Archive for the ‘Nutrition’ Category

Gluten free / dairy free diets and back pain….

Monday, June 6th, 2011

Every few years, I observe what I call the ‘condition of the month’- that is a specific medical condition which seems to become highlighted by the media, patients, journals- pretty much everywhere. When I was in medical school it was candida infections causing everything. During my residency, it became lyme disease. Early in my practice it was ADD. The current trend seems to be concern about celiac disease and gluten intolerance- and additional worries about milk & other dairy products causing trouble.

Now first and foremost- YES celiac disease is a real entity, and should be treated as such. There is reliable testing for the condition, and if you are worried you may have celiac- get tested.

Second- I have had way too many patients come in on gluten free diets that do not have celiac or gluten intolerance, after having been told by someone that this will help them with their back pain, fibromyalgia, or other painful condition.

I will state this as clearly as I can: If you do not have celiac disease, a gluten free diet will do NOTHING for you. It is an inconvenient and potentially expensive diet to follow. So don’t do it if you don’t need to!

If you DO have celiac, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that suggests that in addition to all of the other GI symptoms it may cause, there can be associated joint pain- and back pain. In my own patient population, this seems to be one of the last symptoms to go away once a patient has transitioned to a gluten-free diet, so be patient and see if it makes a difference in your pain.

As for dairy- and in this case, this is purely anecdotal- it seems that some patients who DO have celiac disease have an unusual intolerance to some dairy products (that do not contain glutens) which can sometimes cause them fatigue, joint discomfort, and a few other often hard-to-pin-down symptoms. It is much easier to go dairy-free than it is to remain gluten-free, so this is an easier one to do your own trial with.

What are your experiences with celiac disease and back pain? Have you made any other dietary changes which have helped improve your symptoms? Share you experiences here on the blog.

Thanks for stopping by,

-Andy

Going gluten-free can be expensive and difficult- especially when cupcakes are involved! Be sure to check if this is something you really need.

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Posted in Fibromyalgia, Nutrition | 4 Comments »

Live from Jamaica: Foods That Help Back Pain- The Soursop.

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

soursop

I love when I can learn about local remedies and treatments for back & neck pain. The chef at the hotel made it a point of telling me that this unusual looking fruit- the soursop- was good for treating low back pain. I looked it up on line, and apparently it can also be useful for headaches, skin disorders, blood pressure problems, as well as sexual dysfunction.

Do you have any experience with foods which have helped you with any health issues? How about back pain? Please share them here.

Thanks for visiting,

-Andy

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Posted in Nutrition, Tips, Videos | No Comments »

Fitness Challenge update, ‘Huge’, ‘Gainer Blogs’, weight & back pain…

Monday, June 28th, 2010

nyt

So, here is the link to an article in the New York Times this AM. Actually, this article was about the new show ‘Huge’ – a socially interesting concept for a show about the efforts of overweight teenagers to find dignity in their efforts towards transformation. However, the article also references the ‘gainer blog’ phenomenon (blogs devoted to finding ways to more efficiently gain weight. These blogs are not typically geared towards people who are ‘too thin’ trying to gain weight, but more towards overweight individuals celebrating and augmenting their obesity.) This was enough to get me doing some research. I have seen some of the people who proclaim that they are healthy in spite of being morbidly obese on some of the talk shows, and while they may be able to demonstrate good blood work- you simply cannot change the laws of physics. Your musculoskeletal system was just not designed to support tremendous amounts of weight, and even if one were to not exhibit any of the cardiovascular and endocrine issues associated with obesity, their feet, knees, hips, and yes- their spine- all are subject to greater wear and tear, potentially leading to pain, and surgical intervention. There are numerous studies out there which support this assertion.

The line in the article that caught me off guard was this notion that there is a conspiracy, and that this gainer phenomenon is ‘an outcry against the manipulations of a diet-industrial complex.’ If anything, the food industry is doing exactly the opposite thing- producing food products which promote obesity, and the media which provides advertising for these products puts all of them in our faces ALL THE TIME. This topic is poignant to me as I continue on my own fitness challenge, and try to get myself into the shape I know I should be. There are definitely social forces compelling many of us to get thin- particularly teenage girls- who are bombarded with images from all sides, so I don’t want to discount this notion completely- but I feel the greater force emerges from the food industry which continues to churn out numerous processed, fat laden, inexpensive, and apparently enticing foods. My suspicion here is born out by the disproportionate rates of obesity here in the U.S. relative to much of the world.

