pain

‘Putting up’ fall foods

September 9, 2022

Integrative Internal Medicine Physician, Farmer, and Food-Lover Dr. Kate Shafto teaches us how to make our fall harvest last throughout the winter.

As summer wanes and signs of fall arrive, my attention turns to how I can honor the bounty of summer’s harvest and preserve it for the winter months ahead.

I did not grow up with this tradition, though I vaguely recall an awareness that some people in rural Tennessee, where I was born, spent time canning, preserving and “putting up” food for the winter. I have chosen to learn these skills in recent years as a way to align my family’s lifestyle with our values of respect for the earth, reducing food waste (and packaging and food costs), having more connection to our food and eating as locally as possible for as much of the year as possible. (more…)

Moving beyond opioids to complementary and integrative services for chronic pain care

January 28, 2021

In 2018, two million people in the US suffered from an opioid use disorder and more than 130 people died every day from opioid-related drug overdoses. This remains an ongoing problem and as a result, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced a plan to combat the opioid crisis. This plan focuses on prioritizing the advancement of better practices for pain management and improving access to these therapies and services. (more…)

1 in 10 Women: Endometriosis

December 13, 2019

If you have actually heard about endometriosis then you are already more informed than most about this devastating condition that effects roughly 10% of reproductive age females. This means approximately 200 hundred million women’s lives around the world are impacted by this potentially disabling condition. According to the Endometriosis Foundation of America, “Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) migrates outside of the womb, where tissue should not be.” This results in inflammation, which produces pain and sometimes infertility.

I want to focus more on what endometriosis is not, as opposed to what it is. This approach brings about a more interesting discussion by revealing the immense opportunity we have as health practitioners (and as a society) to intervene early, potentially effecting the trajectory of a young person’s life. (more…)

Falling is not a normal part of aging

October 6, 20171

By Julie Philbrook, RN, DNP, MAN, MAL

Falls are the leading cause of trauma-related injury and death among those age 65 and older. Every year, more than 2.3 million non-fatal fall injuries among older adults are treated in emergency departments in the US resulting in more than 734,000 patients being hospitalized. The direct medical costs for falls in the senior population total over $34 billion. Twenty to thirty percent of people who fall suffer moderate to severe injuries, such as lacerations, hip fractures or traumatic brain injuries. Even if no injuries occur after a fall, many people develop a fear of falling, which in turn often causes them to limit their activities. This can result in reduced mobility and loss of physical conditioning, subsequently increasing their risk of falling.

Research has proven that the risk of falling decreases when seniors take part in educational programs, which teach exercises that target building strength and maintaining balance. These programs also address other fall-related topics, including, the effects medications can have on balance, sleep, mental alertness, the role a change in vision plays in the risk of falls, and safety in and around the home environment. (more…)

Is your pain weather sensitive?

September 28, 2017

With chilly autumn rains coming, some people have a tendency to blame the changing weather on certain aches and pains that they feel. Pain may be in joints, muscles, back, neck or in bones. It’s important to talk to your doctor about pain – it shouldn’t be embarrassing, especially if it feels severe, persistent and lasts for more than a few weeks. In fact, it could be something diagnosable and treatable. It could be time to see a rheumatologist. (more…)