Goblins, Ghouls.... and Pain?

Sugar and spice is not so nice. Thanks for your comment, I was beginning to wonder if anyone cared. Some people don't care about what they put in their body; but they should. Read more about the lethal effects of fructose. I am glad that you care about you and what you eat.

Eat Whole Food, not too much, mostly plants.

Dr. Christina Lasich, MD 

To satisfy your sweet tooth, use dried fruit chopped up on your cereal in the morning. Small amounts of honey are good (local honey is best because it will reduce your tendancy to have seasonal allergies). How about a carrot instead of a cookie? Finding a suitable substitute is very important for changing nutritional habits because it is hard to quit cold "turkey" (or "sugar" as in this case).

Dr. Christina Lasich, MD

If sugar is so bad for us , why does it taste so good? In fact, in my experience, eating sweet things is pleasurable and soothing.

Hey Mr. Meat and Potato Man.... Watch out! Red meat is full of Omega 6. A diet that is too high in Omega 6 also cause inflammation and pain. And the only type of potato you should even consider putting in your mouth is a sweet potato because it has a low glycemic load compared to the other spuds.

Dr. Christina Lasich, MD

Hey Ms Meat and Potato Lady. meat is not all that is evil and bad. I mean Dr Meat and Potato Lady, meat is not all that is evil and bad. Lets not overdo it here. Humanoids were not genetically programmed to be only plant eaters.  There is plenty of evolutionary evidence that points out that meat IS a good thing. If human folk subsisted on a turnip diet only, they would surely die a long, enduring death of a thousand vegan cuts. That being said, common sense would dictate that we meat eaters should select meat that is lean, preferably MOSTLY devoid of colors resembling red.  One should try to focus on lean, WHITE meats. Normal folks are NOT going to bake the tofu come Thanksgiving time. In fact, I would wager that your dining room table is going to include at the very least turkey breast during the upcoming festivities. To suggest that all potatoes other then the delectable sweet potato is bad, ignores the common baked potato, whether served with  loads of low-fat, non trans fake butter, (which will be my choice), or even drizzled with olive oil.  When good doctors try to win battles on unhealthy eating with advice to avoid all things that taste good, they will lose the bigger war, as prior advocates of Nathan Pritiken will surely attest. If a person would adhere to the tenets of strict vegetarianism, they may actually gain 5 years of a very, miserable life, devoid of any enjoyment.  I have learned through many, many years of life, that to deprive oneself of all that is fun, will probably be counterproductive, as the deprived one will more then likely fling themselves off the top of the Empire State Building rather then endure gagging down one more parsley garnished radish. No, in all seriousness, the medical community needs to embrace moderation, not austerity.  Not if they want anyone to anyone to take them seriously.

Hey, sounds like you need some real help with Breakfast, a very important meal. Try Cooking to Control Pain: Breakfast. Reducing sugar intake starts with your first meal of the day.

Take care and care about what you eat because it matters.

Dr. Christina Lasich, MD

To learn more about the types of foods that will raise your blood sugar levels more than others is at the mentioned website about The Glycemic Index. You can also talk to your local nutrition expert--a dietician.

Dr. Christina Lasich, MD

Thank you

Tammy

Yes, sugar can have a drug-like effect on the brain for a temporary basis which is why it is so addicting. But, over time, sugar has an evil effect as well. I invite you to look into the research about an "anti-inflammatory" diet. I first read about this concept in Dr. Andrew Weil's book called Healthy Aging. These concepts are also being taught by Dr. David Eisenberg the director for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies at Harvard. I recently attended Dr. Eisenberg's very informative workshop called Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives. All this research and education has opened my eyes to the harmful effects of sugar as a doctor who treats pain, and a woman who lives with pain.

Dr. Christina Lasich, MD