| Welcome to this first article. . The purpose is to | | | | hidden sugars, e.g. sauces and breads. |
| provide you with accurate information and research | | | | Include all treats and processed foods consumed. If |
| on arthritis and pain. | | | | you accept that sugar equals pain, the more sugar |
| As a Naturopath who specializes in pain treatments | | | | you eat the more pain you will experience. I know it |
| and a sufferer of pain, some self imposed through | | | | can be hard to give up your much loved snacks, |
| years of sports and some through natural wear and | | | | especially if they are part of your stress |
| tear, I am well versed in the various expressions of | | | | management. We often eat to feel happier. |
| pain. | | | | The first step is to reduce your sugar intake, don't |
| In coming articles I will review the latest research plus | | | | try to stop everything all at once, it may be too |
| 23 years of direct clinical experience. In time I will be | | | | stressful. Start to introduce more fruit and nuts. |
| able to direct you to exact exercises which will | | | | Watch out for hidden sugars in so called healthy |
| reduce your pain. | | | | foods. |
| The first tip is to review your sugar consumption. I | | | | A common problem is to swap sugar for aspartame |
| discovered the sugar and pain connection in the mid | | | | which will only cause you more problems. There are |
| 80's. Every Tuesday I would have take away chicken | | | | currently multiple class actions against aspartame. |
| for lunch and a well known soda, which contained a | | | | Safe alternatives are Stevia or Xyotol which you can |
| large amount of sweetener. It took me a few | | | | purchase at any health food shop. |
| weeks to connect increased knee pain on my | | | | In the next article we will further discuss dietary |
| Tuesday walk with the high sugar intake. | | | | changes you can make to reduce your pain. After all |
| Years later I learned of the clear biochemical | | | | what is the point of taking pharmaceutical or natural |
| connection between sugar and pain. It doesn't matter | | | | medicines if the food you are consuming daily is |
| whether the sweetener is sugar or corn syrup the | | | | feeding your pain. |
| pain result is the same. Sugar is a direct driver of | | | | An important question to ask yourself is how does |
| inflammation in the body. The best way of accessing | | | | this pain affect my life and what am I prepared to |
| your sugar intake is to keep a food & snacks | | | | do to gain relief. Don't forget that by reducing your |
| diary for at least one week. | | | | sugar or corn syrup consumption you will also reduce |
| You don't need to measure the sugar, just list the | | | | your likelihood of obesity diabetes and cardiovascular |
| sweet foods. You may be surprised at the amount | | | | disease. As usual with health issues one action or one |
| of sugar consumed. Whatever amount you think you | | | | problem will often have a flow on effect. |
| are consuming it is probably 30% higher because of | | | | |