Reduce Winter’s Aches & Pains with Vitamin D

admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:30:46 +0000

Does your low back pain, arthritis or fibromyalgia flare up more in the winter months? Chances are a Vitamin D deficiency is to blame.

During the cold of winter, particularly in the northern third of the country, the changed angle of the sun’s rays plus more time spent indoors or bundled up while outdoors make getting enough of the sunshine vitamin naturally almost impossible.

Numerous studies have linked Vitamin D deficiencies to chronic inflammation and illness. Simply taking a supplement of this vital nutrient can dramatically reduce inflammation and related pain for those not getting enough through sunshine and diet.

As one example of how powerful a Vitamin D supplement can be, a study of lower back pain sufferers with no obvious cause of pain found 83% had a Vitamin D deficiency. By supplementing with Vitamin D, every single patient originally diagnosed with a deficiency experienced an improvement in symptoms. Interestingly, 95% of all patients benefitted from supplementation regardless of their initial Vitamin D levels.

This winter, beat winter’s aches and pains by increasing your Vitamin D intake. Start with 3,000-10,000 IU daily for a month if already in pain, then continue with 1,000-3,000 IU daily.

When choosing your supplement, look for one which uses Vitamin D3, known as cholecalciferol. This form metabolizes differently and can be as much as 3 times more effective than Vitamin D2 in raising levels of Vitamin D in the body and maintains those higher levels longer.

Are Your Back Pain Treatments Not Working? This Might Be Why

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:18:36 +0000

Far too many people struggle with back pain for years… even decades. If you’re one of them then you need to know about one of the most common reasons people can’t seem to beat their back pain: mixed pain syndrome.

In a nutshell, mixed pain syndrome describes how pain arises from multiple causes at the same time. Just because you have a herniated disc doesn’t mean it is the sole source of your back pain or even a source of pain at all.

There are two primary causes of pain: nerve compression and soft tissue pain. Nerve compression may be caused by conditions like a herniated disc or spinal stenosis causing direct pressure on a nerve. Soft tissue pain can occur from inflammation, scar tissue, trigger points, muscular micro-tears, or even decreased local cellular oxygen levels.

So what happens when you have a herniated disc pressing on a spinal nerve root, multiple trigger points in that area of the back, and local inflammation at the same time? Then you have a mixed pain syndrome condition that will take multiple approaches to eliminate your pain! Treat just one and you will end up frustrated and still in pain. This is why those suffering from back pain are encouraged to experiment with different types of treatments, often simultaneously, to get lasting back pain relief faster.

Need a starting point for treating mixed pain syndrome back pain? Begin by treating your back pain with safe alternatives to anti-inflammatory drugs:

Reduce pain with a rub on pain relief cream
Lower inflammation with a natural anti-inflammatory
Improve circulation and release toxins with far infrared heat
Decompress the spine with inversion therapy

Once painful spasms have been reduced and at least limited mobility has been restored, begin identifying underlying patterns and causes of your pain and eliminate them to prevent future back pain:

Identify and eliminate muscle imbalances
Relax muscle knots and eliminate trigger points
Eliminate inflammation-causing foods like wheat, dairy, sugar, and fried foods from your diet
Change your mental attitude towards pain

Remember, every person is different. There is no “one size fits all” approach to getting back pain relief, so what works for one person may not be as effective for another. Experiment until you find what works best for you.

Back 2 Life Product Review

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:29:53 +0000

As I stated in the video, I personally would not purchase this item…. unless, and this is a big caveat, unless I first had covered all of the fundamentals like: Muscle Balance Therapy, Trigger Point Therapy, Spinal Decompression, Chriopractic care (only if coupled with muscle balance therapy) address negative stress and beliefs, hydration, nutritional imbalances (ex. too much calcium, not enough magnesium), proteolytic enzyme therapy.

Now, if you’ve done all of those and still have some lingering pain, then you might want to try this device… but it would be in my opinion, a mistake to do so beforehand. Get the basics right first, and you likely won’t have to ever get that far… in fact, many people find that all they need to do is use our Lose The Back Pain program to identify and address their muscle imbalances and that gets rid of most of their pain.