I don’t want to come across as against overweight people, but more in favor of a balanced healthy lifestyle. As someone who has battled with weight issues for much of my life, I can definitely feel empathy for those embroiled in the struggle to get fit.

Check back tomorrow for the Fitness Challenge update, and a book review of a really fantastic book for kids with pain syndromes.

Thanks for checking in!

-Andy

Be sure to check out the blog regularly for tips on how to prevent and relieve back pain. Back Together book and DVD programs available from Amazon.com. ORDER TODAY!

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Posted in General Health Information, Nutrition, Videos | No Comments »

Fitness Challenge: Top 10 Dieting Tips from Dietician/Nutritionist Sarah Barts

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

I am so pleased to hear everyone’s stories as we are going through the fitness challenge. This past week, I did not lose or gain anything, but I am not discouraged- this isn’t about week to week. It’s about the rest of our lives!

I have been working with an outstanding nutritionist, Sarah Barts for some time now. Her approach to weight control is based on simple, common sense principles which help you not to just lose weight, but to maintain a nutritionally healthy lifestyle which will help you for the rest of your life. Recently, she has been doing some additional work as a personal chef. You should definitely check out her website here.

I asked her to contribute her top ten list of tips for helping to lose weight and maintain it. Check it out…..

Top 10 ways to eat healthier and lose weight.

As a registered dietitian certified in weight management and a personal chef, I’ve worked with multiple individuals wanting to eat healthier, enjoy food, and lose or maintain a healthy comfortable weight.  Through the years of working with multiple weight loss programs and countless hours of research, I have been able to see what works best for people.  Below is what I would consider the top 10 ways to eat healthier for prevention of chronic disease, help with weight loss, and overall improve relationships with food.

  1. Eat more vegetables, the more colors the better.  Dietary guidelines suggest 2 ½ cups of vegetables per day.  Fill half of your plate at lunch and dinner with vegetables of multiple colors, and you will fulfill these recommendations.  Not only are they high in antioxidants and phytochemicals to help prevent cancer, they are also a good source of fiber
  2. Limit drinks with calories, water is the best option.  4 ounces of 100% juice can have approximately 60 calories; 20 ounces of soda can have up to 17 teaspoons of sugar and close to 240 calories per bottle.
  3. Eat healthy 90% of the time, leaving 10% of the time to choose what you want.  There is no reason to feel guilty if you have always adored a food that may not be as healthy.  Portion control and frequency is key.  Realistic healthy eating includes small amounts of the not so healthy, but delicious foods.
  4. Eat slowly and enjoy.  Who doesn’t like to eat?  Why not enjoy it?  Slow down and distinguish what tastes good about your food.  This will give you time to evaluate what your likes and dislikes are, and check-in to your hunger or fullness levels.  (no need to clean your plate)
  5. Stop eating when you are satisfied.  Yes – the food tastes are great!  It will not be the last time you eat it and you can always save the leftovers for later.  No negative feelings needed for not cleaning your plate – - “it’s either a waste or a waist”
  6. Eat more whole grains and fiber.  Not only is fiber filling, which keeps you feeling satisfied longer, but it also keeps blood sugar in control, helps prevent colon cancer, and can reduce cholesterol.
  7. Move more.  You might have a sedentary job, and work out at the gym for an hour a day, which is ok.  But, you will burn more calories if you are physically active throughout the day in addition to your gym visit.  Walk whenever possible, e.g. pace whenever talking on the phone, use a pedometer and shoot for 10,000 steps per day, park further from the store or your work, walk for 10 minutes at lunchtime.  Include an activity that you enjoy 1-2x/week.
  8. Eat less processed foods.  If you can’t pronounce many ingredients on the label, your body is going to have a hard time with it too.  Eating foods with natural ingredients and less processing makes your body work the way it’s meant to, giving you more energy.
  9. Eat small frequent meals.  This will take some planning on your part, but eating smaller meals and nutritious snacks between them not only keeps your metabolism working throughout the day, but it helps to prevent over-eating.  When meals are skipped and you get extremely hungry, there is more tendency to eat whatever kind of food is available and eat fast, thus increasing calories consumed.
  10. Get rid of your diet rules.  If you have dieted multiple times, more than likely you have acquired the “good food/bad food” mentality and recite the multiple rules that you have learned over time.  The problem with diet rules, is they are most often accompanied by negative and guilty feelings when they can’t be followed perfectly.  Negative and guilty feelings are sometimes associated with an all or nothing way of thinking and sometimes the nothing can lead to over indulging.

