If you have ever been injured, you probably heard that you should employ RICE – rest, ice, compression and elevation—to speed recovery.  You may have taken ibuprofen or another anti-inflammatory medication to relieve pain and speed healing. New research suggests we shouldn’t be using ice or NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to recover from many injuries. NSAIDs actually slow the healing of injured muscles, tendons, ligament, and bones. Why? NSAIDs work by inhibiting the production of prostaglandins.  Prostaglandins are produced as a result of the inflammatory response and may... Read More

If you’re thinking about becoming active, there are a few things to consider to avoid injuries. If you’re already living an active lifestyle, you don’t want an injury to slow you down. However, many athletes who participate in activities where the knee is bent repeatedly experience a common injury. Most commonly called the overuse injury, running, cycling, hiking and walking long distances can cause iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) or IT band syndrome. Mostly affecting endurance athletes, the injury affects tissue that runs from the hip down past the knee. Usually, the injury manifests as... Read More

80% of all diseases in the US are inflammatory based.  Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis of all types, inflammatory bowel diseases, asthma, MS, diabetes, cancer, and atherosclerosis, all have inflammatory components.  Adipose (fat tissue) is known to secrete several inflammatory factors, known as adipocytokines.  Adipose tissue also produces excessive amounts of dangerous estrogen, which promotes tumor growth. Inflammation is essential to the immune system, as it is used by the body to reduce injury and promote healing.  This is the acute critical response that we also experience when we get... Read More