Also, as I mentioned in the video, it’s not that this device doesn’t provide some benefit, it can… but it won’t improve you muscle imbalances… it won’t eliminate trigger points… it won’t provide significant decompression of your spine… it won’t improve your nutrition… but it can help you relax and it can provide a gentle stretch. And we have had some customers who wrote in to tel us they tried it and liked it.

But again, if it were me, I’d pass.

Hope you found this review helpful and please feel free to share your thoughts below.

Do This and You’ll Spend the Rest of Your Life in Pain

admin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:09:05 +0000

I’ve been receiving a ton of feedback for my new book, “The 7-Day Back Pain Cure” and as I was reading through it all I was reminded about one very important thing…

And that is, your attitude will determine whether you are ever able to get lasting relief. Let me prove it to you…

Here’s some feedback I received from a reader:

I haven’t finished the book yet, (on page 116) but I’m beginning to get discouraged because you keep talking about how you are going to help my back pain but it consists of buying or getting something else. It’s like a carrot that you can never reach.

Disappointed,
Name withheld to protect the identity of this loser

Yes, I said it… LOSER!

See, we can choose to be winners or we can choose to be losers. Losers like to blame all their problems on other people and outside circumstances and don’t like to take any responsibility over their situation.

Winners on the other hand, are determined to achieve their goals… they don’t blame others, instead they own their situation and take action to fix it or improve it. Getting rid of pain is no different.

Here’s some more proof… more feedback for my book:

Your back pain book is excellent, and I am applying the principles in it to my neck pain. Have also watched several of your online videos, including the inversion one and the neck one. I have bought a funny pillow, am holding myself properly (when I remember!) and trying to remember not to tip my head forward and while driving. Thank you so much for the generous package of CDs and the book, which you surely are sending out at an initial financial loss to yourself.

As for the inversion machine, the far infrared heat pad, the enzymes and the knobby board that punches out trigger points, I am making my own stuff here, hanging upside-down off an exercise chair and over a large exercise ball, using a long bean bag that I heat in our microwave, and lying on a home-made board to get the knots out of my back. If these don’t help, I might have to spring for some of your equipment. Your “global” approach is absolutely right, and many back-pain sufferers are surely thanking you for that. All best to you in your good work, Jesse.
– Susan Bingham

First, thank you Susan… you are a WINNER.

Not only is Susan thankful for the knowledge she’s gained from my book (which again is FREE!) and she is taking action. She’s not complaining that she actually has to do something other than read the book… and she’s being creative to find ways to try to accomplish the same things as various treatment devices like the inversion table, the trigger point system, etc.

Every day that we wake up we get to make choices. I am challenging you to make sure the choices you are making are the choices that a winner makes.

And don’t underestimate the power of this… this is why some people get relief in days or hours and others struggle for years or decades.

Also, if you are offended by this, then get lost. Unsubscribe from our email list and go on being a loser… whining, complaining, blaming others and stay in pain. But I hope you won’t… because I do want to help you, but only IF you want to help yourself and if you are going to be a winner.

One last thing, this subject is certainly worthy of many many hours and this post is simply to point out the difference that attitudes make. I highly encourage you to read the book “The Story of You” by Steve Chandler. It’s an excellent book… and one of my all-time favorites (and I’ve read a ton!). I don’t get anything for recommending it… other than the satisfaction of knowing a few winners will go get his book, read it and use it to improve their lives.

So which are you going to be?

Healthy Back Institute Donates $1198 to Habitat for Humanity

admin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 02:06:42 +0000

We recently made the first of many donations that are part of the launch of my new book, “The 7-Day Back Pain Cure”

Not only are we giving away copies of the book for free, but we are also donating $2 of the shipping fee to one of two great charities: Habitat for Humanity and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital (you choose!).

As you can see, the first donation was $1198 to Habitat for Humanity and while I’m the only one in the picture, our entire team was very excited to be able to make such a large contribution to a great organization like Habitat. We’ll be making another similar donation to St. Jude’s this week.

Thank you so much to everyone who was a part of this. This truly turned out to be a great way to help a lot of people at the same time.

