If you are looking for ways to avoid surgery and medications, yet are struggling with a painful condition, you might be surprised to know that what you eat has a huge impact on how you feel. In fact, some foods might trigger pain. Everybody is different so it is hard to predict who is sensitive to which particular food and who is not. But through a process of elimination, you might be able to find some foods that trigger your pain. Here is a list of the most common foods that cause pain.

Sugar
In most people, sugar causes pain by promoting inflammation. Researchers have found that those who ate diets with a lower glycemic load will tend to have lower levels of inflammation as measured by the c-reactive protein. To learn more about foods that will not increase your blood sugar visit www.glycemicindex.com. If you research the Anti-Inflammatory Diet, you can also learn more about reducing inflammation through better nutrition.

Nightshade Plants
Some people are sensitive to the chemicals found in nightshade plants which include eggplants, tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers. A food sensitivity can trigger an immune system reaction which can then sensitize the nervous system. Try avoiding nightshades for three months to see if you will feel better without them.

Gluten
Gluten-free diets are becoming more and more popular for a reason. Many people seem to be sensitive to the protein found in wheat and other grain products. A gluten sensitivity can trigger pain especially abdominal pain. Again, a three month elimination of gluten may help you determine whether or not you are in need of a Gluten-free diet.

Flavor Enhancers
In order for processed food to taste better, companies spike the food with chemicals that excite the taste buds. The only problem with these “excitotoxic” chemicals is that the entire nervous system can become excited and sensitive as well. Those with any type of nerve pain like headaches or neuropathy should avoid flavor enhancers, aspartame and monosodium glutamate.

Lactose
Milk does not always do a body good. Some people are sensitive to the sugar called lactulose that is found in dairy products. This food can trigger pain by activating the immune system. Consider eliminating lactulose from your diet if you have chronic pain.

You probably do not have to avoid everything on this list, but you probably should avoid at least one, Sugar. Sugar is the most likely culprit contributing to pain in your life, followed by flavor enhancers, lactose, gluten, and nightshades, in that order. Remember everybody is different, but everyone still needs to maintain good health. Nutrition is a great place to start because what you eat impacts how things work in your body from head to toe. You should never underestimate the power of nutrition.

Now that the Government has finally slapped Reebok with a hefty fine for false advertising, the toning shoe fad cannot end soon enough. Too many people were fooled by crafty advertising and false promises. Too many people became injured. And the shoe companies were laughing all the way to the bank. They found Americans to be easy prey because of the widespread desire to shape up without having to work out. Now the lawyers are going to be laughing all the way to the bank as they clean up after this major hoax.

If you have a pair of toning shoes, here are some suggestions:

1) Use them as doorstops
2) Use them as paper weights
3) Toss them at your new ex-boyfriend (who probably bought them for you in the first place)
4) Consider them new dog toys
5) Burn them

Keep you eyes peeled for the next fad that will have cooperate America laughing all the way to the bank.

Boasted as one of the fastest growing companies in the nation, the Health Central Network offers a place where patients, professionals and curious individuals can learn about a variety of health conditions. Dr. Lasich joined the Health Central Network in 2008 after publishing her first book, High Heels to Hormones: A Woman’s Guide to Spine Care. Initially, she began writing articles for the Chronic Pain site, but her role as an expert contributor quickly grew to include the Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Diet & Exercise site as well.

On all four of these Health Central sites, Dr. Lasich contributes information about health, treatment options, diagnostic dilemmas, and the latest research. She also answers questions submitted by community members who are located throughout the nation and the world. Health Central has become a trusted source of information, peer support and expert advice for millions of people.

Some of Dr. Lasich’s recent contributions cover topics such as the future of pain medicine, the abdominal wall, spinal cord stimulators, her favorite cookbooks, ways to improve balance, and stem cells for osteoarthritis treatment. Every month, new topics are explored and more questions get answered by Dr. Lasich and all of the expert contributors for the Health Central Network.

So, next time you have a question or need some information, please visit the Health Central Network.

Hello Health Fans, I want to alert you to an opportunity to interrupt your life and reconnect with the healing powers of nature and art. Two local artists, Lex Munson and Sue Barry, have teamed up to offer a week long workshop in Yosemite. To a small group of participants, these acclaimed artist will offer instruction to help each individual create his/her own works of art while being inspired by nature. All levels of creativity are invited. Find out how art, nature and kinship can help you unpeel each layer of stress that weighs you down. This week long interruption of your life can help you relax. But you must act now. Space is limited and the retreat time is just around the corner. Please visit the website www.getawaywithart.com. This opportunity could put you on a pathway towards improving your health.

