Contents
Disclaimer, xxi
Acknowledgments, xxiii
Introduction, xxv
Book One
THE STORY OF CHRONIC PAIN:
HOW WE GOT HERE, I
Section I
Misconceptions in Our Modern Healing, 2
|
I: an uncomfortable reality 3
|
|
Science-Based Alternative Answers
|
4
|
|
Best Medicine in the World?
|
5
|
|
Drugs: Not the Safest Way to Achieve Health
|
6
|
|
The Adequacy of Musculoskeletal Care in the United States
|
8
|
|
Why Not Rely on Yourself? You're in the Driver's Seat
|
9
|
|
Turning Crisis into Opportunity
|
10
|
|
Running Toward the Wrong Goal
|
12
|
|
The Menagerie of Holistic Medicine
|
13
|
|
The Beautiful Tapestry of You
|
14
|
|
Disease-Care vs. Wellness Care
|
15
|
|
2: the problem with pain 19
|
|
Chronic Pain and Chronic Disease: Same Source
|
20
|
|
Looking for a Quick Fix
|
20
|
|
Everyday Pain and NSAIDs
|
21
|
|
Inflammation: Not the Bad Guy
|
23
|
|
Our Misguided War on Inflammation 24
|
|
|
The Many Faces of Chronic Benign Pain
|
26
|
|
The Role of "Silent" Inflammation
|
|
in Chronic Pain and Disease 27
|
|
|
3: the fallacy of pain relief 29
|
|
Dancing with Our Genes
|
29
|
|
Where Most Chronic Pain and Disease Come From
|
31
|
|
What Food Is and Its Connection to Pain and Disease
|
32
|
|
Our Health and the Health of the Earth Are One
|
34
|
|
The Dance of Earth and Sun That Is You
|
36
|
|
Appreciating Your Health from the Inside
|
37
|
|
The Hard Work of Digestion
|
38
|
|
Case Study, 39
|
|
|
The Benefits of Bacteria
|
40
|
|
Case Study, 41
|
|
|
Your Liver and the Importance of Detoxification
|
42
|
|
Case Study, 43
|
|
|
|
Section 2
Roadblocks to Healing, 44
|
4: our fantastic fascia 45
|
|
Movement Is Life
|
46
|
|
Primary Source of Chronic Pain: Muscles and Fascia
|
47
|
|
What Fascia Is Made Of
|
48
|
|
The Interwoven Tapestry of Your Fascia
|
49
|
|
Nociceptors: How We Hurt
|
51
|
|
The Specialness of Nociceptors and Chronic Pain
|
52
|
|
5: the smoldering fire of chronic inflammation 55
|
|
Inflammation: The Healing Response
|
56
|
|
Chronic Inflammation and Our Nociceptors
|
57
|
|
Chronic Inflammation and Degenerative Disease
|
59
|
|
From Inflammation to Free Radicals and Chronic Pain
|
61
|
|
The Nature of Free Radicals and Oxidative Stress
|
62
|
|
Oxidative Stress, Aging, and Your Mitochondria
|
64
|
|
How Mitochondria Are Vulnerable to Damage
|
67
|
|
Quick Reference Guide to Managing Oxidative Stress
|
69
|
|
6: the painful side of sweetness 71
|
|
The Roots of Our Sugar Addiction
|
72
|
|
What Is a High Glycemic Diet?
|
73
|
|
How a High Glycemic Diet Creates Problems
|
74
|
|
Pain, Disease, and Aging from Insulin Resistance
|
76
|
|
Diagnosing Metabolic Syndrome
|
77
|
|
Stopping Metabolic Syndrome from Ruining Your Life
|
80
|
|
7: our injured earth, your injured self 83
|
|
The Toxic Nation
|
83
|
|
What About the Children's Health? 85
|
|
|
What About All This ADD/ADHD and Depression,
|
|
or Why Is Everyone On Prozac? 86
|
|
|
How Bad Is It? 88
|
|
The Warning Had Been Sounded, 90
|
|
|
How We Become Polluted
|
91
|
|
8: how it all comes together neurologically 95
|
|
Stress: The Source of Your Pain
|
95
|
|
The Nerve of Pain, 96
|
|
|
A Rose by Any Other Name, 97
|
|
|
Why the Big Deal over Terminology? 98
|
|
|
Your Brain and the NML
|
100
|
|
Dietary Promotion of Painful NMLs
|
101
|
|
The History of the Trigger Point, or NML
|
102
|
|
How Pain-Causing Muscle Knots Form
|
104
|
|
The NML: Very Common, Never Normal!
|
107
|
|
The Active NML, or Primary Trigger Point
|
108
|
|
The Lurking NML, or Latent Trigger Point
|
109
|
|
