.

In fact the yawn provides a means for increasing alertness and arousal, especially if you are changing from one mental state to another, such as going from activity to inactivity, or sleeping to waking. The yawn is a mechanism to recharge so you can better absorb information.

Summer & Tanning

Now that summer is really here and heating up, I need to do my annual word of caution about tans. Some of you may think that you will get a jump on it by using a tanning bed. In a word don't do it.

There is now more evidence that using a tanning bed before age 30 increases the risk of melanoma - a potentially lethal type of cancer - by 75%. In the same study, there was consistent evidence that linked melanoma of the eye. So here's the fact you can go blind and have cancer and a death that is most unpleasant.

Be cautious of UV light which the skin absorbs. This can come from tanning beds, sun lamps and the good old sun. Wear sun screen!

Strategies to Improving Your Fitness Part 5

I often get asked if I use a personal trainer. I have never actually had a personal trainer but I know that for some people this is a very helpful strategy to keep you on track.

Trainers can help motivate you to keep going and do more. The trap that I've seen with trainers is that people become dependent upon the trainer and then when they start to fall off or they don't make the progress they think they should, they blame the trainer. Usually this is a result of not following the trainer's advice when you are not in a training session.

The trainer can help you, but you ultimately have to do it.

Strategies to Improving Your Fitness Part 4

Before you start getting fit, sit down with yourself and ask what was it that stopped me before? Why did you stop exercising previously? What got in the way? Be honest with yourself. This is just between you and your state of fitness. Nobody is going to pull out a gun a shoot you for your answer.

Now that you know what stopped you before, make a game plan for how you're going to avoid that trap again. One of mine was, oh I just don't have the time. So OK, I get up 45 minutes earlier and I do my workout because it is for me to be healthier. The side effect is that I feel better when I do it. Sometimes just being aware of what's stopped you before will help you avoid the trap again.

Strategies to Improving Your Fitness Part 3

I'm going to be a little repetitive here. Focus on becoming fit, not on the number of pounds you want to lose.

It's easy to get wrapped up in the notion of losing 25 pounds by exercising, but in reality what happens is that by focusing on the weight loss, you set yourself up to fail in your own mind when you don't reach that goal by a specified date. Celebrate the little wins - like "I did 45 minutes of exercise today" or "look, I have a muscle I've never had before!" Whatever it is celebrate it with gusto, knowing that you are on your way to getting physically fit!

Strategies to Improving Your Fitness Part 2

If you're exercising to lose weight, don't do your exercises and run right to the scale to see if you have lost anything. Make your expectation about getting fit not losing weight. Then if you must weigh yourself, do it only every 2-3 weeks.

Have a plan in mind so that you don't get overwhelmed in the gym. Don't let others derail your progress. You are progressing at exactly the rate that you should be progressing.

Strategies to Improving Your Fitness

Over the next few days, I'm going to give you some strategies to improve your fitness. You say you haven't been off the couch in several months and now that summer is here you want to get fit and be outside. I say GREAT!! Here's your first strategy: Be Patient with Yourself!

Remember, you have exercised in months, so expect that you can start where you left off the last time you exercised. Don't expect that you will be there tomorrow either. It's a new day, be patient. Give your body time to adapt to the new demands being placed on it. Don't even think about seeing results for 2-3 weeks.

If you start out too hard and fast, you run the risk of injury which will just hamper you further or discourage you altogether. So be patient, take some time to get going.

The clue here to move and get going - you don't have to win the race today. Take some time.

Exercises for Running Part 3

Today's exercise mimics and strengthens the runner's line which includes the backside, core, and upper back. It's called the one leg opposite dumbbell reach. To begin, stand with one leg 4-6 inches in front of the other in a comfortable stance. Hold a dumbbell in the hand on the side of the back leg. Bend your knees slightly and stand tall in your posture. Now put most of your weight on the front leg. Tilt from the hips and drop the weight forward as if reaching out to touch the ground in front of your front toe. Keep the back straight, and breathe out as you reach forward. As you rise return to the tall standing position. After you 10-12 reps, switch legs and the dumbbell to the other hand.

What this will do is help you integrate the normal muscle movements of running with the right leg forward and the left arm and the the left leg forward with the right arm.

Exercises for Running Part 2

Today's running exercise is one that works the legs and the core. It's the lunge with a twist. First start with the lunge - toes facing straight ahead. Once you're in the lunge position, the slowly twist to a 90 degree rotation. Maintain good posture throughout so you don't injure the back. If you're turning to the right, the left shoulder should end up pointing in the same direction as the feet.

The lunge with a twist actually mimics the running posture. As you run and your left foot is forward, the right arm is forward which twists the torso just slightly.

Exercises for Running

Over the next couple days I'm going to talk about exercises you can do if you're looking at doing a long run like the Bolder Boulder which takes place here in Colorado tomorrow. Of course you would want to start this long before the day before the race!!!

An exercise called the step up can help stenghten the thighs, glutes, balance and single leg strength. This is a fairly simple one. standing in front of a step, step up and then step down. Keep the chest high and toes pointed straight ahead. For a little harder work out cross your arms in front of your body as you step.

The step up provides you with the ability to strengthen those parts which as necessary for you to go up hills. Trust me, any race worth it's salt will have a hill or too for you to climb. The step up prepares you to climb those hills.

Carrots - What do you know Question 4

And my last question on carrots is just for fun. How large was the largest carrot ever grown?

Normally carrots range in length from2 inches to 3 feet. The largest carrot was grown in England in 2007 and was 19 feet 1.9 inches long. Now that was a carrot!! The thought occurred to me - how in the world did they pull it up???

Carrots - What do you know Question 3

Do carrots really help your vision or is this just a wives tale?

Yes they do help vision. In addition to the large amount of beta carotene that carrots contain, they also contain Vitamin A which is need in the retina of the eye. They promote better eye health and they also help with night vision.

Carrots - What do you know Question 2

Lycopene is an antioxidant found in tomatoes. Is it also in carrots?

Red carrots contain lycopene which is thought to prevent prostate cancer.

Carrots - What Do You Know

Over the next 6 days I'm going to be asking you some questions about carrots.

Carotenoids, a phytochemical, give carrots their yellow, red and orange hues. But do you know what gives purple carrots their purple color?

hint - it's not the carotenoids.

What gives purple carrots their purple hue is anthocyanims. These are very potent antioxidants which have anti-inflammatory effects as well. Look at the other post in the list to learn more about anthocyanims.