Focus on eating foods that are nutritious, enjoy meals, eat slowly and moving more.

Brought to you by: Sarah Barts, RD, LDN

Certified in Weight Management

Personal Chef for Mindful Gourmet

sarah@mindfulgourmet.com

www.mindfulgourmet.com

484-744-1429

Old growth banyan tree, Key Largo.

Old growth banyan tree, Key Largo.


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Posted in Fitness & Exercise, fitness challenge, General Health Information, Nutrition | No Comments »

B.T.T.o.D: Diet rich in calcium, vitamins D & C and weight bearing exercise will help prevent osteoporosis.

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

Osteoporosis is one leading cause of back pain as some people age.  A diet high in calcium, vitamins C & D, combined with regular weight bearing exercise (something as simple as walking will do) will go a long way towards preventing the ravaging effects of osteoporosis. There are other factors involved, so before to get regular check ups with your family physician, internist or OBGYN.

Thanks for stopping by!

-Andy

Beautiful lake Kinneret, Jordan River Valley, Israel.

Beautiful lake Kinneret, Jordan River Valley, Israel.

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Posted in General Health Information, Nutrition, Tip o' the Day/ B.T.T.o.D. | No Comments »

B.T.T.o.D: Maintaining your weight will help prevent/reduce back pain, and the Back Together fitness challenge!

Monday, January 18th, 2010

Maintaining an optimal weight relative to your height, and body type will help to relieve or prevent back pain. Again, seems obvious- but as most of us are aware obesity, like back pain is a national epidemic, and there is a definite correlation between the two.

As we age, the arsenal we need to maintain in our efforts to manage our weight can change. In the teen years, some viewers  may have noticed they could eat pretty much anything, and still maintain an appropriate weight. With age, beginning in the early thirties- metabolism slows, and there is a tendency towards a shift in body composition. If unchecked, this can lead to being overweight and then obese. If in your youth, you grappled with body weight, you may have noticed that it becomes harder & harder to manage as you age. Diet or exercise alone may have been effective for managing it, but now it may take both to get things back under control.

You are likely already aware of the health consequences- poor diet can lead to cardiovascular disease and a host of other problems. Few however, consider the effects of extra body weight on back pain.

Now, I am lucky in as much as I have not had back pain for many years. Where I have had problems is with my weight. In my teen years I was far too heavy, and out of shape. In college, I discovered that I really like to work out, and lost most of it- and for a long time, managed it right where I needed to be.

Fast forward to my residency. I had little time to sleep, had insane hours in the hospital, and had little access to healthy food choices,and during that time- I gained close to 30 pounds- and I have been fighting with those 30 pounds ever since.

If you read my New Years post, you know that getting myself back into shape was one of my resolutions for 2010. I got a bunch of emails from viewers who made the same resolution- but wanted to know what I was going to do achieve my goals. I then had the idea to involve you in the process, so if you have weight to lose, or fitness goals to reach- you can do it along with me!!

Last year, I was doing pretty well on Weight Watchers. In May, my wife, Donna, became critically ill, and wound up in intensive care. This pretty much derailed my efforts, as I tried to manage my kids, help my wife to recover, and keep my practice in business. Things are back on track, and I’m ready to go. Are you?

Over the next several months, I will be keeping you posted on my progress, and I will be trying out some new exercises that I haven’t done before. I’ll be paying attention to the food I eat, and anything else that I do to help me get to where I want to be. I’ll fill you in on what’s working, and what’s not.

