The only thing that is constant is change ― Heraclitus We may not feel that different from day to day, but our bodies are constantly changing, breaking down old cells and tissues and replacing them with new cells and tissues.  Part of this constant change is self-repair. Have you ever marveled at how a cut or bruise heals, usually leaving no trace of injury, without your having to do a thing? But our bodies need two things from us to perform these miracles—good nutrition to supply the right raw materials, and protection from toxins. Lacking either, repairs can’t be made properly and instead of healing, the body begins to break down.   Inflammation is part of the repair process, and when repairs are complete, inflammation disappears.  But when repairs are incomplete, inflammation becomes chronic. It then causes chronic pain and further damage that elicits more inflammation in a vicious cycle. This is what happens in arthritic joints.  It isn’t “old a…

According to Tylenol manufacturer Johnson & Johnson, acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, is used by 50 million Americans each week to treat pain, fever, and the aches and pains associated with cold and flu. It’s become as common as aspirin.And like aspirin, this over-the-counter drug is assumed to be quite safe. In fact, it gained its reputation as being safer than aspirin and the other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) because it was, as a famous actress told us in a TV ad, “gentle on the stomach.” Translation: it doesn’t cause gastrointestinal bleeding, while NSAIDs do. Then why would neurologist and pain management specialist Aric Hausknecht, M.D., call it “by far the most dangerous drug ever made?”Perhaps because, although when used in low doses its side effects are generally mild, it is notoriously over-dosed when used to address pain. According to the National Institutes of Health, acetaminophen overdose poisons the liver and leads…

The new COVID-19 world is a world beset by fear. Unseen viral particles can be lurking anywhere. Should one find us, we don’t know for sure how we would respond. And with social patterns dramatically altered and the economy collapsing, we are losing our sense of comfort, safety and being in control, leading to a stressful sense of chronic uncertainty and anxiety. We know from many scientific studies that stress negatively affects health. But although there may be little we can do to avoid stress in a COVID-19 world, we can use self-care to decrease and minimize the negative effects of stressful feelings. For example, you can pray or meditate.  Or you can simply bring calm and non-judgmental attention to how you’re feeling.      We’ve talked before about a helpful exercise called Body-Feelings-Mind. In this exercise, you find a comfortable position in a quiet place and, with eyes closed, check in with how you’re feeling, first ph…