Carbs and Athletes

Someone asked me the other day about why athletes eat so many carbs. They do this to fuel the body for the intense exercise that they are doing. The carbs for an athlete fuel the muscles and the brain. So the day before a race or the day before we ride 75-80 miles, we have a carbo rich meal so that we would have fuel for the muscles as we peddled our way up and down mountains. Included in these meals are high fiber sugars and starches like fruit, vegetables and whole grains.

During the ride time or race time, the athlete now needs low fiber sugars that can be easily digested. Especially with runners, they need to have things that are quickly and easily digested because the stomach is really jostled around as they run. You'll often see these folks drinking smoothies, sports drinks, sports gels and bars.

The other thing that is really important for athletes is to keep hydrated. Drinking 1-2 hours before the event and then more about 15 minutes before the event helps keep them going. If you run for more than 90 consecutive minutes, you need to refuel the muscles and brain with carbs. Cyclists usually have a rest stop about every 10 miles for refueling with carbs and drinking liquids. Cyclists have the advantage unless they are racing in that they often have water with them in the form of bottles on the bike or a camel pack of water on their back.

Picking Produce Part 5

My last few pieces of advice on picking produce are when you get home if you did buy in bulk, immediately go through the produce to be sure that there are no bad pieces. If there are bad pieces, take them out and throw them away so they don't spoil the rest of the produce in the bag. A good example of this is potatoes. If you buy 5 or 10 pounds of potatoes, open the bag and look at each one for soft spots or areas that are already spoiling. By the time you smell it, they have often spoiled the whole bag.

Consider what you will do with those pieces of produce which are starting to go bad. Plan things likes soups or casseroles so that you can use them up. Also, with fruit, consider making them into jam.

Picking Produce Part 4

Be vary wary of buying produce in bulk. Only buy enough for a few days up to a week. Otherwise you are likely to be throwing out a lot of produce.

If buy large packages of produce, be aware that while the outer produce may look good, when you in bulk like that, the produce on the inside is likely to have several pieces that are spoiled and are hidden from view. Definitely if you are buying in bulk and you see pieces of the produce that are already spoiled, chances are that most of the package is on it's way out. Buy a different bag.

Picking Produce Part 3

The next thing to do in picking produce is to smell it. Especially with fruit, a musty or sour smell means that it is already going bad.

Test the weight of the fruit. If it feels particularly heavy for it's size, it will be sweet and juicy. This is particularly true for fruits like plums, peaches, and mangoes.

While you're testing the weight, you can also be testing the firmness. Produce like mushrooms, broccoli, and artichokes should be closed tightly. If the cap of the mushroom is split, it is starting to dry out and spoil. The same is true for artichokes in that the buds should be tightly closed. The florets on the broccoli should also be tightly together.

Picking Produce Part 2

The next thing to look at when picking fresh produce is to look at the color. Generally the stems of plants are green. The fruit should be the color that you expect it to be. For example, strawberries should be a deep red all the way to the stem. If you're looking at cut watermelon does it have a nice hot pink color or is it pale. Avoid the pale ones.

If the produce is lacking the vibrant color that is should have, chose something different.

Picking Produce

There is an art to picking good produce. Over the next few days I'm going to give you some tips on picking good produce.

Since most people end up throwing out about a quarter of the fresh fruits and vegetables that they buy, the first thing to do is to check for blemishes. Avoid produce with mold or mushy spots.

Other things to avoid, mushrooms with a slimy coat, lettuce with brown edges, tomatoes with cracks, bell peppers with wrinkled skin and pineapples with dark spots on the base.

More on Fiber

I mentioned yesterday that I would talk about the "Whole Grain" piece. One of the ways to be certain that you are getting whole grain in whatever you are buying is to look for the "100 percent whole grain" stamp from the Whole Grains Council. This stamp lets you know that whatever you are buying contains whole grain and there is at least 16 grams of whole grains per serving. Participation of a company to obtain the Whole Grains Council stamp is voluntary.

Don't just go for the big label advertising like 100% whole grain or whole wheat. Read the ingredients. What you are looking for is "whole wheat flour" or "whole durum wheat flour. If you see "Semolina or durum wheat flour" minus the whole, it is a refined grain.

Don't assume that organic or health food pastas are whole grain. Pasta made with spinach or tomatoes may actually contain very little of the vegetables - just enough to give it some color.

Fiber in Your Diet

Have you ever looked at the print on a food and it says something like "high in fiber". What does that really mean? The other claim we see a lot in the grocery store "fiber fortified" - now does that exactly mean? What both of these mean is that you need to read beyond the big print on the package. Look at the ingredient list. A high fiber breakfast bar or a fiber fortified yogurt are not the same as eating old fashioned oatmeal with fruit and milk.

One of the claims on the package you may see is "made with 5 grams of whole grain per serving" is not the same as containing 5 grams of fiber. The fiber in quote is often a grain that is refined white flour.

Your best choices for fiber are fresh fruits and vegetables. Remember you should be eating 8-10 servings of these a day. Nuts and seeds are also great sources of fiber.

More tomorrow on the Whole grain bread stories.

Blood Pressure

I've talked about exercise and blood pressure before, but here is a little different slant to it. A study out of Italy demonstrated that listening to rhythmic music such as classical, Celtic, or Indian for 30 minutes a day while concentrating on breathing was beneficial to lowering the blood pressure.

Interestingly enough, I have been doing a thing I call bounce and shake for weight loss. It follows along the lines of native American dancing. I don't have a problem with high blood pressure, but I feel confident now that I likely never will.

Back to the breathing part and music, try that as a way to unwind at the end of the day. Listen to a classical piece of music and meditate. The research indicates that the music helps you slow down and deepen your breathing.

Easing Arthritis Part 6

Lastly in this series on easing arthritis is to supplement if necessary. There are some supplements that arthritis sufferers find really helpful. Of course these are things that decrease inflammation. So first on your list should be a good omega 3 supplement. While this has many beneficial effects, the most powerful is the anti-inflammatory effect.

Some other foods that will be helpful are ginger. This is a food which has been used in India for centuries to alleviate arthritis pain.

Most people have heard of glucosamine and chondroitin. the active ingredient is glucosamine and has shown to be the most effective. However, I have some patient's who swear that if they do not take it with chondroitin it does not work as well. I won't argue with what works!

Easing Arthritis Part 5

I eluded to this a couple of days ago, but did not go into very much when I was talking about breathing. Exercise is essential if you have arthritis. Many people think that exercise will actually make the problem worse. This is just not true.

