Recommendation - Trigger Point Roller

Ingrid and I stopped by REI last weekend looking for some deals and saw 20% off on a type of trigger point roller from TriggerPoint Performance that I had not tried yet - so we splurged.  The roller is essentially a foam version of a roller used in a kitchen with grooves and ribs that "promote blood flow".  What I don't like about this roller is that it has limited leverage uses, meaning it takes quite a bit of force to roll down your muscles.  In the initial trial period, I did not observe any benefit when using this on my neck, back, or quads.  However, despite the effort it takes to use, I have found this particular trigger point tool superior to any tool or method used to date on my lower legs and hamstrings.  If these are your trouble areas, I recommend giving this tool a try.

Allergen-Free Recipe - Savory Chickpea Crepes (Socca)

In searching for gluten-free alternatives to bread, I've been exploring an amazingly diverse realm of flatbreads from cuisines around the the world.  One of those flatbreads is Socca, which is made from the amazing chickpea.  We use this like a wrap - my favorite preparation is to put some stewed greens and night-shade free sloppy Joe inside.  You will never miss inflammatory foods again!

INGREDIENTS:


1 - 1/2 c. Water
1 c. Garbonzo Bean Flour
1/2 Tsp. Salt
Olive Oil (or butter substitute)

Makes 10 - 6" Crepes

INSTRUCTIONS:

(1) Combine all ingredients in a bowl or blender.  Mix until thoroughly incorporated.

(2) Heat crepe pan (or a non-stick pan - I often use a large cast iron pan) over medium to medium/low heat.

(3) Once the pan is hot, brush olive oil (or butter substitute) into the pan and pour a thin coat of the batter into the pan, swirling the pan around until the batter is spread evenly on the bottom.

(4) Once the crepe has cooked enough to solidify (the top will loose its sheen) flip and allow to briefly cook on the other side.

(5) Remove from the pan and adorn with your favorite condiment.  Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all crepes have been made.

The Domestic Man

One day, while browsing through some internet headlines I ran across a story about Russ Crandall, a seemingly healthy guy who out of the blue had a stroke at the age of 24.  After an in depth recovery period followed by additional health complications, Russ was ultimately diagnosed with Takayasu’s Arteritis, a narrowing of pulmonary arteries caused by inflammation.  After years of drug therapy and then surgery, without resolution, Russ ultimately turned to diet - specifically, the Paleo diet, which has helped him significantly.  Russ now runs a blog called the domestic man, a blog in homage to his new Paleo lifestyle (click here for Russ's blog).   

Russ's story is one that I encounter ever more frequently in my journey through alternative health - inflammation caused by diet is one of the most common threads.  I am not convinced that a Paleo diet is right for everyone (eggs and nuts, two common food allergens are prominent features of the Paleo diet) - but it is certainly the right choice for a number of people.  If you are having health issues and are interested in exploring diet, check out my elimination diet (click here).

Experimenting with Diet - The Grain Brain Diet (Part II), One Week and Counting

My first experience with the Grain Brain Diet about a year ago helped me to loose twenty pounds that I have managed to keep off.  However, due to my other dietary restrictions and health issues at the time that experience with the Grain Brain diet ultimately proved to have consequences that were not sustainable over the long-term.  Fast forward to about two weeks ago when Ingrid announced that she wanted to go on a sugar free diet.  Sugar has been gaining a bad reputation in recent years -  being blamed for the nations obesity epidemic, being called toxic by prominent physicians, and now being blamed, in part, for neurodegenerative disease.  With the mounting evidence against sugar, Ingrid and I have significantly cut down on the sugar in our normal diets - including foregoing traditional starches at meal times.  But what does it mean to go on a truly sugar free diet?  For starters, misery.

On the Grain Brain Diet, get ready to eat a lot of these...

Savory Chick Pea Crepe

As of Tuesday of this week, Ingrid and I were at one week and counting on the Grain Brain diet.  Our alternative culinary acumen has become significantly improved since my original experience, so we pulled out all the stops.  For starters, chickpeas are allowed unadulterated on the Grain Brain Diet - so we've experimented heavily with chickpea crepes (Socca, from France, or Pudla from India) - often using it like a side or wrap but also using it like Injera, the Ethiopian flat bread, tearing pieces off to scoop up bites of stewed meat and veg.  Granted, I am still minimizing dairy, nuts, and eggs - but smart preparation this time has made that less of an issue.  I now have a tried and true recipe for sugar-free sunflower seed butter, which has provided an excellent source of fat and nutrients, and I've expanded my cooking techniques somewhat to provide added flavor in a number of ways, including using Yakitori style cooking to add quick smoky grill flavor to our chicken, middle eastern/Asian influence to make a diet friendly Fried Calamari, finally using some beef bones we've had stored for too long to make beef bone broth, and good old American Ingenuity to make a diet-friendly pizza on a cauliflower and sunflower seed crust (not shown).  Ingrid even found somewhere on the web (sorry, I have no idea where) that had a Grain Brain bread (has a lot of eggs). 

