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Are Your Feet Causing Back Pain? Many sufferers of back pain aren’t aware that your feet could be to blame! Things you can do
Wondering what else you can do to combat low back pain? Ask Dr. Carolyn Hall at your next visit. By Dr Carolyn Hall Why do some of us struggle so much with joint pain, fatigue and loss of well being? Certainly we are all prone to stressful situations in our lives and some of these aren’t always immediately apparent. Our interest in food diminishes and we are drawn to foods that can give us a quick hit of energy. We feel tired so we look for the boost caffeine gives us. We don’t always drink enough water and we certainly are prone to poor bowel function due to a lack of sufficient fiber in our diets. We find we don’t sleep as well and sometimes start to have the additional wine to help us get off to sleep, and next thing you know, you are experiencing joint pain, back, hips, hands and headaches. We begin to feel chronically tired and can’t motivate ourselves to exercise and the cycle gets worse. We know a lot about food these days and the effect that certain foods have on our physiology (body’s function). Changing your diet can be very hard, as we have formed habits since childhood that relate to food. It is possible to change and there are several ways to go about this. I am a fan of the cold turkey approach. As sometimes we just simply need to break the habits of a lifetime. We then have to stick to it for a bit, for it to become our new habit. Don’t get me wrong, you will fall off the wagon, but by then you will most likely have developed some new strategies and when you climb back on, each time you learn the skills required to keep your diet in the anti-inflammatory bracket. PRO-INFLAMMATORY FOODS: AVOID: Saturated fats. These are found in dairy products and red meats predominantly. AVOID: Wheat based products, flour, pasta, cakes, biscuits, and breakfast cereal. Etc. etc. Particularly refined wheat. NUTS and SEEDS AVOID: Peanuts. These often carry a fungus that is highly inflammatory to joints; you can’t see it and it is not picked up when they are packaged. PACKAGE FOODS – These contain chemicals to preserve the foods and sugar, which are pro inflammatory. AVOID: SUGARS AVOID: AVOID: DEADLY NIGHT SHADE FAMILY (look these up on the internet). This family of vegetables has been shown to create an inflammatory affect in joints. Some people are prone while others may tolerate these. CHOOSE: Oats. Oats have many good properties but due to the covering on them, they can be hard to digest. It is recommended that they are soaked over night with some lemon juice or cooked to break down the outer layer. AVOID: SOY. SOY products were once thought to be a healthier option but much has been found out about SOY since it was mass-produced and sold to the public. In Japanese culture, they handle soy with great care and ferment it before using. Where SOY is being used as a substitute it is not fermented and in variably large quantities of sugar are used to make it palatable. NUT & RICE MILKS DRINKS AVOID: Coffee, black tea, green tea and white tea (all contain tannins which are pro-inflammatory). Alcohol. Diet Pain & Inflammation – Series 1. Dietary Mofications to help with small joint inflammation of the hand or foot. Many of the population will experience inflammatory periods or conditions of the joints of the hands and less so the foot at some point, usually after age 40. The conditions range from degenerative joint disease often known as Osteoarthritis, where there is wear and tear of the joint, inflammatory joint conditions and autoimmune conditions which result in inflamation of the joints of the hands and feet such as Rhematoid, psoariatic arthritis or gout. Research now strongly supports a change in diet as a key treatment approach in these conditions, with stronger results with inflammatory arthritis and gout. Our joints are affected by chemicals in our body, foods are broken down into basic chemicals and some of these are aggravators, i.e. they create inflammation or exacerbate inflammation. Not all of us break down foods into the same chemicals, some people find it hard to break down certain foods and the result can be the production “rogue” chemicals i.e. chemicals that aggravate joints, produce inflammation and result in pain and swelling of the small joints of the hands and feet. Today we will start by discussing GOUT. Gout is a painful form of arthritis that can affect toe, foot, ankle, knee, hand and elbow joints. Symptoms include pain, swelling and shiny redness over the affected joints. Treatment of acute gout attacks is designed to relieve pain and inflammation, primarily through medication. Diet and other lifestyle changes can help prevent future attacks. Gout is a painful form of arthritis (inflammation of the joints) and is sometimes referred to as gouty arthritis. The most common place for gout to develop is the ball of the big toe but other joints can be affected. It is unusual for gout to affect more than one or two joints at a time. Gout is common in New Zealand, with an estimated prevalence of 2.7% for the overall population and a prevalence of 3.75% in people aged 20 years or older. Gout most commonly affects adult men (particularly after age 40) and is uncommon in women until after menopause. It is estimated to affect adult men 3.5-times more than women and is more common in people of Maori and Pacific Island descent and is less common in Asians. Left untreated over time gout can lead to joint and kidney damage and, in conjunction with other risk factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes, can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. Under-excretion or over-production of uric acid by the body can cause levels in the blood to be raised. When this occurs, crystals of uric acid can form and deposit in the joints causing gout. However, not all people with raised uric acid levels in their blood will develop gout. Risk Factors
Occasionally there is no obvious cause for an attack of gout.
