Happy Feet, Healthy Body?

Most of us don’t spend a lot of time focusing on our feet if they’re not giving us any real problems.  Sure, if you’ve been standing all day you might notice some aching, but if you’re having hip pain, you’re not likely to go looking to your feet for an answer.

You should though!

Our feet are our foundation, they get us from place to place and allow us to stay upright.  Through a series of bones, tendons and muscles they are connected to the entirety of our body.  Thus, when structural problems arise in the foot, it can cause pain in the knees, hips, back and even neck and shoulders!

Visiting a podiatrist and/or a chiropractor can give you more insight to your foot health.  They can evaluate how well balanced your feet are, how much your arch has fallen (if it has, and most people have some loss of arch as they age.), and what methods would be best to increase your foot health.  (Including orthotics, foot exercises, better shoe types, etc.)

So next time you’re in pain and don’t know why, consider getting your feet checked out!  Until then, apply a bit of Sore No More to your problem areas to sooth that pain away.

*Sore No More! is not a licensed physician. All information on this blog is researched by our staff and is subject to inaccuracies. No information found here should be used in the place of advice from your doctor. * Sore No More 150 East Center Street Moab, Utah 84532 Tel: (435) 259-5931 Toll Free: (800) 842-6622 www.sorenomore.com

Foods That Can Help You Feel Better Part I

We’ve discussed the correlation between food and pain here on the Sore No More blog before.  In this post we talked about how to combat inflammation through diet.    

Today we’re going to take a look at a few foods that might actually help decrease pain and increase the function of your body.

Leafy Green Veggies;

These are rich in calcium that is fantastic for building bone strength.  This is useful if you have a bone malady such as osteoarthritis, but strengthening bones can also help to combat musculo-skeletal ailments and will promote healing.

Oranges;

“By analysing the diets of over 25,000 individuals a team from the University of Manchester, UK found that those with beta-cryptoxanthin in their diet (found in oranges, apricots, nectarines, tangerines, papaya, peaches, plums, and watermelon) were less likely to develop painful inflammatory joint conditions1. The research, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, said that as little as a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice was enough to make a difference. “  {Source}

(Did you know that orange peel extract is also an ingredient in Sore No More?)

Cayenne Pepper;

The active compound in cayenne pepper is Capsaicin, which you may recognize as being one of the active ingredients in Sore No More! But did you know it can actually help combat joint inflammation and improve circulation from inside your body as well? So if you enjoy spicy food, rest assured that you’re doing your aches and pains a favor.  

Enjoy some of these foods that are good for your body, inside and out and stay tuned for future segments about foods that can help rid you of pain!

*Sore No More! is not a licensed physician. All information on this blog is researched by our staff and is subject to inaccuracies. No information found here should be used in the place of advice from your doctor. * Sore No More 150 East Center Street Moab, Utah 84532 Tel: (435) 259-5931 Toll Free: (800) 842-6622 www.sorenomore.com

How Dehydration Makes You Hurt

The human body is more than 55% water.

Water is VITAL to most of the body’s functions.  So why are most of us not optimally hydrated?

How does dehydration affect your level of pain?   Dehydrated muscles won’t function as well as hydrated ones.  Hydration plays an important role in circulation which is vital to muscle movement.  Being poorly hydrated can results in more lengthy muscle soreness, as muscles try to heal themselves and can also contribute to muscle cramping.

Being dehydrated can also cause headaches.  Keep in mind next time you’ve got a headache after having a few cups of coffee and it might not be a caffeine headache, it might be a dehydration headache!

You should drink half your body weight in ounces of water every day.

• In example: If you way 150lbs, you should be drinking 75oz of water daily.  
• That’s 9.4 8oz glasses of water.   
• 8oz of water is equivalent to a measuring cup full of water.
• Most standard sized kitchen glasses are 16oz.

Next time you’re experiencing muscle pain or headaches, after you’ve applied your Sore No More, drink an extra glass of water to help your body function its best and stay pain free!

{Sources: One, Two, Three}

Combating Inflammation Through Diet

Last week we discussed what inflammation is, as well as how it can cause us pain. It is widely believed that inflammation can be managed, if not controlled based on what we put in our bodies. This is where the “anti-inflammatory” diet comes into play.
There are an abundance of resources available on the topic of the anti-inflammatory diet (see the end of the article) and many variations of it. For today's purposes we're going to limit our exploration to foods that can irritate inflammation and those that are considered to be non-irritating, or helpful at decreasing inflammation.