Chicken Yakitori

Sunflower Seed Butter

Fried Calamari w/ Lemon

Grain Brain Bread

The good news is that both Ingrid and I are both satiated with our meals - and on less food as advertised.  But oh the misery.  The side effects of the diet that I have personally experienced include headaches (first three days), dry mouth (no matter how much water I drink), nausea, constipation, and fatigue.  I cut out all but meat and veg for two days without improvement.  Several websites that I have consulted about these symptoms identify them as typical symptoms for people on a low carb diet - however, the recommended corrections have not produced improvements in some of most of my symptoms as of today (day nine).  On the weight front, no improvement.  I monitor my weight daily (at the same time of day) and have alternately lost and gained weight with zero net change.  As of right now, the downsides definitely out weight the perceived benefits.  I'm going to stick with it for a couple more days and reevaluate.

Incidentally, most of the recipes on the recipes page (but not all, so read the ingredients) are on the grain brain diet.  Find the recipes page on the right-hand side of the blog under "pages" or click here to be taken directly to the recipes page:  Alternative Road Recipes Page.

To read about my first experience with the Grain Brain Diet, click here.

Allergen-Free Recipe - Sugar-Free Sunflower Seed Butter

Toasted sunflower seeds are one of the brilliant additions to peanut and tree nuts free diet  Likewise, sunflower seed butter is a great substitution for peanut butter or almond butter.  I like to make my own to control the ingredients.  This sugar-free version is perfect for anyone wanting to try the Grain Brain Diet who also has an aversion to nuts.
  

3 C. Sunflower Seeds (or roasted sunflower seeds)
1/4 c. Avocado Oil (or other neutral-tasting oil)
Salt


(1) If using raw sunflower seeds, dry toast sunflower seeds in a pan over low heat.  Make sure you continue to stir the sunflower seeds during toasting so that they do not burn.

(2) Place all ingredients in a high power blender (salted to taste) and blend while tamping for 1 minute (or follow your blender's instructions).

Experimenting with Diet - The Grain Brain Diet (Part I)

Late one night, as I flipped through the TV channels, I saw a program on NPR called Grain Brain.   The speaker was a neurologist, Dr. David Perlmutter who advocates a diet devoid of gluten, carbohydrates, and sugars and high in cholesterol and certain kinds of fats as preventative measures and/or treatment for a variety of neurological diseases (including but not limited to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Dementia).  A portion of his advocacy - dietary restriction - is based on scientific research that shows that the brains of patients with neurological disease show increased markers of inflammation specifically attributable to two sources - gluten and sugar (including simple carbohydrates).  The remaining portion of his advocacy - dietary inclusion and supplementation - is based on research showing that fats and cholesterol are key elements to maintaining excellent brain health and low inflammation.  The overall effect of the diet puts the body into a ketogenic state, where the body transitions from burning glucose for energy to burning fat for energy.

I tried the Grain Brain diet about a year ago while in the midst of horrible nausea.  The experience was fairly difficult and with mixed results.  For starters, eggs, nuts, and dairy - three key components of the grain brain diet - were on my do not eat list.  Without these items, the available fats were severely limited - ultimately leading to me to unconventional and unappealing methods of obtaining fats (e.g. eat coconut oil straight from the jar).  After a few days of fatigue and starvation, I ultimately added nuts into my diet, which propped up my energy level and kept me satiated but added new digestive distress.  I maintained the Grain Brain diet for two months before adding grains back.

Ultimately, I lost about twenty pounds over that span - a great success - but without improvement in the nausea (which I ultimately tracked down to a side effect of the Flexoril that I was taking at the time) or other tangible benefits.  My takeaway from the diet from this experience was ultimately indiscernible (as my existing nausea may have skewed the weight loss or prevented realization of other benefits)...which is why I jumped on the chance to joint my wife in the diet last week.  As this experiment is not yet completed, I reserve ultimate judgement for another post.  More to come in Part II.  

The theories of the Grain Brain Diet are fascinating.  My father, a physician, looked into the medical community's perspective on the Grain Brain theories and ultimately noted that treatment of neurological diseases (with the exception of epilepsy) through these methods has not provided consistent results. That is not to say that they have not provided inconsistent results - meaning they may be applicable to a certain percentage of the population.  If you are interested in the Grain Brain diet, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Grain Brain.
  

Allergen-Free Recipe - Spinach w/ Garlic

If ever a spinach dish could be called luxurious, this is it.  Rich, smooth, and flavorful, this dish works well as a side dish or as a spread on a sandwich.  And its super simple...