In fact simple exercise is essential for proper functioning of an arthritic joint. Start with stretches to the joints affected and work up slow and easy.

Some of the more helpful exercises for arthritic joints are swimming and walking. Again start out slow and only walk for 5 minutes. Increase your time each day by a minute or two. This slow process will find you moving with less pain and better function of the joints. Many people get a lot of relief from water aerobics.

Another great exercise for arthritis is bicycling. Just don't overdo and start slow and easy.

Easing Arthritis Part 4

Today I said I would talk a little about what foods to focus on if you have arthritis and especially if you are having pain. The number one food to focus on is those containing omega 3 fatty acids. These are foods like deep sea fish, brightly colored fruits and vegetables, olive oil, dark green leafy vegetables and flaxseed.

Read the labels on foods that you are buying that are already prepared. Do they contain any of the culprits I mentioned yesterday.

Our ancient ancestors had virtually no arthritis, but there diet was equally split between omega 3 and omega 6. Today we are way over the scale on the omega 6s and way under on the omega 3s.

Easing Arthritis Part 3

The step in easing your arthritis pain is to watch your diet. Yes you may be feeding your pain! I've talked about many of these foods before in great detail, but it bears mentioning some of the culprits again.

Some of the foods that promote inflammation are red meat and high fructose corn syrup. Both these contain lots of omega 6 which is not the omega that you want. These fatty acids actually promote inflammation.

One of the biggest promoters of inflammation is sugar, especially processed sugar which is in almost every processed food in the grocery store. In these very same processed foods there is often saturated fats which also promote inflammation. A side not here is the fact that these foods are contributing to the obesity in this country and if you have arthritis and you are overweight, just think for a moment about the stress you are putting on your joints, especially knees, hips and the spine. Is it any wonder that we are seeing such an increase in the number of hip and knee replacements. How many people do you know that complain of back pain? Are they overweight?

Tomorrow - some foods to focus on.

Easing Arthritis Part 2

Let's start with the basics, like breathing. Yes, breathing can really help ease the pain of arthritis. Slow, controlled breathing really relieves the pain of arthritis because your focus shifts to breathing and not on the area of pain. If you combine this with any form of easy stretching like yoga or tai chi, the relief can be phenomenal.

I have some patients who take pilates and one of the things that is taught with those classes is breathing. If you have a lot of arthritis you may not want to do pilates, but you can certainly learn and use the breathing that is taught.

Easing Arthritis

Having arthritis in my hands, I know how painful that can be at times, especially if I have been doing something that aggravates it like playing hand bells. Over the next couple of days I'm going to mention a few things to help lessen the aches and pains of arthritis.

First just a few words about arthritis. Arthritis is inflammation in and around joints. The irony here is that inflammation is a protective mechanism that our body uses to increase blood supply into an injured area. But when the inflammatory process continues for longer that we need it, we end up with more pain and loss of cartilage in the joints. Other things that lead to inflammation are poor diet and lack of exercise.

The first thing that you want to do to ease the aches and pain of arthritis is to start with noninvasive treatments that are good for the body. More on this starting tomorrow.

Mucous Formation and Foods

This question got brought up today. What foods make mucous production worse. So I did a little research today. Dairy products are the biggest culprit in mucous formation. Part of the problem is the diary itself, but the other issue is the fat content. Fat in any form can actually thicken mucous and make it more difficult for you to move it.

Try decreasing the number of fatty foods in the diet as well as diary to help thin down the secretions. The other and probably most important thing to do is to drink plenty of water. Avoid carbonated beverages and caffeine. Water is your best bet for thinning down secretions and making it easier for you to handle them.

If you find yourself coughing or more commonly clearing your throat, take a few sips of water so that you can moisten the mucous membrane and thin out the secretions.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all of the Mom's out there. Have a peaceful wonderful day.

Getting Help with Health Information

Here's a free source for some health information. You might find it interesting that when a patient leaves the doctor's office they forget anywhere from 40-80% of the information the doctor has given them.

One reason is that you may not have actually understood what the doctor told you. Getting a health care advocate in this case would be wise. The other reason is that we can't retain all of the information we are given.

So here is a quick resource to give you a little help. It's free, so check it out. They are cards to help you know what to ask your physician. Click here to order a free set. When you get to the site, click on the box in the middle of the page that says "health tips what you can do". This will take you to the page where you can order a free set of cards.

Bones and Aging

I know I've talked about osteoporosis before. A recent article pointed out that many women who are not Caucasian feel they are not at risk for the disease. This is really a myth. Asian women are the same as Caucasian women in terms of the percent who get osteoporosis. But more importantly, there is a very high percentage of Asian women who have low bone mass putting them at higher risk for the disease.

While the percentage of Hispanic women who get the disease is lower, they still have a fairly high percentage who have low bone mass and are at risk. African Americans have a lower percentage who actually get the disease, but they too have a fairly high percentage with low bone mass.

The ones who often get left out of these statistics are men. There are significant numbers of men who either have osteoporosis or at risk for the disease.

Driving Aids for Older People

I couldn't find that it is actually out yet, but I read about an option that will be available in cars from General Motors. The technology is a new windshield that uses lasers, infrared sensors and a camera to help objects stand out that might go unnoticed.

The example they gave was during foggy conditions, a laser projects a blue line on the windshield that follows the edge of the road. It will be interesting to see how this develops. Maybe that those who are not so old could benefit from this technology as well.

Staying Healthy as You Age

I've talked about this before, but since I'm kind of on the keeping you young as you age this month, here's another piece to it. Keeping yourself mentally active is just as important as keeping yourself physically active.

A study done at the University of Illinois for people in their 60's and 70's indicated that being trained and playing video games helps the brain become more agile, with memory and reasoning ability also improving.

There are some free games on the AARP site to help your brain. Give them a try. They are on the top left of this page click here

Get Moving To Stay Young

You all know that exercise is important to good health. But did you know that exercise may actually slow the aging process? There was a study published in 2008 that found that exercise may actually protect the body against the aging process.

So no matter what age you are, start moving, walking, swimming, or whatever exercise is your favorite. You can start taking control of your health by moving!

Medications

One of the biggest problems in the elderly is the number of medications that they take on a regular basis. You don't have to be elderly to forget whether you have taken a medication or not. I would venture to guess that most everyone reading this at one time or another had to stop and think and maybe count the number of pills in the bottle to see if they had missed a dose.

