Health Expert Christina Lasich, MD shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/23153/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/23153/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/23153/index http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/23153/153092/exercise Fri, 18 May 2012 14:29:32 -0400 Christina Lasich, MD Of all the things to get hooked on, exercise has got to be the healthiest habit to crave. Too bad more people aren’t hooked on exercise. Plenty of people are hooked on other things that aren’t so healthy like video games, caffeine, alcohol, cigarettes and foods. These addictive activities cause a sudden rush of dopamine, a “happy” brain chemical, is just too pleasurable to resist. The pathological pursuit of pleasure can... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/23153/153092/exercise http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/23153/152692/addiction Mon, 14 May 2012 08:15:00 -0400 Christina Lasich, MD A surprising number of people are addicted to something. That "something" provides pleasure, relief or reward. That "something" goes way beyond drugs. Everything from video games to food to exercise can be craved by an addict. Eventually, the pathological pursuit of pleasure disrupts life.   According to Dr. Nora Volkow, the head of the National Institute On Drug Abuse, in her recent interview with 60 Minutes Morley Safer, "Addiction is a... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/23153/152692/addiction http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/23153/152650/exercising Mon, 07 May 2012 08:44:00 -0400 Christina Lasich, MD Now that the weather is turning better and you are starting to shake off those wintertime pains, a walk might sound pretty good right about now. But before you burst out the door with the dog straining at the leash and your brand new walking shoes looking so sparkly, stop to think about what you are doing first. Even though walking seems so easy, there are a few things that could help your first walk of the season be that much more enjoyable and... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/23153/152650/exercising http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/23153/152461/medication Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:15:00 -0400 Christina Lasich, MD Dear patient,   If this were a perfect world, we would have one medication that would cure painful conditions without any nasty side effects. What a world that would be!! No pain, no nausea, no headaches, no itchy skin, no drowsiness and no constipation; wouldn't that be fantastic? Let me know when you find that world because I'd like to live there.   For now, I live in a world where medications do cause side effects. We can only hope... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/23153/152461/medication http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/23153/151904/elliptical Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:20:00 -0400 Christina Lasich, MD Today's local newspaper has classified ads for two practically brand new elliptical machines. Someone's Christmas present must not be working out very well. What was once a hope for shapelier hips and firmer buns became an unwanted heap of metal that might have done more harm than good. Those elliptical machines are not for every body.   Although, the low impact nature of this machine is an alternative to pounding on a treadmill. Because... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/23153/151904/elliptical http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/23153/150262/traveling Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:07:00 -0500 Christina Lasich, MD Being on the go is not an excuse for slacking on your exercise commitment. Whether you are traveling for work or pleasure, exercise is a daily habit that should be incorporated into your life no matter where your travels take you. Do you stop brushing your teeth when you travel? Do you stop taking baths or showers? No of course not, you continue these daily habits no matter where you are if at all possible. So, why would you stop exercising? In... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/23153/150262/traveling http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/23153/148883/americans Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:01:00 -0500 Christina Lasich, MD "A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." Lao Tzu    Whether your goal is to walk a thousand miles, climb a mountain or loss 20 pounds, you must begin taking small steps in the right direction towards that goal. Knowing this, the Health and Human Services Department developed a self-help website geared towards helping people make those small steps towards improving health and wellbeing. You might notice some ads... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/23153/148883/americans http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/23153/148880/surgical Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:33:00 -0500 Christina Lasich, MD When the pain and disability from arthritis get too much to bear, a person may decide to look for solutions. My husband is one such person who has just decided to do something about the pain which began eight years ago. His right wrist is severely afflicted with a "bone on bone" case of osteoarthritis. Being a right handed man, the pain started to interfere with daily activities like writing, eating and dressing years ago. But he is a very... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoarthritis/c/23153/148880/surgical http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/23153/147406/movement Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:27:00 -0500 Christina Lasich, MD If a zebra in the safari injures his leg, he keeps moving as much as possible because he needs to survive. If a human injures his leg, he may stop moving because he is too scared to move. This fear of movement (kinesiophobia) is rooted in the belief that pain is harmful and threatening. For the same reason Zebras Don't Get Ulcers, zebras do not become fearful of movement. Zebras are too busy surviving to worry about pain, movement or threats... http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/c/23153/147406/movement http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/23153/146868/depressant Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:26:00 -0500 Christina Lasich, MD Happy Thanksgiving! Next week, President Obama will issue a pardon to another fortunate turkey while most of us partake in the yearly ritual of gorging ourselves on succulent turkey meat. Afterwards, a satisfied, sleepy feeling will hit us like a ton of sheep. Some believe that turkey dinner makes people sleepy because it contains tryptophan, an essential amino acid. In fact, some people actually take a supplement containing L-tryptophan to... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/23153/146868/depressant