Our specialty medical practice is dedicated to helping our patients defeat their pain. We work hard to treat you, and give you the tools you need to treat the conditions causing your pain, so that you can return to life. However, we realize that is only part of the story. There are things you must do to defeat your pain! Otherwise, the treatments we provide may not work and you may continue to live in pain.
We know that inflammation is a big part of your painful condition. Whether you have an acute injury or a chronic painful condition, inflammation is an underlying cause of your pain and disability. There are definitely things that cause inflammation in your body, or allow it to continue. If you can make the necessary changes outlined below, your inflammation will greatly decrease and so will your pain! In addition, you will be healthier, have more energy, be in a better mood, and need less medical treatment for preventable diseases in the future.
Toxins must be eliminated. Pain patients do not get better if they use tobacco or alcohol. You must stop smoking and drinking in order to have any chance of healing. All illegal drugs must be stopped immediately, including pot. These poisons create inflammation and pain.
Diet is extremely important as you seek to get out of pain. You must do the following:
- Eliminate all wheat from your diet. Gluten is very inflammatory and is found mostly in wheat, but also rye and barley. Gliadin from wheat is also inflammatory. That means that bread and pasta must go. Wheat is also hidden in many foods. Read labels. By eliminating wheat, you will lose weight, have less gut problems, and have lower blood sugar, reducing the risk of Diabetes.
- No High Fructose Corn Syrup. It is in a lot of things, including many sweetened beverages (soda, Gatorade, etc). It is a poison. Your Liver makes fructose directly into fat. Read labels.
- No artificial sweeteners (aspartame/Nutrasweet, saccharin/Sweet and Low, Splenda) or diet food/drinks. They are poisons and cause weight gain, not weight loss. They cause inflammation and other health issues.
- Reduce or eliminate cow’s milk and all dairy products. The proteins in cow’s milk cause inflammation. Goat’s milk/products are OK.
- Stop eating GMO’s (Genetically Modified Organisms)-this includes corn, soy, canola oil, cottonseed oil, vegetable oil, and sugar from sugar beets unless it is organic or certified free of GMO’s. Go to the Institute for Responsible Technology website for the non-GMO shopping guide.
- Avoid all pesticides, especially on foods. Go to the Environmental Working Group website ewg.org for lists of the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen. Pesticides poison your endocrine system and metabolism. Start eating organic produce. A pesticide wash you can make in a spray bottle combines a cup of water and 1 tbsp baking soda, then slowly pour in 1 cup vinegar and ½ lemon. Leave this on produce for 5 minutes and then rinse off.
- Eliminate plastic from your diet-don’t microwave in it, don’t use plastic bags and wraps, and get rid of the plastic water bottles. Use glass, ceramic, or stainless steel. Plastics poison your endocrine system and metabolism.
- Eliminate processed foods-things with an ingredient list and chemicals you can’t pronounce. Try to eat whole foods-fruits vegetables, nuts, beans, and protein. Remember: wheat and processed sugar feed inflammation.
- Eliminate rice and rice products from your diet. Rice is contaminated with arsenic, a poison.
- Eliminate excess omega 6 fatty acids as these increase inflammation. They are found in corn, sunflower, safflower, peanut and cottonseed oils. They are also found in grain fed meats and farm raised fish. Also eliminate trans fatty acids. Omega 6 and trans fatty acids are typically found in processed and fried foods, sweets, and fast foods.
In my next article, we’ll discuss things you can do and what to eat to help reduce inflammation and stop the pain.