I invite you to share your progress with me, and if you are dealing with weight AND back pain- really share your story. In 90 days, me and my editorial staff will select the best story- and the author will receive a complete Back Together package, including the DVD program, and my book Back Together- Hands-On Healing for Couples. Tell us how improving your fitness affected your back pain, your relationships, and your life.

In my experience, it is always more effective to do this with a partner. Think of me as your on-line workout buddy!

Be well!

-Andy

P1020587

Banyan Tree, Coral Gables FL

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Posted in Announcements, General Health Information, Low Back Pain, Nutrition, Tip o' the Day/ B.T.T.o.D., Tips | No Comments »

B.T.T.o.D: Remaining adequately hydrated will help to reduce your back pain.

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

Again, this may sound like an obvious one- but remarkably, most people do not drink enough fluids throughout their day. Keep in mind, DIET SODAS DO NOT COUNT. The adage about 8 glasses of water a day is a good one, and may have the added benefit of controlling your appetite if that has been an issue for you. Also, be sure to take in fluids which will replace your electrolytes- juices are a great place to start, provided you don’t overdo it as they are typically high in sugars.

Hydration will help to flush out toxins from your tissues, and deliver needed electrolytes to your muscle tissue, preventing fatigue and injury.

Best,

Andy

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Posted in General Health Information, Low Back Pain, Nutrition, Tip o' the Day/ B.T.T.o.D., Tips | No Comments »

Childhood Obesity & Back Pain

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

Obesity is a serious epidemic in the US, and in much of the world where packaged foods come with any number of chemicals and preservatives- many of which contribute to weight gain. The holiday season presents many opportunities to overeat, and gain weight- potentially resulting in back pain (as well as myriad other health problems.) One of the most at-risk groups are children, who also face a growing propensity for obesity. Right now, between 15 and 18 percent of American children are obese. The study I linked to below suggests that overweight children are more likely to develop disc disease- a problem more associated with older individuals.

During this holiday season, try to pay attention to what you are eating, and in particular- how much you are eating- but also pay attention to the nutritional concerns of your children so they don’t fall into bad habits. Make it a New Years resolution!

Stay tuned later this week for Part 2 of the mini-series, Pregnancy & Back Pain!

Thanks, and be well!

-Andy

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/overweight-children-may-develop-back-pain-and-spinal-abnormalities-78196357.html

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Posted in Announcements, General Health Information, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, Nutrition, Tips | No Comments »

Viewer Question: Hydration and Back Pain- is there a relationship?

Tuesday, February 10th, 2009

Ena G. submitted a question: I am always curious about links between wellness and diet. Is it true that dehydration can exacerbate back pain or discomfort?

Dehydration can definitely exacerbate back pain and stiffness. Your body is requires hydration for a couple of things: If you think of your body is a machine, adequate hydration can help ensure that your soft tissue and joints are sufficiently lubricated. More importantly, all of your activity requires the electrolytes and other nutrients which are replenished through hydration. Dehydration can cause muscle spasm and cramping in extreme cases, and a feeling of soreness and fatigue in less extreme situations.

Now, something to keep in mind is that hydration should not come exclusively in the form of water- particularly if you are participating in strenuous activity likely to result in dehydration. Something not many people realize is that you can actually become dehydrated by consuming too much water. The easiest way to understand this is with a grasp of what is known as the OSMOTIC GRADIENT- that is the idea that minerals and electrolytes dissolved in water tend to go towards places where there are less of them. So, if you consume excessive water without replacing some of the nutrients lost through sweat and activity, the water can actually draw these substances out of your tissue, worsening dehydration.

As always, consume water throughout your day, but be certain that your diet contains sufficient nutrients to replace the ones you use- in short a nicely balanced diet.

If you are running a marathon, or participating in other strenuous activity/exercise- fluid supplements fortified with electrolytes and other minerals can be a useful aid.

One last thing, hydration falls under the larger topic of nutrition. Look back at the blog in late March or early April for a segment with a nutritionist who will discuss other nutritional considerations for back pain.

Thank you for your question!

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Posted in Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, Nutrition, Tips | No Comments »