Shape Longevity for a Life in Full

It is amazing to learn that a whopping 84% of the population😱 in the USA is dealing with some type of physical pain according to the latest research by the All of Us Research Program.

Most therapies and interventions are typically aimed at managing pain, but I would like to see more innovation on pain prevention. The pain management industry is highly profitable and drives many people to visit clinics, health systems, and to purchase pharmaceuticals and pain tracking wearables and apps, thus – according to my capitalist mind – there is a lesser incentive for these players to have fewer patients suffering from pain and needing treatment.

Feeling pain is one of the most fantastic reactions of the human body 🤔. In fact, we should be grateful to feel it when we need to. It immediately alerts us that something is wrong in our body, and we need to act. Whether it is a stingy bug bite, a stomach cramp, a broken bone, a headache, or sadly, a symptom of cancer, pain is a wake-up call to fix what is wrong with our body.

Pain can be prevented

Except for some circumstances, pain can be prevented or managed from becoming chronic when using simple interventions. An estimated 21% of US adult population suffers from chronic pain according to health statistics and analysis.

1. Posture, people, posture! It should be checked in every wellness or medical appointment. Take a photo of your side and back. How does your posture look like? Hunched? Straight? Tight? Tilted? Hump in upper back? In fact, something as minor as having flat feet may eventually lead to skeletal and/or joint pain. About 28% from adults 18+ years suffer from lower back pain in the USA.
2. Extra weight adds a burden on joints that may lead to osteoarthritis. And so far, there is no cure for it! 😞 Imagine that for every extra pound outside of your healthy range of weight, you carry a backpack bearing that extra weight. So, if you are 10 pounds over, try carrying that heavy bag with you all day and night. Think about it, poor body!
3. Listen to your digestive system! Avoid foods that cause inflammation. For example, not many people are aware that some foods may increase histamine in the blood leading to inflammation and pain. The healthiness of foods is mostly focused on fat, fiber, and sugar content, yet the histamine releasing or producing effect is mostly disregarded as an important contributor to inflammation. In this case, any food that causes your mouth to have discomfort or itchiness, or produce minor swelling, nausea, stomach upset or other digestive issues, or give you a headache, it may be due to a histamine inflammatory response or food sensitivity. If unchecked, it may lead to immunocompromised conditions that may lead to pain. Do you know what foods cause you discomfort after eating them? Checkout this article highlighting foods that are high in histamine.
4. Good nerve health is key to prevent pain. Nutritional deficiencies in vitamin B-12, minerals, or the use of medications that act as mineral-channel blockers may cause nerve pain. Similarly, diabetes induced neuropathies affect nerve health leading to pain.
5. Stress can trigger headaches, migraine, or accentuate pain in the body. When was the last time you checked your stress level?
6. Do not let your brain to rewire itself to feel pain continuously. While this point may sound crazy, it is possible that subconsciously you rewire your brain to expect pain, especially when dealing with chronic pain. So, tell your brain that pain is going away and will no longer be there hopefully. Distract yourself from pain by focusing on fun, entertaining, an/or calming rituals.
7. Falls and accidents are mostly preventable if we pay attention when walking. Do not let doggo or kitty cross your path without you noticing them. Falls due to pets are not uncommon. LOL. 😂

If you want to lead a better quality of life, what are you doing today to prevent pain?

Note: Post written in my own words. Excuse my typos. I am only human.