Take a look at this video to learn about the study results.

The study dealt with people who suffered chronic pain from a variety of causes.

276 chronic pain patients were involved in the study. Vitamin D levels were measured with testing. Vitamin D testing is fairly inexpensive an simple process. Your doctor can check your levels for you. A strong association was found between vitamin D deficiency and the amount of narcotic pain medication that was required. Medications such as morphine and others.

Check out the video for more information.

Vitamin D comes from 3 main sources

• Exposure to the sun
• Food
• Dietary supplements

We will find and post some additional vitamin D videos in the near future. We would love to hear your comments on the pain vitamin D connection. Please use the comment box below to voice your opinion.

Caffeine and Pain

Stiff Neck and Sore Back

Caffeine certainly contributes to pain in my body. I can feel it, oftentimes while drinking a cup of coffee. My neck starts to tighten up, my jaw gets cranky, and the lower back starts to get sore.
Switching to white tea, made a noticeable difference within days. white tea contains less

caffeine than green tea, which has less than black tea, which has much less than coffee. – Especially if it came from Starbucks or some other high end coffee shop.

Inflammation and Muscle Tension

Coffee has been linked to inflammation, which is a factor in pain.
Too much caffeine can lead to muscle tension, which can add to aches and pains.

Not to mention the fact that caffeine clearly contributes to stress. We have all heard about the negative effects of stress. The adrenal glands take a beating, when the caffeine load gets too high.

So the bottom line: Is coffee or tea right for you? These drinks actually do have some health benefits, like antioxidants. And they do come from plants, so coffee could be considered a vegetable.  – It’s a stretch I know…

In another video, I’ll be sharing a simple technique, that will help you determine if caffeiene is right for you, how much and in what form. It’s a dead easy technique, anyone can do at home.

Video

We all know about the kind of inflammation that causes pain. The redness, the pain , the swelling.

In this quick video Dr. Nicholas Perricone, gives us the breakdown on “hidden” inflammation, and what foods to eat to avoid this plague.

Perricone Anti-Inflammatory Diet 

There are foods that cause inflammation, these are called, pro-inflammitory foods, as well as foods that reduce hidden inflammation, these are known as anti-inflammitory.

Sugars, starches and any foods that casue the blood sugar to rise rapidly are the worst offenders. These are known as high-glycemic foods. Most foods made from refined wheat or other grains generally fall into this category.

So what are some of the best food choices? Anti-oidant rich fruits and vegetables. Also foods high in omega 3 fats like, pacific salmon and other cold waer fish.

[amazon-product alink="0000FF" bordercolor="000000" height="240"]0345486498[/amazon-product]

..

Let the Sun Shine In

The human body is easily able to produce vitamin D, when the skin is exposed to the sun. It’s a little more difficult for darker skinned folks, but it still happens. The problem is we tend to spend a lot of time indoors,  or we were a lot of clothes, so very little of our skin gets sun exposure. Also sun screen does not work in our favor, when it comes to vitamin D. In the late fall and winter,  it’s tough to get enough sun exposure, to supply our vitamin D needs. Even in the summer it can be a challenge for people who still need to spend a lot of time indoors, or use a lot os sunscreen.

Supplements to the Rescue

The good news is you can get vitamin D from supplements. There are some foods that contain vitamin D, including vitamin D fortified foods. This however may not be enough for some people. Most multi-vitamin formulas contain some vitamin D, but again for some people, this may not be enough. Extra vitamin D may be needed. Warning: Too Much Vitamin D Can be Toxic. That’s why it’s important to have your Vitamin D levels checked. A blood test will tell you right where you are at. Then you can make an intelligent decision about how much to take, without overdosing.

Tell Us Your Story

If you are taking vitamin D and have had some success at improving your chronic pain let us know about it. Use the comment form below to tell us your story. We would also like to hear your opinion on the benefits of sunshine.