My suggestion is be organized with your medication. Put it in a pill reminder box with the days of the week. If you are on an antibiotic and that is your only medication, put however many doses you need for the day in that day's bin.

Another suggestion is to always have a written list of the medications that you take in your wallet or purse. If you ever end up in the emergency room, this could save your life!

Balance in Seniors is A Risk

You may not know that the leading cause of death by accidental injury in people over 65 is falls. Seems kind of silly right. How could that be. Well, usually when a fall happens, the is a fracture of a bone somewhere in the body. Hip fractures account for many of these fractures and a hip fracture in someone over 65 has a high mortality. About 75% of those people will have a complication as a result of the fracture and 50% of those will actually die.

I just read about an interesting way to help reduce falls in the elderly. This new technology is based on the scientific work done to help astronauts regain their balance after being in space for a period of time. The new device is called the iShoe and is an insert that goes in the shoe.

I could not find them available as yet, but this could be a huge health benefit for seniors.

10 Healthy Foods for Less #10

My last healthy food that is inexpensive is yogurt. Yogurt should be the live culture variety as this contains the bacteria which are healthy for the gut.

Yogurt also contains lots of calcium which is helpful for bone health. Watch the amount of sugar content in the variety that you buy. This can be one of the problems with yogurt.

10 Healthy Foods for Less #9

My last healthy fruit that can be fairly economical to buy is Kiwi. It is packed with antioxidants like Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Vitamin A and Vitamin K.

Kiwi's contain as much potassium as bananas are are better for you. They are rich with antioxidants and help the immune system.

10 Healthy Foods for Less #8

My healthy food today is oranges. We all know that oranges are very high in Vitamin C, but they also contain high levels of potassium as well. Eating real oranges is better than drinking juices.

More important about eating oranges is to eat the pith as this is where many of the vitamins are. The pith is the white matter just under the peel. Some oranges have a very thick pith and some have a very thin pith.

Other nutrients in oranges include things like folic acid, potassium, calcium, thiamin, Vitamin B6, and magnesium.

10 Healthy Foods for Less #7

Canned tuna or salmon is a great source of protein and usually fairly inexpensive. In addition, these canned fish contain a good source of omega 3. One serving size is 3 ounces which is about half a can.

You can mix these with fresh greens and or tomatoes to make a healthy salad. They can also be used in casseroles as a protein source.

10 Healthy Foods for Less #6

A food similar to yesterday's food is pumpkin. Obviously these aren't always available, but in the Fall there is usually lots to go around at a very reasonable price. Buy some extra and freeze it or can it. One small or medium pumpkin will yield lots of pumpkin that you can eat year around.

Pumpkin has lots of Vitamin A and Vitamin C and is loaded with fiber. You can eat it similarly to sweet potatoes.

10 Healthy Foods for Less #5

Another very healthy food is sweet potatoes. These can be expensive if not in season or locally grown. Sweet potatoes are high in Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Plus they are an excellent source of fiber.

To maximize the benefits, avoid boiling them as this leaches out some of the nutrients. Bake them and be sure to eat the skins as this is where most of the nutrients are. These are a great substitute for regular potatoes and much better for you.

You can also wash them and cut them into what look like french fries. Instead of frying them - be sure to leave the skins on - coat a pan with olive oil, a small amount, and put them in the oven to bake. Everyone in our household loves these.

10 Healthy Foods for Less #4

Berries of any type are good healthy foods. Look for those in season and locally grown. If they are in season, often time stores will have a big sale on them and you can buy extras and freeze them for later use.

Berries are rich in antioxidants and can be added to things like salads or be made a dessert in and of themselves. You can use them in smoothies which just adds to the nutrient value of the smoothie.

Berries contain lutein, and a substance which can help decrease the risk of bladder infections. They make a great dessert and are very healthy for you.Heal

10 Healthy Foods for Less #3

One of my favorite healthy foods is spinach because of the variety of ways in which it can be used. Again, locally grown in season is best and usually the least expensive. This food is really a nutritional powerhouse.

Spinach is rich in antioxidants and is a real boost to your immune system. One cup of it raw is one serving. You can use it in salads, sandwiches, eggs, soups, or other side dishes.

Spinach is rich in iron, carotenoids, lutein, bioflavanoids, calcium, folic acid, Vitamin K, fiber and Vitamin C. The lutein specifically targets eye health. You can read more about lutein by going to the other posts about lutein in this blog.

10 Healthy Foods for Less #2

The next healthy food is beets. These are best when you can buy locally grown in season. Beets are very high in fiber, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. They also have anti-inflammatory properties.

Again, if you can buy them fresh instead of canned, they are usually less expensive. I often cook them and cut them up with greens, a couple boiled eggs and onion. You can use a little mayonaise, or what we like best is a little olive oil and lemon or lime juice. Makes a tasty salad or sometimes we just eat this as our main course.

A word of warning. Beets will give the stool a bright red color and the water in the toilet will look like bright red blood. Don't be alarmed, this is just from the beets.

10 Healthy Foods for Less

Over the next 9 days I'll be giving you a food a day that is a healthy choice that is not so expensive. You can use these foods to improve your health and save money doing it.

The first food is beans. Raw beans or legumes are a great source of fiber and protein. You can use them in a variety of ways, as a main course or added to salads. Canned beans are not quite as good because some of the nutrients may have been cooked out of them. So buy them raw which are less expensive and cook them yourself. The broth in which they cook is great for soups and is nutrient rich.

Protecting Your Brain Health #3

Lastly in protecting your brain health, is to protect your youth. What I mean here is to age in a healthy manner. Avoid things like smoking, limit the amount of alcohol you drink and exercise regularly. Take the age test to see what your age is compared to your numerical age.

Keep you brain intellectually stimulated and socially engaged. This not only improves your brain health but your overall health. Keep your brain as vibrant and functional as possible.

Protecting Your Brain Health #2

Another way to protect your brain health is whatever you are doing to protect you heart health. Anything that you do to help the blood vessels in your heart will also help the blood vessels in your head.

This can include things like controlling your blood pressure. Watching what you eat, like cutting down on sugar and other foods related to causing inflammation.

Protecting Your Brain Health

I have talked about brain health before, but I think it bears some more thoughts. With the increasing number of people developing Alzheimer's Disease, there are a few thing you can do to help protect your brain.