As most of you know, I was recently traveling to attend Harvard’s Pain Medicine conference. Like many of you, I find traveling difficult especially when it comes to maintaining healthy life-style choices. Always up for a challenge, I challenged myself to eat as healthily as possible during the entire trip and to keep a food journal. Writing down everything you eat helps to see patterns of good and/or bad choices. With a written log, you are forced to be honest with yourself and with those who you allow to see you journal. Personally, I love for my patients to bring food journals to me, so that we may discuss strategies on how to seek, substitute or select healthy foods. Take a look at my food journal and tell me what you think or ask me how to eat better while traveling.

Saturday 18th (Air Travel Day)
Protein/Fruit Smoothie, Apple
Fruit and Nut Bar/Water
Two Bites of meatball in Tomato sauce, Spring Salad with peas and fava beans, Cornish hen with zucchini
Sunday 19th:
Steel Cut Oatmeal, raisins, strawberries/ water, small amount of cream
Peanuts, Apple/ Water (at Fenway Park)
Crab cake, spring greens, Salmon with extra Veggies: Broccoli and Asparagus; Strawberry shortcake without biscuit and whipped cream.
Monday 20th:
Scrambled eggs without cheese, just veggies; one slice wheat bread; peach and apple/ water
One slice stoneground wheat bread with almond butter, peach, apple, handful almonds
Two slices sourdough with fresh mozzarella and ricotta cheese, arugula salad, vegetarian lasagna without pasta; water
Tuesday 21st
Steel cut oatmeal, almond milk, banana; water orange
Stoneground wheat bread with almond butter, peach, banana, almonds/ water
Four course vegetarian meal included: carrots, beets, greens, beans, spices and a whole lot of good flavor, herbal tea with olive oil shortcake topped with fresh berries
Wednesday 22nd
Steel cut oatmeal, almond milk, banana, water
Stoneground wheat bread with almond butter, orange, banana, almond nut bar
Stir fried veggies including edamame, cashews, celery carrots with 3 scallops/ water; 3 French fries and two bites of Boston cream pie.
Thursday 23rd
Steel cut oatmeal, almond milk, corn muffin, orange, banana, water
Nut bar, almonds, apple, water
8 course meal: squid, scallops, salmon, pork, venison, beets, greens, radish, cherries, yogurt, apricots, pistachio ice cream (all small, gourmet portions)
Friday 24th
Steel cut oatmeal, orange, banana
Almonds, peach
Salad with greens, radicchio, oranges, strawberries, lobster and shrimp in tomato-vodka sauce with pasta
Saturday 25th
Banana, ricotta pastry, water
Nut/Fruit Bar/water
Cesar Salad, mushroom sauce with pasta, 3 slices of corn pizza, and Panna Cotta
Sunday 26th (Air Travel Day)
Steel cut oats, banana, stoneground bread, water
Almonds, Orange, shrimp salad, water

Exercising with a sore back is challenging and often avoided. Unfortunately, this pain-avoidance behavior leads to more pain, more health problems, and a poorer quality of life. The only way to break this cycle is by gradually re-introducing activities like aerobic exercise. As fitness levels improve, many systems within the body will start to work better. More oxygen and nutrient rich blood will reach the tissues. The immune system will become stronger. Bowels movements will become regular. Sleep will normalize. And pain relief will improve because exercise triggers the release of natural pain relievers in the brain like the endorphins. With all these potential benefits gained from exercise, even back pain is not a good enough reason to avoid it. And yes, aerobic activity is possible with back pain.

When someone thinks about aerobic exercise, the natural tendency is to imagine a bone-jarring jog or a hair-raising bike ride. These methods are not appropriate for some with back pain because the goal is not to increase pain. The goal is to work up a good sweat, comfortably. And I do mean sweat; thus, the little stroll to the mailbox or around the yard is not enough to condition the body. I am here to tell you that the best way to participate in an aerobic exercise with back pain is to use a walker. What??!!? A walker? How is that going to help work up a sweat?

A walker is an important tool needed to use an UPRIGHT stationary bike comfortably. Why UPRIGHT? A recumbent stationary bicycle places the legs too far out in front of the torso which increases stress on the low back. I could talk about lever arm forces, but I do not want to interject a physics lesson here. Once seated on the UPRIGHT stationary bicycle, the seat height is adjusted for comfort. But, what do you do with your hands? Don’t you dare put them on the handle bars in front of you because that will force the low back into a flexed position and stress the low back. You need a walker to have an alternative place to put your hands.