Drinking plenty of non-alcoholic fluids – especially water (eight to 10 glasses a day) is recommended. This will help to flush the uric acid crystals out of the body. Drinks sweetened with fruit sugar (fructose) are best avoided. Maintaining a healthy body weight – will help to reduce stress on affected joints and decrease the likelihood of developing gout. It always amazes me that so many of the people who come to my clinic, have waited for so long to decide to take action against their pain and stiffness. They seem to deny themselves the ability to seek help to resolve their pain and stiffness. The pain and stiffness causes them to no longer be active, their sleep gets worse and they then feel even worse, they sit more and feel worse, they begin to feel down. Several months later when they begin to feel that their life is very limited they present for care, usually with the attitude that they are old so expect to feel this way. Believe many of these wonderful people are only in their forties and are considering themselves “old” and beyond help. What also amazes me is that usually in 4 -6 visits the above person, has a reduction in by by up to 50% and are back at work, back at play, back doing some exercise, sleeping better and making their family and spouse happy too. What takes us so long to decide we are worth taking care of. If our car was not working, even a slight noise and we have it in to the garage and pay what is necessary to ensure that it is fixed and operating well, what is it about taking care of ourselves that causes us to delay, when a basic machine gets care immediately, we respect it, and know that if we don’t do anything it will get worse and harder to fix. Our bodies are just the same, but worse because by the time we have waited 2-3 months are brain function (our higher centre) is affected and the job becomes vastly more complex. It is well documented that long term (chronic) pain and depression go hand in hand. It is also well documented that depressed people are the hardest to heal, their brain chemistry is altered and the ability for them to make a shift, to motivate towards, better mobility and compliance with exercise protocals due to lethargy. So why do we let it get to this point? In answer to that many people tell me, they thought it would get better on its own. That they read so many conflicting things about getting wellness health care, that they are confused. What I would respond to those statements is, JUST TRY, GO AS SOON AS YOU BEGIN to Slide, go to whomever you feel comfortable with. Find someone you trust to take care of you, treat yourself with respect, care and love. BE KIND to YOURSELF, you are vastly more useful, needed, and important than you car. Give yourself permission to get some care, and do it fast, so that you can get back on track fast. We would love to see you at Gentle Chiropractic Mapua, Nelson/Tasman. With my sincerest wishes. Dr. Carolyn Hall. “If I start chiropractic care, do I have to keep going forever?” It’s a common myth associated with chiropractic care that is simply not true. While we’re happy to help our patients feel better by bringing them out of pain with chiropractic care, having to go forever isn’t the case. Even though a course of care varies for each person, one thing is true—we aim to make you a partner in your health. And while you don’t have to do anything, we have many patients who choose to see us on a regular basis. Have you ever wondered about maintenance care? Here’s how it can benefit you. Prevention: When you visit our practice for ongoing chiropractic care, it can actually help you strengthen your problem area to help prevent an injury from reoccurring. Regular adjustments also keep your body balanced and in tune, allowing for better healing and correction of new spinal problems to avoid a relapse. Improved Posture: Let’s face it—a lot of us sit for most of our day. You might not notice immediate problems from over-sitting, but down the line your posture could suffer. When your posture is compromised, this can lead to other issues like sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, back pain and more. Get ahead of these issues by opting for chiropractic care before you develop a problem. Enhanced Wellness: Many patients, after feeling what constitutes “normal” can tell when they need an adjustment. We can do more than just bring you out of pain—we help our patients continue to live the life they desire without problems through health optimization. This doesn’t mean we need to see someone for an adjustment every day or even every week—sometimes, just a once a month “tune up” can be ideal. Research: Chiropractic care can increase strength, decrease fatigue and improve the brain’s ability to drive muscles “What we can say based on this study(1) is that when we adjust subluxations, we improve strength, we prevent fatigue and we change the way the brain drives our muscles. That’s pretty cool.” said Heidi Haavik, one of the brains behind this recent study. Haavik is referring to subluxations as dysfunctions that occur when the nervous system isn’t controlling movement of the spine as well as it should be. “When we adjust…subluxations, we change the way the brain processes what’s going on in our bodies. Hence we are able to better process all that sensory information from throughout the body, and control the body in a better way.” says Haavik. In this recent study, researchers asked groups of people to perform maximum contractions of their leg muscles. For the ones who did receive chiropractic adjustments, they saw a major shift in the way the brain drove the muscle. “The brain was changing that…effect. Our subjects got stronger (in comparison to the control group)” observed Haavik and her fellow researchers. The study showed:
“Our results were almost identical to three weeks of strength training.” These are compelling research outcomes which backup what chiropractors and people under chiropractic care already know: that people function better with chiropractic care. Republished with permission from the Australian Spinal Research Foundation 1. Changes in H-reflex and V-waves following spinal manipulation. Experimental Brain Research. Vol 233, 4 , pp 1165-1173 The concept of adaptation is one that is central to health and indeed to the chiropractic profession. We know the human body adapts to survive on a daily basis. We see this when we encounter a virus and the body adapts to shut it down. It also occurs when we have a fever and the body adapts to take care of it, thus returning the system to homeostasis. We even adapt when we eat, by extracting the nutrients from our food and expelling the toxins and waste products. Republished with permission from the Australian Spinal Research Foundation By Tanja Glucina, NZCC CCR Operations Manager Republished with permission from the New Zealand Chiropractors Association What an incredible Olympic season! With four gold medals, nine silver and five bronze medals, New Zealand is enormously proud of our sportsmen and women. In the past, Valerie Adams has thanked her chiropractor as part of her winning team. However, it’s not only Olympians who strive for excellence in athletic performance. Our patients want the best out of their bodies too. A recently published study from the Centre for Chiropractic Research at the New Zealand College of Chiropractic has shown that chiropractic care improves muscle strength and cortical drive, and prevents athletes from fatiguing.1 To follow on from this, the research team at the College is working on a similar study with a group of Danish, German, and Australian researchers, which is investigating the effects of chiropractic care on strength and fatigue in a group of elite Tae Kwon Do athletes. In this randomised controlled trial the athletes’ brain waves and muscle strength are being measured before and after a single session of chiropractic care or a passive movement control. Outcomes are being assessed pre-intervention and at three post intervention time periods: immediately post, post 30 minutes, and post 60 minutes. The preliminary analysis of this study looks really positive! It appears that in this group of athletes, chiropractic care increases strength and cortical drive, and reduces fatigue.2 The strength findings look like they last for 30 minutes and the cortical drive increase persists for at least 60 minutes. This suggests that chiropractic care really may play a role in enhancing athletic performance. These results highlight what Val Adams and other champions have known for years – chiropractic may help with increasing muscle strength and reducing fatigue. This growing body of research is supporting what we see in our practices every day: chiropractic care enhances human performance! 1. Niazi IK, Turker KS, Flavel S, et al. Changes in H-reflex and V-waves following spinal manipulation. Exp Brain Res 2015. 2. Holt K, Niazi IK, Christiansen TL, et al. ‘The effects of a single session of spinal manipulation on strength and cortical drive in athletes.’ Presented at the International MotoNeuron Society Meeting: Istanbul, Turkey June 2016. Story at a Glance
Just when you thought pumping iron was only good for giving you big guns, science goes and gives us yet another reason to hit the gym. The benefits of exercise just seem to keep on growing. Not only does it create endorphins, new brain cells and keeps your waistline in check, it turns out, it’s also going to give you a bigger brain. If there was ever a reason to get off the couch and pull on your sneakers this might be it. People who exercise through middle age have larger brains than those who spend it flaked out in front of the TV. The new study published in the journal of Neurology has shown that people who weren’t physically active in their midlife had brains smaller than their peers twenty years later. The sad fact of life is that as we get older not only do parts of our body start to sag, our brain is affected too. Our once bonnie, large brains start to shrink. Most specifically, the prefrontal cortex. Now that’s a pretty important part of the brain. It’s where our personality expresses itself, where we manage our cognitive and social behaviour and where we do all our planning and decision making. Frankly, it’s not a great place to start shrinking. But the other area of our brain that reduces in size as we age is our hippocampus. This part of the brain is integral in making new brain cells, it’s where our memory, emotions and learning takes place. Again, not the best spot to undergo reduction of mass. In anyone’s books, both areas are worth keeping in optimum shape not to mention size. But before you throw in the towel and relegate the rest your life to dribbling unevenly from one side of your mouth, there appears to be good news. Exercise. In a study1 that started in 1948, now onto its third generation of participants, it observed the correlation between cardiovascular fitness of people in there 40’s and the size of their brain over the period of the study. “Promotion of midlife cardiovascular fitness may be an important step towards ensuring healthy brain aging,” the study noted. The study suggests that exercise training may increase blood flow and oxygen to the brain, which improves the brain’s ability to form new neurons and prevent the brain from atrophying. In a previous post we have covered the benefits of BDNF, which is linked to the production of new brain cells (neurogenesis) that is increased through exercise. Neurogenesis may have a potential therapeutic role in neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and is also increased through exercising. It’s unclear at this stage at which point in life exercise is most important – midlife or at the end of your life. Either way, if you’re not already hitting the treadmill, maybe it’s time you were! References | About the AuthorDr. Carolyn Hall has been working in Sports Science & Health Care for 17 years. Her qualifications set out below give you an understanding of her commitment and passion to learn and provide gold standard health care in the Nelson region. Qualifications Passion for Raw, GF and Unrefined sugar, cooking, yoga, movement therapy. |
Telephone03 540 3999 gentlechiropractic@ xtra.co.nz |
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Photo used under Creative Commons from shixart1985
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