First is to literally protect your brain. Use a helmet when cycling, use seat belts, and use care when there is an increased risk of a fall, such as when you are on a ladder. We know that Alzheimer's is linked to previous head trauma, so protect your head. I cross country ski and I usually say it's just me and the trees, but I still wear a helmet. Those trees can give you a pretty nasty rap on the head!

Need More Energy?

One of the things that most of my patients complain of is fatigue or just not having enough energy. Yes there are medical problems that can cause this, but more often then not it is not a medical problem, but rather and eating problem.

One of the questions to ask yourself is what are you eating for breakfast? Not eating breakfast or just grabbing a quick cup of coffee? The body's natural metabolism is actually higher in the morning, so eating a good breakfast is essential. This will not make you gain weight.

Now when I say a good breakfast, I'm not talking about donuts or sugary cereal. I'm talking about something like a vegetable omelet or a protein fruit smoothie. Cut out the sugary and processed foods. I know that is the hardest thing to do.

Say to yourself that you love your fruits and vegetables!

Digestion Problems and Medications

Take the time to know about what medications you are taking. Many of them can be causing some of your intestinal problems. I'm not advocating that you stop your medications to see if they are causing the problem, but if you have followed this blog over the past few days, so the things I mentioned in those posts. If things do not improve, then see your doctor and talk to him about your medications and what other choices you may have.

Know that vitamins and supplements can also cause some intestinal issues. For example, calcium often causes constipation, gas and bloating. Magnesium and Vitamin C can cause loose stools or diarrhea. Some of the B vitamins can cause nausea. Consider taking a vitamin vacation to see if things improve. If they do, then consider changing your vitamins. Suffice it to say that not all vitamins are alike. Some of the cheaper ones may not have the quality controls that a more expensive brand has. You may need to change brands.

Digestion Problems Continued

Another thing that can help us prevent gastrointestinal problems is to revise some of our habits that may be causing these issues. Certain foods can actually interfere with digestion. Here are a few foods that you should be aware of and cut down your intake.

The first is coffee. It doesn't mean you can't have it, it means to cut back how much you drink. some other foods are chocolate, fatty or fried foods, heavy cream sauces. The other thing to do here is to decrease the size of your meals. My husband and I now only order one meal when we go out because there is more than enough food for both of us, sometimes there is enough to take some home. The portion sizes in most restaurants is way more than most of us need to eat. It's OK to take some home. You would be better off to eat 6 small meals a day

Digestion Problems Continued

The intestinal tract is designed to have some bacteria in it in order for us to break down some foods. One of the things you should do if you have been placed on a course of antibiotics, is to restore these healthy bacteria to the intestine. You can do this by taking probiotics which are supplements that contain lactobacillus acidophilus, bifidobacteria and saccharonmyces.

Stress is another issue which can suppress the normal bacteria in the gut and you should use the probiotics at these times as well.

Digestion Problems Continued

Another thing to be aware of with digestive health is that 30-50 million Americans are lactose intolerant. One has to wonder if this is because of all of the antibiotics and hormones given to cows so that they will produce more milk. The fact of the matter is that many people really cannot tolerate milk.

There are some ethnic groups which have very high rates of lactose intolerance, such as Asian-Americans, where as many as 90% are lactose intolerant. About 80% of Native Americans and African-Americans are lactose intolerant.

The symptoms can be either diarrhea or constipation. If either of these is an issue for you, start by cutting out diary and see if you improve. You can use lactose free milk, or there are supplements to help you digest lactose.

Digestion Problems

Many Americans are suffering from digestive problems today. Gastroenterologists report that about 30% of Americans have at least one significant gastrointestinal illness or problem a year. The number of people who now have "irritable bowel" has grown by leaps and bounds. Why is this?

First and foremost, you have to look at what Americans are eating. Or rather I should say what we are not eating. We all know that fiber is an important part of the diet, but what foods have fiber in them? Many times people resort to taking a fiber supplement instead of eating good fiber. Eating good fiber means eating lots of fruits and vegetables. The question to ask yourself is: "Am I eating 8-10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day?" My guess is that your answer to this question will be very telling. Yes whole grains also provide great sources of fiber, but if you're going to do grains, you need to look at whole grains. You can also get good fiber from beans, nuts and seeds. Adding some ground flax seed into your diet will definitely help, but start slowly.

More tomorrow.

Workout Questions #4

Does weight training always result in bulking up of the muscles?

If you're not looking to bulk up the muscles, but rather firm and tone the muscles, then use the weights 2-3 times a week. The other 3-4 days do stretching, aerobics, or core conditioning. The result will firming and toning of the muscles without forming a lot of bulk.

Workout Questions #3

How often should I be lifting weights?

Most people need to give their muscles a break, so a day of rest between workouts is good. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't workout on that day. What I'm saying is to do something aerobic on the day between, or do some stretching, or work on the core (abs). This day between weight training days gives your muscles a chance to repair and rest.

Workout Questions #2

Are more reps with lighter weights better than fewer reps with heavier weights?

Both of these are good, but here is the difference. Heavier weights with fewer reps will build more strength in the muscle. Lighter weights with more reps will build up endurance. Both of these are essential for strengthening and toning muscles, so mix it up a little. This will give you the best result.

Workout Questions

Over the next several days, I'm going to be answering some questions about workouts, specifically related to strength training.

What weight should you use when you first start strength training?

You should start with a weight that you begin to feel challenged at about 10 reps. You want to be doing about 12 reps with a weight and then take a 1 minute period of rest. If you feel that you would not be able to do the last two reps well, then go to a slightly lighter weight until you can do all 12 reps well. I usually recommend that you do 12 reps, 1 minute rest, 12 reps, 1 minute rest and then 24 reps with 2 minutes of rest. You should be able to do this sequence comfortably.

Good Oral Health & Disease

Too many of us do not take good care of our teeth and gums. The amount of gum disease is on the rise which can lead to other diseases in the body. Basically if you have a build up of plaque on your teeth, this causes inflammation of the gums which if not treated can up causing a bacterial infection.

What you may notice is bleeding of the gums or some discomfort in the mouth. Because of the rich blood supply in the mouth, it is fairly easy for the bacterial to get into the blood stream. This can set up and infection in the heart or just spread inflammation in the blood vessels. Remember that inflammation is the real problem with heart disease, not the cholesterol.

Having frequent dental cleaning, at least every 6 months is critical to your health. Can't afford the dentist, if there is a School of Dentistry near you, you will be able to afford the care.

