Keeping Inflammation at Bay

According to the CDC, "an estimated 50 million adults in the United States reported being told by a doctor that they have some form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia... and By 2030, an estimated 67 million Americans ages 18 years or older are projected to have doctor-diagnosed arthritis."

....Woah!


Whether this applies directly to you or not, you can surely relate to having stiff or achy joints, tendonitis, bursitis, or simply feeling "puffy". Many have long suspected that excluding certain food groups from your diet may help to alleviate inflammation symptoms. Here's the beauty in all of this... there's really no risk in trying. 

The following are some suspected culprits of inducing inflammation:

Nightshade Plants

Plants which are part of the "Nightshade" family contain a chemical alkaloid called solanine, which can trigger pain in some people. There is no formal research findings to support the claim that these cause inflammation, but avoiding these plants is widely regarded as a holistic approach to inflammation and pain management associated with arthritis and fibromyalgia. Understanding that dietary changes will often affect individuals in different ways is extremely important. Most sources recommend cutting out night shade plants for 2-3 weeks and observing the results for yourself. If it works, you've found some relief. If nothing changes... have eggplant parm for dinner the next night?

Try avoiding the following for 2-3 weeks:

Eggplant

Tomatoes

Peppers

Potatoes

(Surprisingly ok: sweet potatoes!)

Dairy

Dairy allergies are caused by an overreaction of the immune system to the whey and casein proteins found in cow's milk. Because your immune system sees the proteins as dangerous, the body produces histamine and other chemicals to attack the allergen which in turn causes inflammation. The tissue between your joints becomes inflamed, placing pressure on the surrounding areas, which causes pain.

 On a personal note, I have always been a big "fan" of dairy products. I was raised on a big glass of milk every day, and continued on that path up until one year ago. I temporarily cut out dairy to prove to a friend of mine (another personal trainer) that dairy was not adversely affecting me. The bummer was, I felt GREAT once I cut it out. I also cut out processed carbohydrates at the same time, which no doubt helped as well. I dropped a cool 7lbs in a few weeks. I have since added some dairy back into my diet (I love it too much!), but have cut back considerably. Before you start chastising me about calcium, it can be found in such a wide range of non-dairy products that it is simply a non-issue.

From the New York State Department of Health:

http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/conditions/osteoporosis/pyramid.htm

So What CAN I Eat?

• Aim for variety (make your plate as colorful as possible, that's always a good place to start)
• Include as much fresh food as possible.
• Minimize your consumption of processed foods and fast food.
• Eat an abundance of fruits and vegetables.
• Get your recommended daily amount of fiber (between 20-35g depending on age and gender).

(These should be no-brainers!)

Some foods and spices to try adding to your diet:

Omega 3 Fats (Fish Oil -- Salmon, is great)

Spices like Cumin, Cayenne Pepper, Turmeric, Cinnamon

Almonds, Hazelnuts and Brazil Nuts 

Garlic

Ginger

These spices and foods have been rumored to have anti-inflammatory properties and can easily be added into your daily routine. Cinnamon is great in coffee and has been used around the world to treat issues ranging from indigestion to menstrual cramps, may help regulate blood sugar, lower LDL cholesterol, and may increase cognition and improve memory. 

Seriously, just sprinkle some in your coffee already!

Closing Thoughts

If inflammation, pain, arthritis, joint aches, or fibromyalgia are a concern for you, or if you're simply interested in exploring some new dietary options, there is not much to lose with a short experiment in food group exclusion. Three weeks is not a long time in the grand scheme of things. Worst comes to worst, you cave in and eat that grilled cheese sandwich, right?

Helpful Links:

Center for Food Allergies

http://www.centerforfoodallergies.com/

LiveStrong.com

http://www.livestrong.com/article/437115-dairy-products-that-cause-joint-inflammation-pain/

Arthritis Nightshades Research Foundation

http://www.noarthritis.com/

New York State Department of Health: Calcium Sources

http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/conditions/osteoporosis/pyramid.htm

5 Tips for Keeping your New Year's Resolution

1. Be Realistic
Setting the bar too high can set you up for failure right out of the gate. Assess your current situation and make goals that are attainable. Sure, you'll often hear me say nothing is impossible. Could you do a Couch-to-Marathon rally? Sure, it's possible, but is it probable? If the answer is yes then by all means, cash in your gift cards for some new sneakers. It's important to be honest with yourself.

This is Mt. Everest. Maybe not a realistic goal.

(If climbing Everest is your goal, I apologize...)

2.Tell Everyone
Everyone! Tell your friends, family, co-workers. Find an online forum and tell everyone on there too. This is a perfect opportunity to tell all your Facebook friends something that perhaps they didn't care to know (payback for all those times you read about what someone else had for lunch).

If your goal is a certain event - maybe a 5k Fun Run, maybe a Triathlon or anything in between, consider raising funds for a charity. Knowing that others are counting on you will help you stay motivated and on track. I competed in the 2010 Lobsterman Triathlon and raised money for the AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention). Knowing those donations were riding on my participation kept me honest all summer long during my training, and even helped me through the toughest parts of the race. In the end, everybody wins (except maybe your legs for the next 2 days).

Friends and family will not only hold you accountable, but if you're surrounded by the right kind of people, they'll also support you through whatever goal you choose.

3.Find a Buddy
...which brings me to my next point - don't go it alone! Commit to a goal and commit to someone else. Bodybuilding.com has some Helpful Tips For Choosing the Right Workout Partner. You can motivate each other through the entire process.

Picture it: It's a cold snowy February night. 7:15pm. You've been home from work for a few hours, dinner was served and enjoyed. Kids are settled in. Spouse is gearing up for some Must-See-TV. Do you really feel like going to the gym or to that class you signed up for? There's a serious chance you do not, but your workout buddy is already in her car on her way and you can NOT leave her hanging!

Tip - not all friends make good training partners. If you know you will enable each other to take a night off, pick a different partner, or make it a trio with someone who will keep both of you honest.

p.s. Babies and dogs don't count!

4.Write a Plan - Set Checkpoints and Deadlines
We all know it's true - by March chances are you've completely fallen off the resolution bandwagon. Maybe April 1st is the perfect time to schedule that 5k? (hint hint: Run for the Troops 5k Run/Walk is scheduled for Sunday April 1st, 2012 in Andover... and Oxygen's getting a team together).

Weight loss goals? Mark dates on your calendar - have someone hold you to monthly weigh ins and measurements to keep you on your toes.

If you leave your goal to "this summer" or "this fall" it will quickly turn into "next summer" and "next fall".

5. Plan a Reward
There are a few rules here. If your goal is weight loss related, please refrain from a food-related goal! It seems logical in a way, but as many of you know my opinion on dietary changes revolves heavily around sustainable lifestyle changes and not crazy one-time diets where you lose a crap-ton of weight and then gain it all back after your "reward" trip to the all-you-can-eat chocolate buffet at the Langham Hotel in Boston.

Perhaps there is a certain piece of clothing that you would love to wear if you were to meet your weight loss goal?

Maybe there is an active vacation you'd like to take if only you had the endurance and stamina.

Make it something truly enjoyable!

Oh... and you'd think this would be a given (but trust me people, I've heard it all): if you don't meet your goal you don't get the reward!!