Nutrition to Help Manage Body Pain Brooklyn, Back Pain Brooklyn, Pain Management Brooklyn

Back pain and neck pain affect millions of people worldwide and it is estimated that 85% of all people will suffer from low back pain or neck pain in they’re lifetime.  You would be surprised how much of an affect proper nutrition will help decrease any body pain whether its from a herniated disc or from a systemic problem such as lupus.

Pain can manifest itself in many different ways, some of the most common descriptions of pain include:  Sharp, dull achey, numbness/tingling, pins & needles, and even extreme debilitating pain that prevents one from walking or moving.  Obviously the most important thing to do first and foremost is to get examined by a qualified health practitioner to find out hat the root cause of your problem is.  Please remember that even though massages, heart, and electric muscle stimulation feel really good they often do not address the key factor in body pain.  Generally speaking, body pain is a consequence of bad bio mechanics, repetitive stress/injury, and/or congenital defects such as scoliosis. Your practitioner should have concrete goals for you to be trying to achieve and re-evaluating you after a set period of time.

Chiropractors should be one of the first stops with these types of spinal and body pain disorders. In the event you’re not a chiropractic candidate resorting to drugs or other minimally invasive procedures may be a reasonable second option. Remember, though, it’s always best to take the least invasive route first. If you don’t and you use up your options prematurely you may be left with none – other then spinal surgery which in most cases is only around 50% successful long term.   I recommend getting examined by more then one practitioner so you can be sure that 2 separate people have looked at your complaint and given you matching and hopefully not conflicting reports.  I usually do not send out for diagnostic imaging (X-ray, MRI’s) right away unless there is trauma involved, severe neurological problems, or the patient is over the age of 50.

The reason why nutrition plays an integral role in pain management is because in order to heal properly your body needs the proper nutrients and the only way to achieve this is by eating correctly.  It is also commonly overlooked that just losing weight will help decrease any pain from a joint that relies on the weight of your body  (ex..  Hip joint, ankle or foot).  Any weight a person can loose during the acute or chronic stage of a musculoskeletal injury is beneficial for the patient in decreasing pain.  It’s very simple, less weight on the joint equals less pressure and stress being placed on that joint therefore helping speed up the healing process and causing less physical pain.

Another main reason why your eating habits play an important role in treating your pain is because your goal with all pain management treatment is to decrease inflammation.  I put all patients  on an anti-inflammatory nutritional protocol to decrease inflammation systemically through smart food choices.  Decreasing your intake of refined white sugar, white flour, processed foods, high fructose corn syrup, Mono-sodium glutamate, hydrogenated fats, artificial colorings, red meat, caffeine, dairy, and artificial sweeteners are all part of a list of ingredients to avoid while you are in pain.

Good fruit choices include pineapples, mango’s, papayas, peaches, pears, prunes, apples, bananas, and other sub-acid fruits. Pineappes, and papaya’s contain a natural anti-inflammatory called Bromelain and can help decrease inflammation naturally. Use discretion if you have blood sugar problems although fruit often does not cause a problem if the diet is low saturated/trans fat and high fiber. Good vegetables include asparagus, spinach, zucchini, parsley, artichoke (without the butter), kelp and other sea-veggies, okra, snow peas and many more. Cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower as well as onions, chives, and peppers are very nutritious but may create digestive difficulties for some people. The solution is often simply chewing the food better, cooking the food, and possibly adding supplemental digestive enzymes such as proteolytic and lipolytic enzymes. Spices such as garlic, tumeric, etc. are also very healthy and should be used regularly if well tolerated.
For snacks, consider raw vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds (Please ensure you are not allergic to peanuts and other nutrs). The fruits and veggies contain many helpful enzymes, bioflavonoids, and other phytochemicals, while the raw nuts and seeds are rich in essential fatty acids (Omega 6 and omega 3), especially grounded up flax seeds, pumpkin and sunflower seed, walnuts and almonds. Raw seeds like sesame and flax need to be ground for proper digestion (chew very thoroughly). I also make avocado’s and organic, free range chicken eggs a weekly staple to buy at the supermarket. An electric coffee grinder also works well to pre-grind you food (Ground up flax seeds). I run a hands-on supermarket class once a month to teach you how to properly shop and decipher all the marketing jargon that is focused around the US food nation. I teach you everything from how to read food ingredient labels, counting calories quickly, or how to plan to go to the supermarket. The Spa and Wellness Center helps schedule all my appointments for this monthly, hands-on class. Learn everything hands-on an in a perfect environment, the supermarket. Feel free to call the Spa to set up a time to discuss your health goals.

When you start to watch your nutritional lifestyle change you will start to feel better and have more energy. In order to heal properly your body needs the energy to direct toward the healing process and enough nutrients to ensure an optimal recovery. Most of my comprehensive pain management programs include basic nutritional counseling, especially if the patient already has BMI of over 25. Your insurance can cover your services, and even if I can’t help you I promise I will help you find someone that can.

Dr. Gordon C.S.C.S.

