Does Food Effect Your Pain?

According to researchers at Johns Hopkins, "There's no denying that there is a strong connection between what you eat and how you feel, and the difference is likely to become more and more apparent the older you get." (Johns Hopkins Health 2000, www.intelihealth.org)

Stunning breakthroughs in medical research demonstrate that you can literally feed your aching bones and joints exactly what they need to move more freely and with less discomfort. Taking certain nutrients to eliminate discomfort, rebuilding deteriorating join structures, and restore freedom of movement is rapidly moving into mainstream medical consciousness. Long overdue but still not fast enough... In fact the doctors at Johns Hopkins have developed a "bone/joint diet? That they believe can help alleviate the burden of stiff, inflamed joints. (Diet to follow)

Although denied by the medical profession for the last three decades, diet does influence your pain... Prior to the denial phase of medicine it was and in some circles still a known factor that certain foods and drinks trigger certain problems. For instance, Joint problems have been found to be exacerbated by the use of alcohol, liver and other organ meats. The most famous joint problem recognized is "Gout," even though the pharmaceutical companies have tried to convince the world this is not true, it certainly is and gout suffers who have had direct results of those foods will tell you... Chemicals concocted by the pharmaceutical industry does help with a few cases but the digestive system is suffering the affects as well as the liver and kidneys which have to filter out the foreign matter in the body! As we get older our digestive system does not work as fast nor as thorough as it needs to and therefore medications can create as many or more problems than they help!

Doctors also targeted allergies or intolerance for dairy products, preservatives found in a wide variety of foods and drugs along with members of the nightshade family as possible culprits for joint problems. In addition, eating or drinking anything tainted with Salmonella or other bacteria has been shown to provoke the immune system to attack the joints, a condition known as "Reiter's syndrome."

The Johns Hopkins researchers say that you should experiment with different foods to ascertain which ones will help you and which ones will cause you pain. With over 100 different kinds of bone/joint problems classified under the heading of "arthritis" it is easy to understand why experimenting with different foods must be left up to you. Also as explained by the Johns Hopkins papers, "The more pressure and weight on your joints, the more they will hurt. Even and extra 10 pounds stresses the joints." A desirable reason to lose weight of plagued with joint/bone problems!

A Diet to Promote Joint Comfort
From Johns Hopkins Health 2000

* BREAKFAST: One piece or serving of fresh fruit; one slice of bread or bowl of cereal; one protein, such as an egg or a cup of yogurt.

* LUNCH: A fresh salad with vegetable, such as mushrooms, carrots, tomatoes, radishes, celery and low-fat dressing; a four-ounce serving of protein, such as fish, chicken, turkey, tofu or beans; one bread serving; a piece of fruit.

* AFTERNOON SNACK: One fruit or raw vegetable; one serving of bread; a glass of low-fat milk or a cup of low-fat yogurt.

* DINNER: A four-ounce serving of protein, such as fish, tofu, chicken, beans, turkey or beef; one carbohydrate, such as a baked potato, rice, bread or pasta; one cup of steamed vegetables (avoid starches like peas or corn); a fresh salad with low-fat dressing.

* EVENING SNACK: A fruit with one graham cracker square, one low-fat cookie, or a half cup of sorbet or low-fat frozen yogurt.

Combining a healthful diet and stress reduction, pain can all but be eliminated in most instances...