Plantar Fasciitis-- the pain can affect you from head to toe... Although plantar fasciitis is a painful, sometimes debilitating, foot condition, there are effective exercises, natural treatments, and suggestions for healing without expensive orthotics or operations What is Plantar Fasciitis? Plantar fasciitis is a common foot ailment that affects many individuals, causing pain and discomfort in the heel and the bottom of the foot. This condition occurs when the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue that connects the heel to the toes, becomes inflamed. The plantar fascia supports the arch of the foot and absorbs shock during activities like walking, running, and jumping. Here, we will explore who is prone to experiencing it, and provide a comprehensive list of non-surgical exercises and treatments that don't rely on expensive orthotics or operations. Standard Treatment Options Rest and Ice: Resting the affected foot and applying ice can help re
"All But Gluten" Gluten-Free Bread Recently I think I may have persuaded a friend with mysterious symptoms (sounding like gluten-sensitivity to me) to try going off gluten for a while to see how she feels. She bemoaned the fact that she has a bread maker** (and I know she is a star bread baker herself). I suggested that she do some research to see how/if gluten-free bread works in her bread machines (there seem to be quite a few articles indicating it does, and bread machines with GF settings). We also talked about the various gluten-free breads that are commercially available. At time of writing this blog, my favourite brands are Udi's and the Chia Bread (by Silver Hills). They were both pretty pricey and I believe that you could make your own, maybe with a few tweaks, just by doing some research for good recipes on line. (There are also some very baaaaaad-tasting gluten-free breads available commercially-- hopefully their number will diminish). I told you a w