If you have not yet requested your FREE copy of my book, do it now because I’m not sure how much longer we’ll continue to offer it for free. As you hopefully can imagine, we are losing quite a bit of money with this offer.

Click here to reserve your free copy

Your Role in Health Care

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:15:25 +0000

As the debate rages on in Congress over health care reform, one fact remains crystal clear: real health care starts at home, not in the doctor’s office or emergency room.

You see, true health isn’t so much fixing what’s wrong as it is preventing illness and injury through healthy living. And that responsibility lies squarely on the shoulders of each and every one of us.

One fundamental tenant of natural medicine is the recognition of the body’s innate ability to heal itself. So when something goes wrong, we look at what we can do to help the body heal itself naturally as opposed to relying on synthetic drugs and invasive surgery whenever possible.

Every American deserves the right to choose their own healthcare option without governmental interference such as a requirement to visit a “qualified” doctor or to use only “standard” treatments — which may not even be as safe or effective as those offered through natural medicine.

Yes, it takes a bit more self education and a little more effort to take personal responsibility for your own healthcare as opposed to going to a conventional medical doctor, citing a list of symptoms, and driving to the pharmacy to pick up some prescription which only masks those symptoms instead of getting to the root of the problem. But the rewards in better health are worth the investment.

The Missing Link for Health and Well-being – Part 1

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:12:06 +0000

Pros & Cons: Cortisone Injections

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:45:47 +0000

Cortisone shots are given as symptomatic treatment for a wide variety of repetitive stress injuries, arthritis, and other ailments. Commonly the injection consists of a mixture of a corticosteroid anti-inflammatory and a local anesthetic to minimize pain from the injected medicine.

Most cortisone injections are conducted in a doctor office and may take as little as a 10 minute visit. The site of injection is cleaned and may be sprayed with a local anesthetic. Then the needle is inserted directly into the painfully inflamed joint for medicine delivery.

After receiving the shot, one might be advised to minimize use of the joint for 24-48 hours. For example, in the case of a shoulder injection immediate heavy lifting should be avoided. Sometimes a cortisone flare occurs when the cortisone crystallizes which can cause intense pain for up to 48 hours even worse than before the shot.

While rare, severe side effects such as joint infection, nerve damage, and weakening of nearby tendons and bones are possible. More shots increase the risk of severe side effects so many doctors limit the number of injections to three or less. Since cortisone shots offer pain relief for only several weeks and work for only about half of those receiving a shot, they should be considered a treatment aid at best, not a cure.

One approach to avoid using cortisone injections is to systemically minimize inflammation in the body and focus on treating underlying causes of pain and inflammation. That’s one reason cortisone shots don’t work for everyone — sometimes they are attempting to treat the wrong kind of pain.

There are two types of pain, muscular or tissue based pain and nerve based pain. Treating the wrong type of pain may result in no impact on levels of pain. That’s why a proper diagnosis of the underlying conditions leading to inflammation is critical for long-term pain relief.

Pros for cortisone injections:

Can reduce inflammation in localized areas
May relieve pain related to inflammation
May be helpful as part of a broader treatment program

Cons for cortisone injections:

Provides pain relief for only about half of shot recipients
May cause more pain in short term
Can cause severe permanent side effects

Healing Herbs: Ginger

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:38:26 +0000

Ginger has remained synonymous with Asian cooking for thousands of years. Its root spices up oriental stir fry dishes, is eaten pickled with sushi, and lends its unique zesty flavor to gingerbread cookies.

But its remarkable healing properties and widespread availability have made ginger root the most widely used herbal remedy on the planet. Literally billions of people use ginger every day as both food and medicine.

Although used in Asian medicine for over 2,500 years, the powerful healing benefits of ginger have only recently begun to be understood by Western medical practitioners. Clinical studies now prove many of the amazing claims long held by herbalists.

Ginger prevents and relieves nausea

Many mothers use ginger ale for the treatment of upset little tummies. Mom’s remedy has scientific legs to stand on. For example, controlled clinical studies have shown ginger is more effective than Dramamine for treating motion sickness. It has been found to magnify the effects metoclopramide, a common post-operative antinausea drug for increased relief of nausea and vomiting after surgery. And it even relieves nausea from the drug methoxsalen used in certain forms of chemotherapy.