Heart Health

Over the past couple of weeks I've talked about heart health. I thought you might be interested to know some of the numbers regarding your heart and it's work load. Did you know . . . . .

• The number of heart beats in an average lifetime is 3 billion.
• A red blood cell circulates the whole body in 1 minute.
  
• In 1 minute, the number of blood cells that die and the number born are each 2 million.
• Each tiny droplet of blood contains 5 million red blood cells, 300,000 platelets, and about 7,000 white blood cells.
• Each read blood cell makes 250,000 round trips of the body, before it returns to the bone marrow where it was born, to die.
• The heart pumps 300 quarts of blood every hour.
• The life expectancy of the red blood cell is about 6 weeks.
• The heart needs to pump blood to all of the 60 trillion cells of the body multiple times a day.
  

Strength Training

After mentioning in the last week about picking up a book or some weights, I got some questions about weight training. Here are a few simple things to help you move forward. If you are already weight training, consider changing your routine and using different weight training exercises, this will help the muscles really continue to stay strong.

As you start, you can begin with one area like the upper arms or the legs. But keep adding in other areas and alternate areas. All of the major muscle groups should be included. These major muscle groups are the arms, calves, hamstrings, quads, chest, back, shoulders, abdominals, and the gluteals.

Once you have a routine for each of these areas, start with little or no weight. The first thing to do as that becomes easy is to add weight. Then you can alternate with adding to the number of reps you do for each exercise. For myself, if I can do 4 sets of 12 easily, then I add weight. As that becomes easy, I may increase the number of reps to 16. I just keep alternating between the reps and the weight increases. This can go on for a while before it is easy with however many reps you are doing. Go slow and gradual.

Little Things That Can Imporve Heart Health #10

The last little thing to help protect your heart health is to take a moment each day to acknowledge all of the blessings in your life. This will help you tap into positive feelings and emotions. Positive feelings and emotions have been shown to be linked with better health, not just better heart health, living longer and a great sense of well-being.

When you are feeling angry, worried or hostile, these are things that can increase blood pressure and contribute to heart disease. So even if you get angry or you are worried, take a few moments to see the blessings in your life. This will often bring a smile to your face and you will feel your body relaxing.

One of the things that I did years ago was to take the bills and instead of putting them in a "Bills Due" folder, I put them in a folder marked "Blessings." Sometimes I used to fret about the bills, now I see the folder and I think, "Oh, those are the blessings in my life" and I smile. Try it, it may take just a little stress out of your life.

Little Things That Can Imporve Heart Health #9

Today's tip may have you asking how in the world can that help my heart health. The tip is to wash your hands often. This decreases your risk of infection from the flu, pneumonia, and things like strep which can directly effect the heart. Strep can actually get into the blood stream and attach the valves of the heart, so it is critical to be careful.

While pneumonia and the flu don't directly attach the heart like strep, the infections can put extra strain on the heart as the lungs are affected. Simply put, wash your hands before you put anything into your mouth. If you have been out meeting people and shaking hands, wash your hands after wards. While this may seem kind of silly, it may be the thing that protects you the most.

Little Things That Can Imporve Heart Health #8

I've discussed eating over the past few days and just have one other comment on what you put into your mouth. The most important thing you can drink is water. Caffeine definitely has an effect on the heart, so you want to be aware of how much caffeine you are taking in, whether it is in the form of coffee, lattes, or sodas. Both sodas and lattes have increased detriment as far as the heart goes because of the sugar/calorie load. Even "no calorie" sodas are not good for the heart because they often contain caffeine.

Don't try to go cold turkey, this will not go well. Cut out 1 of these and go at it gradually over several weeks until you are no longer drinking the sodas and lattes. Having 1-2 cups of coffee per day is OK, but get it dow to that much.

Drink the water - filtered water is best. You don't have to buy bottled water, filter it yourself. It is more economical and you will be helping to save the planet.

Little Things That Can Imporve Heart Health #7

Since I've been talking about food, there is one more piece for heart health. Exchange the red meat for seafood. Try fish or some other type of seafood at least 1 night a week. Start this way and increase the number of times for eating from the sea to 2-3 times a week.

This is very heart healthy and seafood is also good for the brain as well as the waistline. If you're not a fish lover get creative with some ways to fix the fish or seafood. These foods are very rich in omega 3 which is very helpful to the heart and helps cut down inflammation.

Little Things That Can Imporve Heart Health #6

Let's talk about snacking while we're talking about food. For better heart health, try snacking on nuts such as almonds or walnuts instead of chips or cookies when you need a snack. Nuts actually contain lots of healthy ingredients that can help your heart.

Nuts can also help curb your appetite when you eat them between meals. Now I'm talking about raw nuts not sugar roasted.

You can also add nuts to salads or other dishes. They are a great source of protein as well.

Little Things That Can Imporve Heart Health #5

Yesterday I talked about breakfast as being the most important meal. Today let's talk about what things are healthy choices throughout the day. Today, I want you to start by adding 1 extra serving of fruits or vegetables. If you are eating less than 5 servings a day, your goal will be to get to 5 a day and maintain that level. So start today by adding 1 extra to whatever you are currently eating.

Fruits and vegetables not only help with heart health, but they help with brain chemistry, brain health, strengthening your immune system to helping the bowel to function better. Substitute a piece of fruit for dessert or whatever it is that you are eating during the day when you crave sugar. This is a healthier way to eat and you will crave sugar less.

Little Things That Can Imporve Heart Health #4

Now You're breathing deeply, you're exercising with your walk and lifting weights. Next let's talk about eating. I have mentioned it before, but this is so very important that it bears repeating. Make breakfast the most important meal of the day.

Feeding your body after a night's rest is vital to it's functioning in a normal way. Starving the body by not eating breakfast will not make you lose weight and may in fact make you gain weight. Be sure that you have some form of protein, a serving of whole grains and a serving of fruit. This will balance things within your body so that it can take on the day and expend the appropriate energy required.

Remember, your mother was right when she said to eat your breakfast!

Little Things That Can Imporve Heart Health #3

Now you've started to exercise which will help lower things like cholesterol. But more importantly, the exercise will increase the strength of your heart and take away some weight which is adding stress to the heart.

The heart needs lots of oxygen to stay well. So now before you take your 10 minute walk or lift your weights, take 2 minutes to deep breath slowly. This will help prepare you for your walk or to lift the weights. At night before you go to bed or as you are going to bed, sit and take 10 slow deep breaths. This will relax you and take the stress away from your heart. Deep breathing can also help you lower your blood pressure.