Spinach w/ Garlic

INGREDIENTS:

6 Cloves Garlic
1/4 c. Olive Oil
1 lb. Baby Spinach
Salt

INSTRUCTIONS: 

(1)  Mince Garlic. 

(2) Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Add garlic and allow to infuse in the oil for approx. a minute.

(3) Chop baby spinach and add to the pan.  Allow to cook for approx. 10 minutes.  Season to taste with salt. 

If You Are Suffering From... The Flu (Influenza)

The flu is highly contagious virus that spread through contact with infected bodily fluids.  The virus spreads rapidly throughout the body and, aside from specific antiviral medication (like Tamiflu), is only eradicated by your body's immune system.  The video below shows how the flu spreads in your body.



This virus comes with miserable symptoms including fever, body aches, chills, diarrhea, and vomiting.  I personally subscribe to the notion that prevention is one of the best ways to deal with flu but there are helpful tools for 

 

PREVENTION

In addition to the flu vaccine, which by all accounts is the most effective preventative measure, several alternative options can help you prevent the onset of flu, including the following:

(1) Flu Vaccine - not an alternative therapy but by all accounts the most effective.
(2) Lifestyle Choices (diet, exercise, etc.) that help maintain a strong immune system.
(3) Immune Boosting Therapies:

• Echinacea is scientifically proven to help with upper respiratory infections, like the flu, according to Germany's Commission E.  
• Turmeric is also highly suspected to boost immune function (though not scientifically proven). 

(4) Sleep - the primary means for your body to focus energy on internal affairs.

 

TREATMENT

If you are unfortunate enough to be symptomatic, in addition to Tamiflu (an amazing antiviral medicine), the following alternative therapies are worth exploring:

(1) Immune Boosting Therapies:

• Echinacea is scientifically proven to help with upper respiratory infections, like the flu, according to Germany's Commission E.  
• Turmeric is also highly suspected to boost immune function (though not scientifically proven).

(2) Sleep - the primary means for your body to focus energy on internal affairs.

 

WHAT WORKED FOR ME

I have just finished a trial of Echinacea and Turmeric Tea while being in extremely close contact with confirmed flu.  Additionally, I was unable to sleep, due to the flu-driven nighttime needs of my daughter.  Though I did feel more tired than normal, I ultimately did not get the flu.  I'm sold.  

Flu Season

Flu season has hit our house.  We all got the flu vaccine this year - but have been exposed to one of the majority of flu viruses not covered by this year's vaccine.  One daughter confirmed with the flu, another highly suspected with the flu.  We took our girls to the pediatrician early enough to acquire Tamiflu, in my experience an amazing conventional treatment, for the girls.  However, as Ingrid and I are not symptomatic (yet), we are anxiously awaiting our own fates.

When it comes to contracting illness, Ingrid has a pretty good history of not contracting illness.  I have a miserable history - it's virtually guaranteed that I'll contract any illness in close proximity.  I had not done any research on alternative therapies for acute illnesses until late last night while frantically looking for a credible alternative therapy that might help fend off, reduce the duration, or reduce the intensity of any oncoming flu.

The flu, just like the common cold, is a virus (though they are different viruses) and prevention and treatment of each is generically (though not always specifically) interchangeable.  It is highly contagious and spread through contact with infected bodily fluids.  The virus spreads rapidly throughout the body and, aside from specific antiviral medication (like Tamiflu), is only eradicated by your body's immune system.  The video below shows how the flu spreads in your body.



There are a lot of alternative therapies touted on the internet to help prevent or treat the flu (many of them unsubstantiated as far as my research showed).  A common thread between some of the more plausible therapies was their purported role in boosting the body's immune system to quickly deal with any invading virus.  Under this generic guideline, my immediate reaction was to start a regimen of Turmeric Tea (not proven but highly suspected to boost immune function and/or kill viruses).    After consulting a number of the resources that I use to spearhead my own research into alternative therapies, I also ran out to the store to grab some Echinacea.  Echinacea is approved for use by Germany's Commission E (The equivalent to the US Food & Drug Administration) for treating upper respiratory infections (URIs) - though the literature I've read makes distinctions between specific plant parts and species and recommended dosages.  More to come on Echinacea in a separate blog post - but for my immediate purposes, I decided there was enough evidence in support of echinacea to make the purchase (for an in depth look, click here to read the American Botanic Council's clinical guide to echinacea).

Since Adelaide got ill, I've been coughed on (in the face), snotted on, handled dirty clothes, tissues, and blankets, and spent significant time comforting in extremely close proximity.  Although by no means scientific, if I don't get the flu I'll consider my efforts with turmeric and echinacea a likely contributing factor.  We'll know shortly...  