Ginger ends inflammation and pain

Ginger serves as a powerful natural anti-inflammatory and stimulates improved blood circulation. One modern study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and muscular discomfort found taking powdered ginger relieved pain in over 75% of rheumatoid arthritis sufferers and all patients with muscular discomfort benefitted. Pointing to the safety of the medicinal use of ginger compared to steroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, not one patient reported a single adverse side effect by the end of the three year study.

Ginger as an antiparasitic compound

Ginger is frequently served with sushi to combat parasites as well as offer a complementary dish. The chemical zingibain found in ginger dissolves many parasites and their eggs, including the anisakid worm sometimes found in raw fish. Ginger tea has also been found helpful in the treatment of the parasitic disease schistosomiasis contracted by visitors to some lesser developed tropical areas.

Ginger even beats cold and flu symptoms

The ginger compound shagaol kills cold viruses at a concentration found in ordinary raw ginger making ginger an effective cold remedy. Ginger’s pain relieving properties bring relief to flu and strep throat sufferers. As a diaphoretic, ginger even induces sweating to help the body remove toxins and reduce mucous congestion.

And there’s more…

Ginger provides an amazing wealth of healing properties besides those already mentioned. One additional anti-inflammatory effect of ginger is its ability to offset platelet activating factor (PAF) inflammation related to allergies and asthmas caused by chemical changes in the body caused by high fat diets.

PAF combined with high cholesterol is associated with an increased risk of heart attack. Ginger provides heart protection by both inhibiting PAF activity and lowering triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels.

Other uses of ginger, such as protecting the liver from the toxic effects of seizure medicines like Depakene have also been noted.

How to take Ginger

Ginger can be eaten raw, cooked, crystallized or pickled. For medicinal purposes, ginger extract is usually taken in capsule form. This is particularly common for anti-inflammatory purposes where a higher dosage of ginger is required than most people would consume in their daily diet.

Cautions
Moderate use of ginger is considered safe for pregnant or nursing women, though daily intake should be limited to 2-3 grams (2-3 tablespoons of raw ginger or 5-8 tablespoons of cooked ginger), taken over the course of the day.
While ginger is considered very safe, as with any supplement you should consult your doctor first, particularly if taking any prescription medication or suffering from gallstones as ginger can increase the potency of some medicines.

Tim Wakefield’s Back Surgery

admin — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:36:52 +0000

Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield underwent back surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital this week to repair a herniated disc and remove a loose fragment. Many are encouraged to hear early word the back surgery was deemed successful with 4-6 weeks of rehab to begin immediately.

Starting with lower back pain, the pitcher developed weakness in his left leg which led to a season ending limp. All the classic complaints of sciatica, characterized by pain running down the back of the leg, weakness in one or both legs, and even lower back pain.

Interestingly, Tim’s progression from pain and weakness to cortisone shots to back surgery follows a pattern familiar to many back pain sufferers. The good news for those with lower back pain or sciatica — even those with a diagnosed herniated disc — is back surgery is rarely necessary to eliminate back pain. In fact, it should be considered a last resort.

Beating sciatica pain and weakness starts with understanding that sciatica is actually a symptom of a different condition. The four most common conditions leading to sciatica are:

Piriformis syndrome — the most common cause of sciatic pain, where the piriformis muscle places pressure on the sciatic nerve

Herniated disc — a bulging or herniated disc may irritate the sciatic nerve

Spinal stenosis — a narrowing of the spinal canal itself pinches the sciatic nerve

Isthmic spondylolisthesis — a slipped vertebrae may irritate the sciatic nerve during movement as it rubs abnormally against the adjacent vertebrae

Outside of cases of trauma, sciatica almost never develops overnight. While the pain may appear suddenly, the underlying condition usually takes months or years to develop.

Fortunately, most cases of back pain and sciatica pain can be relieved through targeted stretching and strengthening exercises. This non-invasive approach is almost always preferable to back surgery and cortisone shots which don’t treat the actual cause of the condition. Particularly since back surgery is the only category of surgery with a clinical name for failure: failed back surgery!