More tomorrow.

Little Things That Can Imporve Heart Health #2

Yesterday you started walking - just 10 minutes. Today I want you to lift a 2 pound weight or a heavy book 5-10 times. Do this a couple of times. This will begin to tone up muscles. If you already lift weights or use free weights 2-3 times a week, then you're already doing this one.

If you work, when you need to take a break, lift the weight, do it during your lunch hour or whenever you have a few minutes. You can even do this while you're watching TV.

When it becomes easy for you to lift whatever it is that you are using, then increase the weight.

More tomorrow.

Little Things That Can Imporve Heart Health

Over the next several days I'm going to be talking about some little things that you can begin to implement for better heart health. Instead of waiting until you have a heart problem, start now with little things that can make a difference as far as whether you will ever have a heart problem.

Start out with taking a brief 10 minute walk. If you currently are not exercising, this is a great way to get started. If you currently do exercise, this will add a little extra exercise into your day. Find ways to do this. Park as far away from where you're going as you can, so that you can walk for 10 minutes. The advantage of this is that you have just put 20 minutes of walking into your day and that is awesome!

If you live in an apartment, walk the hallways for 10 minutes. You don't have to go outside, just walk for 10 minutes.

More tomorrow.

A request for help

I had someone take the Real Age test. Her Real Age test score said she was 78.6. Her actual age is 58. Here is some of her information which will give you a clue as to why her Real Age Results are what they are. She is 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighs 200 pounds. She has bipolar disorder, high blood pressure, fibromyalgia, and diabetes.

This women has lots of issues which increase her age. She openly admits that food brings her pleasure and is really the only pleasure she gets. Why is that? If you are eating foods with lots of sugar or carbohydrates, the initial brain response is one of feeling good. Unfortunately, shortly there after you take a tumble in the feeling good score and now you feel bad again or worse than before you ate those sugary foods. This is like an addiction in that shortly after you eat the sugary foods, the bad feelings return and you go back after the sugar to feel better again. You can understand why weight goes up when this is what is happening to you.

You can increase the serotonin which is the feel good hormone by eating something like turkey which contains tryptophan. Tryptophan is what the body uses to make serotonin. This will also keep dopamine levels healthy as well. Balance here is the key.

Most of the time when we eat for "pleasure" we're not thinking about what we're eating we just are putting it into our mouths and go on our way. Take the time to really savor what it is that you are eating. Also, take some time to write down a list of things that you really love to do that are fun. The next time you feel like eating your way out of a problem, try doing one of the things on your list.

Healthy Diet

I just read another study that supports the adage to eat your fruits and vegetables. The study was with women with ovarian cancer and it demonstrated that women who ate diets higher in colorful fruits and vegetables had longer survival rates than those who did not.

This study was based on the women eating at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Broccoli and yellow vegetables were linked with the longest survival rates.

So your mother was right to tell you to eat your fruits and vegetables. If it helps women with cancer, think what it could do for you if you don't have cancer! Eat those fruits and vegetables!!

Good Protein Source

Lentils may be one of the new hottest protein sources. These beans can be used in multiple ways including meat loaf.

They are a fairly economical way to expand your food dollar and get healthy nutrition as well. They come in different colors, brown being the most common. There are also red and green lentils.

Lentils are almost as good as soybeans in terms of their protein. Most soybeans today are genetically altered and if you find true lentils they are better for you.

Lentils like other beans do not require a presoak and they cook in 20 to 30 minutes.

In addition, lentils are a great source of folate, iron, and fiber.

Food Inc

I just watched the movie Food Inc which is a documentary about where are food comes from and what is happening to our farmers these days. Most of us don't have a clue about any of this. The food is in the grocery store and we buy it, end of story.

Seeing this movie really makes you think about what you are putting into your mouth and into your body. One of the lines out of the movie is if your great grandmother would not recognize what you are about to eat as food, don't eat it.

A few major corporations have a strangle hold on our food sources and we have no idea of what is genetically altered food. While there is no hard evidence that the increase of heart disease, diabetes and multiple other diseases may be related to our "food," I think we need to be looking long and hard at what we are eating.

The fact that junk food is cheaper than organic fruits and vegetables sends many shoppers who have little money to the junk food isles. I think this may be an excuse as well to eat junk food rather than healthy foods. What other things are these individuals buying? Cigarettes? sodas? specialty coffees?

Things to think about and take a stand to only eat healthier foods. Don't settle for the beef that is full of growth hormones and antibiotics or only corn fed. Cattle were designed to eat grass and if they are only fed corn, they do not produce CLA - conjugated linoleic acid - a nutrient that helps us as humans. See my previous posts on CLA.

Rent the movie. It is worth the 90 minutes to see where your food is coming from.

Stress Fractures Part 8

My final comments on stress fractures have to do with nutrition. Since the right foods can strengthen our immune systems as well as our bones, it is important to eat healthy foods. Calcium and Vitamin D are especially important for bone health and strength.

But in addition to that you should be eating lots of fruits and vegetables which will help strengthen your immune system and promote healing. As I mentioned before, stress fractures can be difficult to heal because they are often in the foot and we keep walking on it. While it may not hurt while we're walking, the act of walking puts pressure on the area of injury and may not allow it to heal. Having a strong immune system will assist your body in the healing process.

Stress Fractures Part 7

So how do you know if you have a stress fracture? First and foremost, take pain seriously.

If you begin having pain during an activity, stop the activity and see if the pain resolves. If you start the activity again and the pain comes immediately back. Stop! As with any injury, initially you should ice it, elevate it above the level of the heart and rest it for a few days. If the pain is there when you are not doing the activity but putting any weight on the area, then you should see your doctor, particularly if there is any swelling or tenderness in the area.

If the pain goes away and the area feels OK after a couple of days, then try to gently return to your previous activity. If the pain begins again. Stop! You definitely need to be seen by your doctor.

The problem is that sometimes stress fractures don't show up on xray right away and because they are small cracks may not be evident immediately. So if there is a hint of a stress fracture, take it easy, rest the area and if there is pain with activity stop immediately.

Stress Fractures Part 6

If you are a runner in particular, you may have a longer stride. This may be putting you at higher risk for a stress fracture. So if you shorten your stride, this can lower your chances of a stress fracture.

The problem is that most people have a difficult time actually shortening their stride. You may have to work with a coach or a trainer who can watch your stride and advise you on the best way to shorten your stride.

