The OPIOID Trap

More people use opioid painkillers than tobacco.  That means more people are popping opioids than are smoking cigarettes or cigars, chewing or dipping tobacco or using snuff. Opioids can be prescribed for numerous conditions associated with pain. For seniors, unfortunately, those conditions are not in short supply. Painful chronic conditions that become more common with age, such as arthritis, cancers and neurological diseases — to name a few — are among the top reasons your doctor may prescribe an opioid.

You already know these painful conditions that, in the past, were chalked up to being a natural part of aging, are no longer considered inevitable. Research shows us that we can change that destiny. And that’s the first step in avoiding reliance on addictive pain medications (and medications in general!). Here are a few ways you can make sure you don’t fall into the opioid trap…

Ø  Good nutrition. First and foremost eat foods that don’t make you sick. Eschew the over-processed foods with questionable additives that set you up for pain-causing disease. Diets that are high in bad fats, refined flour and sugar can cause chronic inflammation that may go unnoticed until a major problem or disease develops that leads to pain.

Ø  Boost your intake of pain-relieving and protective supplements. Mother Nature is a great pain reliever. Vitamin D affects the body’s inflammation response in a way that lowers the sensation of pain. That makes sense since vitamin D deficiency is tied to an increased risk for pain-related conditions like fibromyalgia and rheumatic diseases. Use omega-3s to keep your joints well-oiled.

Ø  Keep moving. When your joints are in use, they get less stiff and keep working better longer — and with less pain. According to scientists, tai chi has been confirmed to benefit people with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease and fibromyalgia. The exercise can also reduce pain, prevent falls, improve balance, drop your blood pressure and relieve stress.

Ø  Question your doctor’s choice of medication. There may be times when pain medication is inevitable. But you don’t always have to accept opioids. Some research has shown that a combination of ibuprofen and acetaminophen works better to relieve the pain caused by wisdom teeth surgeries —it could also relieve a lot of other painful situations as well.

If we can take advantage of what we are learning through research to decrease our disease risks, we can certainly as well create stronger, healthier bodies that can serve us better in our senior years — pain-free.