Blog & Videos

Should You Get An MRI for Your Pain?

Most medical providers overuse the MRI technology.  Now before you or I jump to conclusions, I will say  that MRI and diagnostic imaging is important, there are times that it should be used, and you can get a lot of information from these images.

That being said, when you get injured the standard of care should be (and is) that you seek care first.  Essentially, you don’t just jump right into imaging an area.  First of all, its expensive.  Not only do you have to cover the costs of the imaging but the healthcare system has to cover the costs as well.  Seeking care and treatment first can often heal your pain, problem, and dysfunction.  As a result, if you “Fix” your problem then you not are only feeling better but you avoid excessive, unnecessary, and expensive procedures.

Realistically, you should wait and have had professional care for at least 4-8 weeks.  If after that time, then you should consider (notice I said consider) the possibility of the testing.  Symptoms or red flags such as worsening pain, increasing problems, traumas, progressive neurological changes should likely achieve or warrant such examination.

The truth is that many if not most people will get better and heal within time and with professional care.  That is the truth and stick with it!

Moving the Great Toe For Foot Health

The great toe is called “The Great Toe” for good reason.  It is where we place a lot force that transitions into and through that area.  Toe injuries occur in a lot of people such as dancers, those athletes that sprint, martial artists, diabetics, and especially those with bunions or those wear heels and other restrictive footwear.

Use this mobilization to flex and extend through a range of motion and when you find that end range of restriction you can hold it there to help improve the foot mobility.  Foot injuries can make it difficult to transition and compensation can lead to other areas of the joint becoming overworked.  Commonly if the foot is not working properly you can likely see hip and or low back pain begin to occur.

Keep that foot and great toe mobile, happy, and healthy!

Should You Get Cortisone Injections For Your Pain?

Cortisone injections are steroid injections that help reduce pain.  They are commonly injected into the joints such as the ankle, knee, hip, lower back, elbow and shoulder.  The primary goal of these injections are to provide an anti-inflammatory approach.

The reduction in inflammation is associated with a suppressant of the immune system which will reduce the whole inflammatory process itself.  Sometimes the shot can help fairly immediately and other times it it may take 2-3 shots.

Doctors and other medical professionals do not recommend more than 3 shots within the 6 week period and cortisone has bone destructive properties and it can also negatively effect the cartilage growth and ability to heal.

The biggest problem with cortisone is that when you continue to obtain this shot, you are not ever learning how to fix this problem.  Why do you still have it?  What is the cause of the pain?  If you get out of pain with a shot, most people will not do their exercises, stretches, etc to help improve stability and overall body function! As a result, they never fix the problem and the shot becomes a temporary solution.

Most people think “no pain no problem” which is absolutely untrue!  So overall, a shot will not fix a problem but it can certainly help reduce the pain and there is a place in the world for that. Nothing will beat hard work, and learning how to move your body in a better position and space!

The Biggest Paleo Mistake

Man I love the Paleo Diet!  It preaches whole foods, lean meats, lots of veggies, and has an anti-inflammatory approach to healing from the inside out.  Not to mention they preach movement, exercise, etc.

Straight shooting right now there is ONE big mistake I see within Paleo and that is SUGAR!  While many sugars are considered added and you should avoid in Paleo, they do not shun or discourage honey or black strap molasses.

So whats the big deal?

Sugar is sugar and in the Paleo diet we use good quality foods but then add a bunch of sugar to make them more tasty and palatable.  The end problem is that even though we get more micronutrients from “Healthier” sugar, the same metabolic effect occurs from the stimulation of sugar.  This spikes our blood sugar levels, insulin levels, and can lead to metabolic syndrome, cancer, diabetes, etc.

Now I am not saying that some is not good for you but I am just saying in the Paleo diet I see too many people go overboard on the use of “natural sugar.”  Try and set a limit for your daily sugar intake (added sugar) to about 20-30 grams per day and see how your health changes.

The Number One Keto Mistake

The Keto Diet is a “Diet” that focuses on eating more fat and protein while keeping lower intake of sugar and carbohydrates so that you can burn fat for fuel.  Using ketones has been demonstrated and many report a feeling of mental clarity and other improvements such as bursts of energy.

Although The Keto Diet is said to promote good quality foods, high fiber and vegetable intake I see a lot of my patients trying this with some ups and downs.  The number one mistake I see in The Keto Diet is poor quality food choices.  I know its weird to say that after stating that what the diets intentions are but its just what I see.

People think that since you have lower carbs and you need to eat higher fat and protein that its okay just to grab any meat choice.  Example, instead of eating 2 slices of bacon, many report eating 4-5 and breakfast sausage.  While there has not been any crime committed here, the quality of the meat sources could definitely be better.

When doing this diet or any diet, I urge to switch your thought process to a lifestyle change that encourages sustainability and healthier options.  Just because you can eat more fat doesn’t mean you should choose a lower selection of quality.

How Much Fiber Do You Need?

Fiber is an insoluble carbohydrate.  This means that you will not be able to digest it and fiber will slow down the amount of sugar that is released from a fruit or vegetable.

Fiber is critical in the diet.  Aside from slowing sugar intake, it helps with movement of the stool and there is evidence that it reduces the risk of colon cancer.  Additionally, it is very important for overall gut health as the little microscopic bacteria that live in your gut actually need this to thrive.

There are two types of fiber.  First, soluble fiber is fiber that breaks down and becomes jelly like substance found in fruits and vegetables as well as legumes.  Insoluble does not get broken down like that jelly like substance but rather is used to add bulk to the stool and it absorbs water.

Fiber is found in fruits and vegetables and more often found in vegetables.

The average person gets about 11g of fiber and women should have about 20-25 grams of fiber and men should have 35-40 grams of fiber.