Stress Fractures Part 5

Since most stress fractures occur in the feet, it is important that you have the right footwear for the activity your are doing. Your old worn sneakers that are comfortable may not be giving you enough protection.

Replace old and worn shoes with new shoes that are designed for the activity that you are doing. Try to avoid footwear that is stiff or uncomfortable. If the shoe is uncomfortable, it is not going to serve you well and may put you at greater risk for a stress fracture. The shoe should feel comfortable when you first try it on. If it does not, don't think that it will get better after it is "broken in" - it won't and you may have a stress fracture by then.

Stress Fractures Part 4

One of the things that can put you at greater risk for a stress fracture is increasing your activity suddenly. If you haven't run in a month, 3 years, or 5 years, don't go out and try to run a marathon. Gradually build up your time, speed and distance. Depending upon your fitness level, start out slow. If you're a runner or jogger, start with a half mile or less depending upon your fitness.

A good rule for runners and jogger is to increase your distance by 10% or less each week. Go slow. Build up your distance, time and speed over several weeks and months.

Stress Fractures Part 3

Stress fractures are small cracks in the bone which occur most often in the feet and lower legs. They can be very painful injuries and sometimes very slow to heal. In some cases, it is very difficult to get these injuries to heal without major interventions. So here are some other ways to decrease your risk or developing a stress fracture.

Increasing your muscle strength can really help you avoid stress fractures. Stronger muscles are better able to absorb the impact and shock to the bones when you are running or doing activities that increase the pressure placed on the bones. If the muscles are stronger, they are better able to absorb that impact and take the stress away from the bones.

Stress Fractures Part 2

Yesterday I spoke about certain types of activities that increase your risk for stress fractures. So how do you decrease the risk?

Alternating your activities is the best way. If you are a jogger, the repeated shock to the same body parts is what can cause a stress fracture. Instead of jogging every day, try swimming or biking and only jogging every other day.

Any time that you are participating in some type of activity that is considered a high impact exercise, vary it with low impact activities. This will help protect you from a stress fracture which often times are difficult to heal.

Tune in tomorrow for more suggestions.

Stress Fractures

Recently I was asked about stress fractures and how to avoid these injuries. There are multiple things you can do to avoid these injuries and over the next few days I'll be outlining some of the steps to take to avoid stress fractures.

First of all there are certain sports which are more prone to stress fractures. Even if you don't play these sports, think about what activities you do that are similar and that may put you at greater risk to develop stress fractures.

If you regularly run or play sports on hard surfaces such as asphalt, you are at greater risk to develop a stress fracture. Certain activities and sports such as runners, dancers, gymnasts, tennis players and basketball players are at greater risk.

Tune in tomorrow for how to help decrease this risk.

Snacking

We have often heard the words "comfort foods" and most of us reach for them when we've had a bad day. Here are few tips to helping you reach for healthier foods when you've had a bad day.

Most importantly, keep good food handy. Put fruit on the counter top or at eye level in the refrigerator. Have a small bowel of raw almonds on your desk.

Clean out the pantry so that the high calorie feel good foods are gone and there are variety of healthy choices available.

Better yet is when you're down, find someone to go for a walk or dance to a favorite song, or watch a comedy routine on YouTube. This will improve your spirits and not leave you with the guild of eating a high caloric snack.

Cluster Headaches

Cluster Headaches are headaches that come on quickly and the person may have several headaches over a few days or weeks. The cluster headache is like a migraine in it's intensity and can change your life if you are in the midst of a cluster.

While the medical community has known for a long time that high flow oxygen really helps these headache suffers, I just read about a recent study in England.

What they found in their study was that high flow oxygen stopped the cluster headache within 15 minutes 78% of the time. This was compared to room air placebo treatment where the headaches were relieved about 20% of the time.

If you are a cluster headache sufferer, talk to your doctor about oxygen therapy.

Other Treatments for Inflammation

Some alternatives that you can use for arthritis pain are acupuncture and massage. Massage works particularly well for arthritis of the hip and spine while acupuncture is showing lots of positive results for arthritis of the knee.

There are lots of new technologies that are being researched regarding the injection of gels into the joint space. While these may help, I would highly recommend that you go the less invasive route and see what you can do to change your immediate situation.

Inflammation and Other Helpful Things

While food is the first things to look at, there are other things you can do to help with inflammation. Exercise is extremely helpful. What I hear most often from patients is that they can't exercise because they have arthritis. Not true.

Use your joints so that they don't stiffen up. Simple exercises work to keep joints functioning. begin with stretches especially of the affected joints. Start walking if your knees or hips are affected. Start slow and work up the time to 20-30 minutes. The biggest obstacle to overcome is starting. You don't have to go to the gym and work on 10 machines or get a trainer. Start simple and build upon that.

Lastly, breathe! Breathing can shift you mind's attention from the area of pain to breathing. This is often a great pain relieving technique. Mild forms of stretching such as tai chi, yoga, and beginning pilates which emphasize breathing can also relieve arthritis pain.

Inflammation and Food

To reduce inflammation, eat more of the omega 3 fatty acids. Foods rich in omega 3 are fish particularly deep sea fish, flaxseed, dark green leafy vegetables, olive oil, and brightly colored fruits.

Arthritis was not as big an issue in prehistoric times because they ate more plants and fruit and meat tended to be less of their food source. They did not have the processed sugars and saturated fats so they were eating far less of the omega 6 than we do.

Supplementing is good, particularly if you are not going to eat the good foods. If you can just cut down on the bad foods it will help, but if you're not going to eat the good foods, then supplement. Supplements that are helpful include glucosamine, ginger, and chondroiton sulfate. There is controversy about chondroiton as to whether it really has any active component to help. If you try and it helps, then use it, because it is doing something for you.

Inflammation Continued

If the inflammatory process continues beyond when it is helpful, then we can develop things such an increase in pain in the area. In joints this process may result in loss of cartilage. Remember that I have mentioned previously that heart disease specifically is often related to inflammation.

While we tend to think of injuries as being the cause of inflammation, there are other triggers such as poor diet and lack of exercise. The goal always is to relieve the pain and slow the progression.

So the first thing to look at is your diet. Avoid foods that tend to promote inflammation. These are foods that contain omega-6 fatty acids such as red meat and high-fructose corn syrup. Other prime candidates in this list are processed sugars and saturated fats. Most of these types are foods if present in the diet have also lead to an increase in weight, which further stresses joints and exacerbates the inflammatory process.