Plantar Fasciitis: An Overlooked Symptom of Overall Inflammation – Your Health Detective

The following is a summary of a case history provided by a reader in Texas. He granted permission for me to report on this blog as part of our collaborative effort of Health thru Education^™. Kudos to this reader for sharing – the only way we can all make a difference is to share information and experiences.

Dear Dr. G: I love your book, “Pain / Inflammation Matters”; it addresses a remedy for one of the most serious plagues in our society…a supper simple remedy to arthritis-type disorders and soft tissue inflammation which no one else seems to have picked up on.

I would like to point out a big oversight in my opinion..you left out plantar fasciitis, commonly called heal spurs. It is another soft tissue inflammation disorder that plagues me personally. Please permit me to tell you my ongoing story of learning about foods that contain solanine, otherwise known as nightshades.

In the fall of 2003, I went to the podiatrist with a terrible case of heal spurs (plantar fasciitis). With the longest needle I have ever seen, he injected my feet with steroids. It did not help and I went back a few days later. He injected me again and it still did not help. I then researched on the internet and found a blog that said to try not eating tomatoes. It was an “aha moment” because that fall I had started drinking a large glass of tomato juice each morning in an attempt to be heart healthy. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try and NOT eat something… so I gave up tomato juice and within a few days the pain was gone…eureka!

A month or so after my eureka event, I went to a BBQ place for a retirement party. I carefully avoided the BBQ sauce and all the green peppers, but within a few hours of arriving home… I was in pain again. Turns out I had eaten potato salad…after researching again, I found that it was also a “night shade” plant.

When I fail to obey the “don’t eat any solanine-containing foods rule” symptoms of arthritis develop in my wrists and hands.

A couple of years after that, I started drinking small amounts goji juice every day for its health and anti-cancer aspects. Goji contains beneficial polysaccharides just like the fucoidan that you wrote about in your blog. After a couple of weeks of taking Goji, I had a known basil cell carcinoma on my shoulder inflame…within 6 weeks it was totally healed. That was the good news. However, after about two months my familiar heals spurs returned. With a little research, I found that my miracle juice berry was another night shade plant…and the short term pain trumped the long term perceived benefits.

Shortly before I found your website, some friends had given us 2 gallons of blueberries. I love blueberries and ate a good sized bowl-full on the first day… that night my wrists hurt… but did not associate the pain with my supposedly healthy berries. Next day my wife made a delicious blueberry smoothy for me. By that evening, I was in great pain…at the end of the day my wife and I were discussing the pain and I asked, “What have I been eating that is different?” and in

unison we said, “blueberries”. I then searched for “nightshade blueberries” and found your website…where I discovered blueberries do contain solanine.

Again, thanks for your investigative work, your sharing, and your book.

Besides the educational aspect of this reader’s experiences, it validates what I’ve been teaching for years…that you must take charge of your own health and become a health detective if you are to be successful in finding the cause of your inflammation or health malady…not simply subjecting yourself to symptom-care that often becomes drug-management. If any of you have stories to share, please email them to: stories@gloriagilbere.com. Your privacy will be protected and your findings will be shared in order to help others.

Nightshade Refresher 101

Nightshades are plants in the solanaceae family, containing common foods that include: potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, all types of peppers (red, green, yellow) but not the condiment of black or white pepper, paprika, and cayenne. Not truly a nightshade member but contains the same inflammation-inducing alkaloids are blueberries, huckleberries, goji berries and ashwaganda (Indian Ginseng). In addition, tobacco is a nightshade.

Nightshades include inflammation through a specific chemical known as solanine. Researchers now believe this chemical may actually irritate the gastrointestinal tract. When it’s absorbed into the bloodstream, it can cause destruction of the oxygen-carrying red blood cells. Solanine is known as an aceytlcholinesterase inhibitor – it acts to prevent the breakdown of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh), leading to excessive build-up of ACh in nerve receptor sites. This action allows for constant over-stimulation of Ach receptors, especially within the nervous system as its responsible for stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system.

Solanines are not water soluble, are not destroyed by cooking, and are not broken down inside the body but must be excreted as alpha-solanine. Alpha-solanine is classified as a neuro-toxin. Interestingly most “foods” that contain alpha-solanine also contain at least 5 other neurotoxins including atropine and nicotine.

As a side note, “nerve gas” and some pesticides also act as ACh inhibitors – foods containing solanine actually act like toxic chemicals! Solanine acts as an acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor (similar to Malathion, Parathion and other “nerve gasses”) allowing acetylcholine to build up in the synapses.

Much of the academic work can respectfully be credited to Dr. Norman Childers who has been researching nightshades for about 50 years, especially in farm animals.

Author’s Note:

I, too, had a bout with plantar fasciitis (PF) about seven years ago. I went the same route as my reader but I refused any infections or medications. The attack of PF was in the arch of my right foot. Keeping in mind that I’m flat-footed, I suspected I had unknowingly injured it. After much money and time seeing two foot specialists, they finally prescribed a very expensive custom-made pair of orthotics. It didn’t take long for this flat-footed health detective to begin having terrible hip pain, never before experienced. I finally threw the orthotics in my closet and began my detective work.

My “eureka moment” came when I discovered that the formula for a supplement I had taken for years was suddenly modified to contain the homeopathic belladonna – a nightshade. It took about 3 days of eliminating that specific supplement and all my foot pain was gone and never returned.

I am currently experiencing some soft tissue discomfort on the bottom of my right foot, again. This time it’s on the bottom outer edge and it feels like a bad bruise. My chiropractor first believed it was from a lower back strain. However, my back has healed and the foot pain persists…stay-tuned for my report after clues and a solution emerge.

In order to make nightshade information available to even more people, I’m offering a ONE TIME special offer to the first 500 people who request my book, Pain / Inflammation Matters. Simply pay the shipping of $5.95 and we’ll send you a signed book for the asking. CLICK HERE to take advantage of this offer-it is only valid through September 1st, 2010. There is no limit to the number of books you can order until 500 copies have been sold.

Your Health Detective:

Uncovering Clues to Add LIFE to Your Years…NOT Merely Years to Your Life, Naturally

Dr. Gloria Gilbère (aka Dr. G), N.D., D.A.Hom., Ph.D., D.S.C.,

EcoErgonomist, Wholistic Rejuvenist

Dr. Gilbère is renowned worldwide for her work in identifying and finding natural solutions to chemically-induced and inflammatory disorders, multiple chemical sensitivities, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, Gulf War Syndrome, and digestive disorders that defy conventional diagnosis and treatment. She consults worldwide via telephone and at her Institute in north Idaho. Visit her website at www.gloriagilbere.com for details about consulting with her.

Creator of certificated courses to become a Wholistic Rejuvenist™ (CWR) and for post-graduate education for health and spa professionals. Go to www.gloriagilbere.com and click on Wholistic Skin & Body Rejuvenation (WSBR™) for course outline. Available on-site at worldwide locations, and via distance-learning at your convenience globally.

Information in this newsletter is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by medical professionals, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent a disease or disorder. The FDA has not reviewed or endorsed the contents of this educational publication.

Copyright is held by Gloria E. Gilbère, to which all rights are reserved. Other than personal, non-commercial use or forwarding, no material in this newsletter may be copied, distributed, or published without the expressed written permission of its author and copyright holder.

Resources

http://www.michaellebowitzdc.com/html/Solanine.html