This week's focus: Pain and Mobility

Note: This brochure discusses diet and lifestyle changes that published research and other evidence have shown may support joint and digestive health. Talk to your healthcare provider to learn more about your options and before making changes to your everyday nutrition and self-care practices.

Overview

Pain comes from many different types of physical challenges, ranging from dull to sharp, from mild to intense. No matter how you describe it, you want it to go away--and fast. The following suggests some ways to cope with common pains of digestive and joint discomfort.

"Heartburn" refers to a burning feeling that can be caused by stomach acid regurgitating into the esophagus from the stomach, by gastritis (inflammation of the lining of the stomach), or by a peptic ulcer (stomach or duodenal).

"Arthritis" refers to several conditions that affect the joints of the body. The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease), is a result of trauma to the joint, infection of the joint, or age. Another common form is rheumatoid arthritis.

ARTHRITIS

• Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease in which the immune system attacks the joints and sometimes other parts of the body. The cause remains unknown.

• Osteoarthritis comes on gradually and most often affects the hips, knees, fingers, and spine, although other joints also may be involved. Pain is the main symptom, which usually worsens with exercise and is relieved by rest. Morning stiffness is also common and diminishes with movement. As the disease progresses, joint motion is lost, and tenderness and grating sensations may develop.

Pain-Soothing Diet & Lifestyle Changes
Watch the weight: Obesity increases the risk of osteoarthritis developing in weight-bearing joints, and weight loss in women is associated with reduced risk for developing osteoarthritis. Weight loss is also thought to reduce pain in people who already have it.

Help prevent joint damage with GS and CS: Supplementing daily with glucosamine sulfate or chondroitin sulfate, or a combination of both supplements, may reduce pain and protect joints.

Baby your joints: Treatment designed to relieve osteoarthritis symptoms includes the use of hot soaks, warm paraffin applications, heating pads, and joint support devices.

Review your diet for possible allergies: Most of the studies linking allergies to joint disease have focused on rheumatoid arthritis, although mention of what was called “rheumatism†in older reports (some of which may have been osteoarthritis) suggests a possible link between food reactions and aggravations of osteoarthritis symptoms. If other therapies are unsuccessful in relieving symptoms, people with osteoarthritis might choose to discuss food allergy identification and elimination with a physician.

Try the Warmbrand Diet: Though it has never been tested in published research, Dr. Max Warmbrand claimed a diet free of meat, poultry, dairy, chemicals, sugar, eggs, and processed foods for people with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis led to significant improvements if participants stuck to the diet for at lease six months. However, its difficulty to follow, plus the lack of published research, leads many doctors who are aware of the Warmbrand diet to use it only if other approaches have failed.

Ask your doctor about solanine: Solanine is a substance found in nightshade plants, including tomatoes, white potatoes, all peppers (except black pepper), and eggplant. In theory, if not destroyed in the intestine, solanine may be toxic. Eliminating solanine from the diet has been reported to bring relief to some arthritis sufferers in preliminary research, though it has not been put to a strict clinical test.

HEARTBURN
Symptoms 
The symptoms of indigestion or upset stomach may include painful or burning sensations in the upper abdomen, bloating, belching, diffuse abdominal pain, heartburn, passing gas, nausea, and occasionally vomiting. The appearance of these symptoms is often associated with eating.

Pain-Soothing Diet & Lifestyle Changes 
Take your time: People who eat too fast or fail to chew their food adequately may also experience symptoms of indigestion or heartburn.

Learn your triggers: Doctors have observed that heartburn and indigestion may be relieved in some people by avoiding or reducing caffeine and alcohol consumption. In addition, some people with symptoms of indigestion appear to have food allergies or intolerances. Avoiding allergenic foods may improve digestive complaints in those people. While most doctors believe there is an important connection between diet and intestinal symptoms, there are few published data documenting such associations. Dietary modifications should be undertaken with the help of a healthcare practitioner. Treatment includes the avoidance of problem foods. Citrus fruits, spicy foods, fatty foods, milk, and beans are common culprits.

Try for some over-the-counter relief: Reducing stomach acid with medicines such as histamine blockers or calcium carbonate may help relieve heartburn symptoms.

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Disclaimer: The information in this page was prepared by Aisle7 for educational purposes only; it is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Health claims are based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications, diet, or exercise habits. Aisle7, Walmart, and Pierce Promotions make no representations concerning the information contained in this article and disclaim any liability for such information and the decisions you make based on such information.