Nutritional Modulators of Pain in the Aging Population

Nutritional Modulators of Pain in the Aging Population provides an overview on the role of foods, dietary supplements, obesity, and nutrients in the prevention and amelioration of pain in various diseases in the aging population. Headaches, fibromyalgia, joint pain, arthritis pain, back pain, and stomach pain are discussed. In addition, the potential health risks of using foods to reduce symptoms is evaluated.

Each chapter reviews pain causing conditions before reviewing the role of food or exercise. Both researchers and physicians will learn about dietary approaches that may benefit or harm people with various types of pain. Chapters include current research on the actions of nutrients in pain treatment, the effects of lifestyle and exercise on pain management, and discussions of dietary supplements that provide pain relief from chronic conditions like arthritis.

• Presents a comprehensive overview that details the role of nutrition in pain management for the aging population
• Written for researchers and clinicians in neurology, pain, and food and nutrition
• Reviews the pain symptoms and role of food and/or exercise associated with each disease

Ronald Ross Watson, PhD, is Professor of Health Promotion Sciences at the University of Arizona, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. Dr. Watson began his research in public health at the Harvard School of Public Health as a Fellow in 1971 doing field work on vaccines in Saudi Arabia. He has done clinical studies in Colombia, Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United States which provides a broad international view of public health. He has served in the military reserve hospital for 17 years with extensive training in medical responses to disasters as the chief biochemistry officer of a general hospital, retiring as a Lt. Colonel. He is a distinguished member of several national and international nutrition, immunology, and cancer societies. Dr. Watson’s career has involved studying many lifestyle aspects for their uses in health promotion. He has edited over 100 biomedical reference books and 450 papers and chapters. His teaching and research focuses on alcohol, tobacco, and drugs of abuse in heart function and disease in mouse models.

Dr. Sherma Zibadi received her Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Arizona. Her medical degree and training were done at the Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. She then completed her post-doctoral research fellowship awarded by the American Heart Association where her research involved cardiology and complementary medicine studies. Her research has involved maladaptive cardiac remodeling process, which helps to identify new targets for treatment of heart failure. Dr. Zibadi’s research interest also extends into foods as medicines, exploring the preventive and therapeutic effects of dietary supplements on heart failure and its major risk factors in both basic animal and clinical studies, translating lab research findings into clinical practice. Dr. Zibadi is an author of more than 35 research papers in peer reviewed journals. She has been an editor on 8 scientific books like this one being proposed. She has edited on a variety of clinical topics: breast milk, bottle feeding, wheat and rice in health, polyphenols and health, omega 3 fatty acids, dietary supplements in immune modulation, and dietary fat and health. She and Dr. Watson have collaborated extensively on both laboratory research and editing.