At this point, please notice the included pictures that are worth a 1000 words. Notice the placement of the walker in such a way that the handles are on either side of the stationary bicycle seat. Notice the arms are positioned straight down the torso and can bear some of the weight, alleviating pressure from the low back. In this fashion, as one is pedaling, a traction-force can be placed on the spine. Not only is this a way to exercise with low back pain, this is also a way to depressurize the spine while working out. Double the benefits, double the pleasure; exercising with low back pain is possible with this technique, a technique I have been utilizing for over a decade with my cranky back.

Sometimes even this position does not unload the spine enough for exercise to be comfortable. If that is the case, then a contraption can be rigged so that you can practically be lying down while pedaling. For more information or pictures about that, please contact me. Otherwise, quit making excuses, hop on a bike and start moving the legs. Your back and body will appreciate some aerobic activity to get those good juices and chemicals flowing.

Tart & Tangy Baked Beans (Modified from Mollie Katzen’s cookbook, the Moosewood Cookbook)

This meal can feed a family of four for just $3 per person. Healthy meals do not have to be expensive meals and/or taste bad. Try it, you’ll love it. And challenge yourself find other ways to prepare healthy meals that stay within your budget.

*Note: Soak the beans overnight
3 cups dry pinto beans, soaked
4 cups chopped onions
2 TBPS cooking oil (canola or olive preferred)
2 tsp salt
1 TBPS chili powder
2 tsp cumin
8 garlic cloves peeled and minced
6 TBSP cider vinegar
2 TBSP sugar (see substitution below)
3 Granny Smith apples cut into bite-sized chunks
1 pound can of tomatoes
Salt and Ground pepper to taste

1) Place the presoaked beans in a kettle and cover them with plenty of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1.5 hours. Keep an eye on the water level. Drain when beans are tender done.
2) While beans are cooking, begin cooking the onions in cooking oil in a medium sized skillet. Add salt, chili powder, and cumin, sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 5 minutes more. Add this sauté mixture to the fully cooked beans along with all other remaining ingredients.
3) I like to let the mixture sit for a few hours if possible to let the beans absorb some flavors and the flavors meld together. Or you can proceed to step 4 immediately to save time.
4) Preheat oven to 350 degree Mix the beans well and transfer to a deep casserole dish or 9×13 inch baking pan. Cover with foil and bake with love for 1 hour.
5) Ready to serve with your favorite seasonal vegetable (see below)

*substitution: For a slightly deeper flavor at a tad more expense, try 4 TBSP of Molasses instead of sugar.

Seasonal Vegetable idea:

Roasted Asparagus

Place Asparagus on a foil lined cookie sheet. Drizzle 2 TBSP of cooking oil on Asparagus with 1 tsp of salt. Roast in 425 degree oven for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy.

Sometimes taking the initial steps down a healing pathway requires a kick start. An initial acceleration in the right direction supplies enough momentum for success. This kick can be provided by local professional trainers, therapists, and doctors. This kick can also be found at certain healing destinations. Imagine immersing yourself in a healing environment with instruction, equipment, and personnel all providing the right amount of momentum and strategy needed to create the healthy life that you want. Transporting yourself to destination “healing” might be just what you need to start feeling better.

Sound too inconvenient? Improved health might be closer than you think. One such Mecca for healing is just two hours away in beautiful Marin County. Cavallo Point was once an Army Base called Fort Baker. Recently, this facility was transformed into a luxurious healing destination complete with cooking classes, healthy meals, massage sessions, meditation pool and professional consultations. The consultants on staff include a nutritionist, a psychotherapist, a personal fitness trainer, and “Dr. Brad”, a professor of Family Medicine and Alternative Medicine at UCSF. Cavallo Point offers everything from one hour consultations to 3 week programs for everything from addiction to back pain. With all these healing opportunities ready to transform you, the first awkward steps down a healing pathway will be in the right direction.

Even if you are already feeling pretty healthy and just need to unwind and decompress. Cavallo Point offers a wonderful array of soothing luxury. The grounds of Fort Baker are now considered an historical National Park and provide visitors incredible views of the city and the Golden Gate Bridge. Meals in the restaurant are absolutely to die for after a day spent hiking the numerous trails nearby or a day spent in the incredible spa facilities. Even with Sausalito nearby, you will not want to leave. When you do have to leave, you will feel refreshed, renewed and a little bit healthier.

Good health is contagious and addictive especially at a healing destination like Cavallo Point, a great place to get a kick in the right direction. Although transformation does not come easily, the transformation of an Army fort to something so soothing and peaceful is a testament that anything is possible.

With all this wet, cold weather, nothing is more comforting than a bowl of warm, homemade soup. The wonderful tastes in this favorite recipe will go well as a first course for any holiday meal or just on its own. Please note, roasting vegetables is a great trick to bring out full savory flavor not just in this recipe, but in any preparation of vegetables.