Foods that May Irritate Inflammation
We have many options available to us these days for sustenance. Many of these options are tasty and quick, appealing to society's 'on the go' lifestyle. Unfortunately these foods can be major culprits on inflammation. Processed foods are under a great deal of scrutiny for the role that many believe they play in facilitating inflammation. Examples of processed foods that should be avoided are; processed meats (hot dogs, pre-packaged lunch meats, etc.), products that are high in simple, processed sugars (candy, soda, etc.), Trans fats, partially hydrogenated oils, and processed/refined flours. One or more of these can be found in many accepted snack foods on the market today. To avoid them, one must research the foods they regularly consume and become accustomed to reading labels while visiting the supermarket.

Anti inflammatory Foods
With so many foods harboring suspect ingredients on the market, it's hard to make health-conscientious decisions to reduce pain in your life. Fortunately there are anti inflammatory foods out there that are relatively easy to find. First and foremost, Omega 3 fatty acids are vital to the anti inflammatory diet. Omega 3's can be found in supplements in the form of fish or flax oil, and can also be found in fish and many nuts (walnuts are a great Omega 3 food.)
Phytochemicals are also considered by many to play an important role in the anti inflammatory diet. These are found in plant foods and can be obtained by consuming a diet that is high in a variety of fresh fruits and veggies.
It's also important to consider what kind of foods you are eating. A diet that is varied and has and abundance of fresh produce, whole grains, and healthy fats is going to increase your chances if reducing inflammation.

It is well-accepted that the health of your body can be improved by being mindful of what you put in it. Wouldn't it be nice if you could decrease the amount of pain you live with daily just by changing a few of your food choices?

*Please consult your physician before making any major changes to your health routine. Always inform your physician of supplements that you may be taking or dietary changes you have made.*

Tonight, why don't you apply some Sore No More! to your problem areas and settle in to watch your favorite movie with a healthy bowl of lentils and rice?

To learn more about the anti inflammatory diet please visit the following links:
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02012/anti-inflammatory-diet
http://nutrition.about.com/od/dietsformedicaldisorders/a/antiinflamfood_2.htm
http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/anti-inflammatory-diet-road-to-good-health?page=3
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/healthy/news/diet_antiinflammatory
http://www.level1diet.com/
http://www.thedietchannel.com/Anti-Inflammatory-Diets.htm
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=the+Antiinflammatory+diet&x=0&y=0





Sore No More
150 East Center Street
Moab, Utah 84532

Tel: (435) 259-5931
Toll Free: (800) 842-6622
www.sorenomore.com

What's Up with Inflammation?

PART I

What is Inflammation?

According to to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, inflammation is “a local response to cellular injury that is marked by capillary dilatation, leukocytic infiltration, redness, heat, and pain and that serves as a mechanism initiating the elimination of noxious agents and of damaged tissue.” That means that when your body is faced with a stressor (infection, irritation, etc.) your immune system sends out droves of white blood cells and chemicals to protect you from further damage. Inflammation is characterized by swelling, heat, redness, pain, and dysfunction of the affected part of the body.

Sometimes the immune system attacks healthy tissues in the body. This is referred to as an autoimmune disorder. Examples of autoimmune disorders include asthma, allergies, rheumatoid arthritis, tendinitis, lupus and many more. These disorders can be inconvenient and often painful for individuals who suffer from them and can severely impact their quality of life. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder in which chronic pain is a result of inflammation.

Now that you have a basic understanding of inflammation we can discuss some preventative measures that can be taken to decrease inflammation and encourage added comfort in your day to day life. Check back next week for Part II: “Combating Inflammation through Diet.”

More information on inflammation and autoimmune disfunction can be found from the following sources:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/
http://www.medterms.com/
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/symptoms/Inflammation/
http://www.achooallergy.com/chronic-inflammation-disease.asp
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000816.htm
http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/conditions/autoimmune.html

Sore No More! Pain Relieving Gel can help with the tenderness caused by inflammation. Put a couple of tablespoons in a bath tonight and enjoy a good night of sleep!

Sore No More
150 East Center Street
Moab, Utah 84532

Tel: (435) 259-5931
Toll Free: (800) 842-6622
www.sorenomore.com