#1 Step to Reducing Inflammation
“Everything should be as simple as possible, but not simpler.” - Albert Einstein
Some people love to research health and wellness, but for many the task is overwhelming. Just search “best diet” and you will find an abundance of opinions, and they often contradict each other in one way or another.
A majority of orthopedic ailments are related to chronic inflammation which is often linked to diet. Now, everyone gets some degree of wear and tear in their joints when they get older, but patients with high levels of chronic inflammation will be far more symptomatic.
Simply stated, someone with damaged knees visualized on x-rays or MRI’s may consider surgery whereas someone with similar scans could be running marathons. The goal of the modern orthopedic surgeon should be to help patients get to their previous level of activity with all the tools in their tool box including medicine/supplements, injections, therapy, and surgery.
It’s my intention to help patients improve their overall health, so they can prevent the next joint from breaking down. If you want to prevent potential issues in your body, you need to understand that your lifestyle choices can increase chronic inflammation.
For a large percent of the population, this is a completely new way of thinking. Most of us were taught that we simply live life, and when we break down we head to the doctor and hope they can fix us. In reality, we are all in a way better position to fix ourselves than any doctor.
Considering the role you play in your health can be intimidating so I’m here to keep it simple and make it less stressful.
Simple Recommendations
If you’re interested in learning more about your health, I recommend reading Outlive by Dr. Peter Attia, who recommends paying attention to the 5 baskets of chronic inflammation which include fitness, nutrition, sleep. stress, and medicine/supplements.
If you’re not a big reader, another source I often reference is Andrew Huberman, PhD, who hosts the Huberman Lab podcast. His podcast is an incredible resource for any medical issue. He offers an in-depth analysis of almost every lifestyle choice that could be affecting your health.
If you were to implement all of the recommendations mentioned on the podcast you may turn you into Superman, but you would not have much time for anything else. Maintaining such an optimized level of health is a full time job. I believe these types of materials are designed for “health explorers,” people who are interested in learning about their health and will regularly try new fitness routines and diets. These are the people who enjoy testing supplements and new health monitors to explore new ways to feel their best.
Other people may not have the time, resources, commitment, or frankly the interest to explore their health. If you fall into this category and you don’t want to read a book or listen to a 3 hour podcast every week, the rest of this blog is for you.
Experiment With Removing Sugar
At some point you may experience enough pain and stiffness to consider lifestyle changes you can make to improve your health. When you get to this point, my recommendation is to start by removing sugar and processed carbohydrates from your diet. Sugar increases chronic inflammation and makes any tissue damage more painful. Processed carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, rice, and cereal are immediately converted into sugar by your body and can trigger inflammatory processes.
Consider taking a break from sugar for 30-90 days. It might seem like a long time, but compared to a lifetime it’s only the blink of an eye. Your goal is to see how your body responds to not having sugar regularly. If there are no changes and you remain in chronic pain you only lose 30-90 days of your normal eating routine.
On the other hand, you may find you have less joint pain, swelling, and stiffness. If this is the case, explore whether you can tolerate occasional sugar and carbohydrates, or if improving how you feel requires no sugar. Ultimately, you’ll be able to decipher whether sugar and processed carbohydrates have anything to do with your pain.
Now, why did sugar not bother you when you were younger? Well, to keep it simple, you didn’t have the wear and tear that you accumulated over the years. Remember, your goal is to see if quitting sugar will decrease your inflammation and make the wear and tear painless.
How to Quit It:
Crowd out sugar with whatever else you enjoy. If you like meat, fish, and eggs then eat more of a carnivore diet. If you prefer vegetables, eat a more vegetarian diet. If you like both you will have plenty of choices.
If you search for the “best diet” you can find pros and cons for every one. Advocates for each diet will harshly criticize other diets. Some of these include the carnivore, paleo, vegan, vegetarian, mediterranean, and blue zone diet. If you can look past the conflicting information you will see they all agree on one universal truth.
None of these diets have sugar and processed carbohydrates as a staple. They may argue that sugar in moderation is okay, but they will not argue for a diet loaded with sugar. That is why almost all of these diets work for certain people.
When you quit sugar and processed carbohydrates you will likely experience strong cravings, and that’s because sugar is addictive. Cravings last for 2-3 days for most people but could last up to 2 weeks. To avoid misery, plan to eat other foods you enjoy and schedule your favorite activities into your day to replace the sugar.
Once your cravings pass, you’ll no longer be physically addicted and you won’t need to eat as much. If you're not eating in excess you’ll likely go into a calorie deficit and lose body fat, which will further decrease chronic inflammation.
Concentrate on foods that give you sustained energy, without upsetting your stomach, or making you lethargic for several hours after eating.You will find that meat and vegetables are better at satisfying hunger for longer periods of time. After several weeks you may realize that sugar and processed carbohydrates are not worth the pain they were causing. Simple and straightforward. Quit sugar for 30-90 days once in your life and see how it feels.