For more on the flu, click here to read what the CDC has to say.   

Trigger Point Therapy - Relief (Part IV)

After my post massage soreness and malaise (PSMS) relented, I continued to perform the trigger point massage routinely.  Due to the quantity of my identified trigger points (forty plus) and the hour it took to perform one session, let alone the six recommended by The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook, I aimed for three sessions a day. 

I had a feeling that the trigger point therapy was providing relief well into the second week but it wasn't until I took a break from the therapy - a day's lapse - which allowed my muscles to rest and recuperate, that I felt the full benefit.  My calves, tight for over a decade, no longer felt like rubber bands at full stretch.  They felt somewhat relaxed.  Of course, as I rolled them on my 5" foam roller ball, they were still tender (and are still tender in some areas), but they were noticeably different - better.  Previously painful muscles in my deltoids  (shoulders) were no longer painful when rolled.  My pectoralis major, though still tender, felt less irritated.

The relief was real and definitively attributable to my work with trigger points.  Despite the noticeable relief in my calves, deltoids, and pecs, I still had major work to do.  My quads, hamstrings, subscapularis, trapezius, serratus anterior, scalenes, and many more muscle groups remained tight.  (sorry for the muscle names - as I learned in this process, most muscles only have Latin names).  I played with my massage techniques, using different balls, foam rollers, and a theracane in different positions, finding some new tools and positions that worked better than before.

As of today I have been exploring trigger point therapy for approximately two months, attacking tight and painful muscle group after tight and painful muscle group.  The results have been consistent and amazing - so much so that I can't stop talking about trigger point therapy to anyone that will listen.  I have long suspected that tight muscles were amplifying my symptoms if not actually causing them - and my experimentation with trigger point therapy has helped reaffirm that belief.  In addition to the relief in muscle tension and pain, my energy level has increased, I am less irritable, my digestion seems to be much better, and as long as I continue to work on my muscles I no longer react as severely when going off my diet.  Relief has been obtained on a number of fronts - with more expected as I continue to dig in to the tightest and longest-maligned muscles.

To read more about my experiments with trigger point therapy, click the following links:

Dr. Travell, the White House Physician of JFK (Part I)
Fumbling in the Dark (Part II)
Oh the Pain (Part III)
Relief (Part IV)

 

Recommendation (Website) - Dr. Ben King

My latest method for searching the internet for plausible alternative therapies is to type in a symptom combined with another keyword.  For example I'll type muscle pain and oxygen, which brings up a number of interesting leads.  Most of the websites that I come across are aggregator sites such as livestrong.com or the huffingtonpost.com or superficial websites designed to give no or misleading information in an attempt to get you to buy whatever products they are selling.  However occasionally, I come across a website with information that appears, to me, to provide actual content.

One website that I recently found was that of Dr. Ben King, an acupuncturist and chiropractor in Toronto.  I have read some very insightful articles on health, symptoms, and treatments on Dr. King's website and thought I'd share.  Click here to be taken to Dr. King's website.

Trigger Point Therapy - Oh the Pain (Part III)

Like most of my experiments, I decided to give trigger point therapy (as prescribed by Clair Davies) a thorough vetting, despite discomfort and pain.  Forty plus trigger points is a lot to deal with at one time.  In the Trigger Point Therapy Workbook, Davies recommends specific massage protocols for eliminating trigger points.  The basics of Davies' recommendations is to massage the trigger points at a pain level of 7 (out of 10) for six to twelve strokes three to six times per day.  For one or a few trigger points, this would equate to a few minutes per session per day.  But for my forty plus trigger points, I ended up spending over an hour per session and didn't end up treating all of my trigger points each session.  Fortunately, I started over Thanksgiving break so I was able to commit to three sessions per day - three very painful sessions.

There is something in the massage world called post massage soreness and malaise (PMSM).  PMSM is exactly what it sounds like - you feel sore and tired.  I was sore and tired and developed symptoms similar to a really bad cold (sore throat and stuffy head) in addition to the soreness and tiredness. Then my urine changed color slightly, was more brown than normal.  A search for the cause of this particular symptom resulted in discovery of the condition of Rhabdomyolysis, a term used to describe the breakdown of muscle fiber, which releases the contents of the muscle fiber into the blood stream.  To read up on Rhabdomyolysis, click here for the NIH link.  Rhabdomyolysis can be dangerous but it didn't seem to be overwhelming my system, so I opted to continue but monitor for worse symptoms.  After about a week and a half, my PMSM subsided, leaving only the pain of the massage.

To read more about my experiments with trigger point therapy, click the following links:

Dr. Travell, the White House Physician of JFK (Part I)
Fumbling in the Dark (Part II)
Oh the Pain (Part III)
Relief (Part IV)