Filed under: Nutrition & Pain Management, Brooklyn Nutrition, Dr. Gordoin Kuang C.S.C.S., Exercise and Nutrition, New York, Nutrition, Nutrition and the Healing Process, Nutrition and Wellness, Obesity, Optimum Helathcare NY

What’s in your food? Nutrition Brooklyn, Weighloss Brooklyn, Burn Fat Brooklyn

NYC is a city where everyone wants everything done yesterday, in the fast paced world of “eat and run” there has been a trend for the food industry companies to make foods that require little effort or time.

Most of these prepared or semi- prepared meals in a box contain preservatives, colorings and other additives that make things like ‘macaroni and cheese’ taste better and last for years in the cupboard. Unfortunately many of these additives may have serious side effects that consumers should be aware of. Here is a summary of some of the more common preservatives in foods.

The majority of foods produced and sold at supermarkets these days lack the proper nutrients for a healthy lifestyle and can contribute to obesity, weight gain, type II diabetes, heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue, and many more diseases.  It is better to completely eliminate these following ingredients from your nutritional habits and substitute with fiber and whole foods such as fruits and vegetables.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

Is a cheaper form of sugar and found in the majority of food products made in the USA.  There is a direct link from obesity to the over-consumption of this chemical (Food Additive).  This compound raises your blood glucose higher then regular sugar and has been shown to increase systemic inflammation leading to a variety of heath issues. Research on High Fructose Corn Syrup in the past 10 years have not been positive.

Aspartame (artificial sweetener, Equal or Nutra-Sweet)

Aspartame is used as a sugar substitute in many “diet” drinks and sweets. Its made of amino acids, methanol (a known poison) and phenylalanine.

Check my upcoming blog on artificial sweeteners and the effects these chemicals have on the body such as contributing to obesity, type II diabetes, and increasing the inflammatory process

BHA and BHT (Butylated Hydroyandisole and Butylated Hydroxytoluene)

BHA and BHT keep foods containing oils and fats from going rancid. The WHO World Heath Organization considers them carcinogens. BHA and BHT are not necessary in foods and can be avoided by safer chemicals like Vitamin E. These additives are found in potato chips, cereal, crackers and Quaker Granola Bars to name a few.

Colorings (Blue 1 and 2; Red 2,3 and 40; Yellow 5 and 6)

Red 3 has caused thyroid tumors in rats, according to the FDA, which has recommended that the coloring be BANNED. Yellow 5 has been known to cause mild allergies in aspirin sensitive people. Yellow 6 may have links to cancer and tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney and may also cause allergic reaction. Most food dyes are found in junk food, candies, Kraft Dinner and soft drinks. Maraschino cherries, found in fruit cocktails, contain Red 3.  Food colorings have been proven to be carcinogenic and should be avoided whenever possible.

MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)

MSG is an amino acid that brings out the flavor by activating taste buds, allowing food producers to reduce the amount of real flavorings or ingredients, making it cheaper to produce.

• Reactions can include headaches, nausea, burning sensations in the back of the neck, wheezing and difficulty breathing, all of which are increased in the situation of an allergy. MSG is not hard to find. Many Asian and non-Asian restaurants use it!  Is that why dim sum is sooo good?  It’s also commonly found in soups (Campbell’s uses it frequently), salad dressings, chips, frozen dinners, and HVP (hydrolyzed vegetable protein).   MSG has been proven to be a NEUROTOXIN:  That means that is causes NERVE DEATH when used for long periods of time.

Studies have linked MSG to be an exacerbant of chronic idiopathic urticaria (A kind of skin rash notable for dark red, raised, itchy bumps).

Nutrition is about compromise and learning what battles you need to fight and which battles are better left alone to help keep you morivated.  It is not measured in days but months and years of lifestyle choices.  No matter what your ultimate goal is there are many different paths you can choose to follow to bring you to the same end result, a healthier you! Looking at the alarming health statistics of today, it’s never too early to start paying attention to what you are consuming.

Being able to read a food ingredient label is the foundation to making the correct choices in the supermarket, at the restaurant, or meal planning.  Would you build a house on an unstable foundation?  Then why would you decide to address your nutrition without the proper education on the guiding principles of healthy nutrition.

Schedule a time to meet one-on-one with Dr. Gordon to go over your health goals.  He will teach you how to meal plan, read food labels, shop for food, and much more.  The objective is to learn how your losing weight so you understand the principle and can then apply it whenever you want.  Just like a wise person once said, why continue to buy fish when you can have someone teach you how to become a fisherman and sustain yourself.  At Optimumhealthcare NY we just don’t help you lose weight or get rid of your pain, we show you how to recreate and maintain your health so you never have to be treated over and over for the same problem. For a comprehensive evaluation which the doctor uses to create a customized NUTRITIONAL PROGRAM BROOKLYN, NY follow the link or call 800.980.9172. WEIGHT-LOSS BROOKLYN, NY is a service that could be partially covered by major medical insurance. Follow the link and input your insurance information and a staff member will call you to set up a time to sit down with Dr. Kuang and discuss your goals.

Dr. Gordon Kuang C.S.C.S.

Filed under: Practical Nutritional Advice, Brooklyn, New York, Brooklyn, Dr. Gordon Kuang, Eat Healthier, Ingredients to Avoid, New York, Nutrition, Obesity, Optimum Healthcare NY, Stop Cravings, Weightloss, Whole Foods