Roasted Squash and Apple Soup (from More, October 2010)
1 TBSP Unsalted butter, melted
1 TBSP Olive Oil
1 medium yellow onion, course chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 pound peeled butternut squash, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cubed
1 McIntosh apple, peeled and cubed
1 TBSP fresh rosemary, chopped
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Sprig of thyme

1. Heat oven to 425o In Large bowl, toss together butter, oil, onion, garlic, squash, apples, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Spread out on a deep-rimmed baking dish/sheet, and cook until browned, about 30 minutes. Rotate pan and stir after first 15 minutes in the oven. After browned, scrape vegetables into soup pot. Pour some stock into baking dish/sheet and scrape up any caramelized bits, and add everything to the pot.
2. Add remaining stock and sprig of thyme , simmer partial covered for 10 minutes. Remove thyme sprig. Remove soup from heat and allow to slightly cool. In batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Reheat and thin to desired consistency with more stock, milk or cream. Season to taste. Enjoy
3. If you want to get fancy: Sauté some apples cubes in olive oil until tender. Spoon into center of each serving with a fresh sprig of thyme.

Happy Holidays! May joy, love, and peace surround you.

The placebo effect may be more useful than you realize. Expanding what constitutes a placebo will help you come to this conclusion. By definition, a placebo is a treatment that is believed to be effective but is actually a sham and a “placebo effect” is the response to a placebo. Placebos are used all the time in drug trials. Inert, sham substances and active, real medications are administered to subjects in head-to-head, double-blinded, randomized fashion to test whether or not the response to the active substance is different than the response to a placebo. This placebo versus chemical design has been a cornerstone for drug research. Beyond what is encountered in drug research, the response to a sham treatment can be encountered with any type of treatment not just medications. For example, sham procedures have been utilized to research the benefits of injections. But, what if that treatment is not a sham? What if the treatment is real? As long as that treatment is believed to be effective, then at least a portion of the response to that treatment could be based solely on expectations and a placebo response. Some say that a portion of an effect from any active drug is due to a placebo effect. Thus, any treatment has the potential to be a placebo, sham or not. If anything can be a placebo, then the placebo effect may be more useful than you realize. No one can predict who will be a placebo responder and when a placebo effect will be encountered; but now researchers can actually see a placebo’s effect on the brain in neuroimaging studies.

Seeing is believing. When given an inert, inactive, sham treatment, scientist can see a person’s response to that placebo—the placebo effect. Many areas of the brain like the prefrontal, amygdala, parietal, cingulate, and insular cortex areas of the brain change while under placebo analgesia or during a placebo effect. Many of these areas in the brain are connected with the centers for emotion, the endogenous opioid system and the dopamine system. When the placebo effect was first described by Dr. Beecher in his infamous article titled “The Powerful Placebo”, the proof that such a phenomenon existed was based on clinical observation and reporting. Now, we can actually see the placebo effect in action with advanced neuroimaging techniques. Seeing is believing.

Believing is Relieving. Belief gives the placebo power. Belief that it is real. Belief that it will work. Belief that it has the power to cure. If a person knows that a treatment is a sham, then the power of the placebo no longer exists. A placebo is nothing without belief. This fact can be used to a treatment provider’s advantage. The efficacy of any treatment can be increased substantially by improving the client’s/patient’s belief in a particular treatment. A person has to “buy into” a treatment before any chance of success can occur. Ultimately, it may not matter what type of treatment is given as long as the patient believes that the treatment will likely work because belief in a treatment can produce a desired effect via the placebo response. One just has to believe that the pain, anxiety, depression and suffering will be relieved. Believing is relieving.

The placebo effect is no longer a theoretical anomaly that only has usefulness in the laboratory. Because the effectiveness of a placebo to evoke change is based on one’s belief in that placebo, then seeing the placebo’s ability to change the brain is like seeing how the belief system operates. Tapping into one’s belief system can unleash a cornucopia of potent chemicals in the brain that can relieve anything from pain to depression. A treatment provider can use that belief system to be successful. The chance of success can be improved by improving the belief that the treatment will work, that the provider is competent, that the information is correct and that the patient has the ability to succeed. Medical treatment is useless without such a network of beliefs, just like a placebo is nothing without the expectation that it might work. Belief gives a placebo the power to produce an effect and now is the time for that power to be utilized in the clinical setting in a practical manner. Seeing is believing and believing is relieving. When it comes to the practicality of the placebo effect, you can unleash the power of the brain by unleashing the power of belief.