Fibromyalgia explained

Fibromyalgia: What It is, Why It Happens & Why The Pain Is Real

June 16, 2026/by Kaplan Center
Dr. Gary Kaplan on hydration, Fairfax County Times

Ways to stay hydrated this summer as the temperatures heat up

June 8, 2026/by Gary Kaplan, DO
Consumer_Health_Digest_Mounjaro

Can Tirzepatide Slow Aging? Dr. Kaplan Examines the Evidence for Consumer Health Digest

June 8, 2026/by Kaplan Center

New Research Reveals Long COVID Is Being Significantly Underreported

June 4, 2026/by Kaplan Center
Dr. Gary Kaplan discusses Lyme Disease risk with InsideNOVA.com

Dr. Kaplan Explains Why Lyme Disease Is a Backyard Problem

June 4, 2026/by Kaplan Center
Dr. Gary Kaplan on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

ME/CFS (Chronic Fatigue): What It Is, Why It Happens, and Why Recovery Is So Complex

May 22, 2026/by Kaplan Center
Tick-borne Illness & Lyme Disease

Tick-Borne Illness & Lyme Disease: What It Is, Why It’s Missed, and How to Protect Yourself Early

May 13, 2026/by Kaplan Center
Can Adults Develop Allergies in Adulthood

Developing Food Allergies in Adulthood

May 12, 2026/by Chardonée Donald, MS, CBHS, CHN, CNS, LDN
ALLERGY VS INTOLERANCE

Food Allergies vs. Food Sensitivities (Intolerance): Aren’t They the Same?

May 8, 2026/by Chardonée Donald, MS, CBHS, CHN, CNS, LDN
Welcome Jared Sharp NP

A Letter to Patients from Jared Sharp, NP

May 8, 2026/by Kaplan Center
Dr. Gary Kaplan on FOX5DC discussing food cravings.

What Your Food Cravings Really Mean + How to Manage Them Naturally

April 29, 2026/by Kaplan Center

Protect Yourself From Ticks & Lyme – Dr. Gary Speaks to NoVA Magazine

April 17, 2026/by Kaplan Center
Dr. Gary on Fatigue

Dr. Gary Speaks to Super Age on Finding the Root Cause of Fatigue

April 17, 2026/by Kaplan Center
TPE Explained

Therapeutic Plasma Exchange: What It Is, Who It’s For & Why It’s Moving Beyond the ICU

April 14, 2026/by Kaplan Center
Alzheimer's disease explained by Dr. Gary Kaplan

Alzheimer’s Disease Explained: Prevention, Diagnosis, and the Latest Treatment Options

April 3, 2026/by Kaplan Center
Spring clean your nutrition with these tips!

Spring Clean Your Nutrition

March 30, 2026/by Chardonée Donald, MS, CBHS, CHN, CNS, LDN
A Personal and Professional Perspective on Blood Sugar Balance

Defeat Diabetes Month: A Personal and Professional Perspective on Blood Sugar Balance

March 30, 2026/by Chardonée Donald, MS, CBHS, CHN, CNS, LDN
What we know about long COVID after six years By Dr. Gary Kaplan

What we know about long COVID after six years

March 27, 2026/by Gary Kaplan, DO
Foods that benefit your gut and brain

Foods That Support Your Gut and Brain

March 19, 2026/by Chardonée Donald, MS, CBHS, CHN, CNS, LDN
How Nutrition Shapes Cognition and Mood

The Gut-Brain Connection: How Nutrition Shapes Cognition and Mood

March 18, 2026/by Chardonée Donald, MS, CBHS, CHN, CNS, LDN
preventing compression fractures

8 Steps That Can Help You Prevent Painful Compression Fractures

Research shows that one-quarter of post-menopausal women eventually suffer from compression or collapsing of some vertebrae, the bones that comprise the spinal column. Compression fractures can not only increase one’s risk of future fractures, but they can also compromise one’s ability to function and may cause disabling chronic back pain.

Although these injuries are common, they can usually be prevented, delayed, or mitigated by adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes:

1. Engage in resistance training, such as weight training, yoga, or Qigong every other day, ideally for 30-60 minutes per workout.

There is good news for those who struggle to find those 30-60 minutes: a 10-year study that was completed in 2015 measured the bone mineral density (BMD) of 741 participants pre and post-yoga regimen. Participants who routinely engaged in 12 yoga poses each day for just 12 minutes showed a reversal of osteoporotic bone loss.

2. Do weight-bearing exercises like running, walking, or hiking, for at least 30 minutes each day.

Weight-bearing exercises work against gravity and stimulate bone cells to produce more bone.

3. Get your Vitamin-D levels tested to ensure that they’re between 50-70 ng/mL.

If your levels are low, consider getting more sunshine (exposing some of your skin for 15-30 minutes each day) and taking a supplement. Most people need between 3,000 to 5,000iu of supplementation, but some may need up to 10,000 international units. If you take Vitamin-D supplementation, your 25-hydroxy Vitamin-D level should be checked twice a year.

4. Check your calcium and magnesium intake.

Women should consume a total daily amount of calcium between 1200 and 1500 mg, with no more than 600 mg from supplemental calcium. Taking in more than this amount in supplemental form can lead to an increased risk of heart disease and kidney stones. Good sources of dietary calcium are sardines, white beans, almonds, oranges, leafy greens, and dairy.

Taking magnesium can increase bone mineral density and reduce fracture risk.

5. Consider bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

Before prescribing medications, we at Kaplan Center explore the possibility of using bioidentical estrogens and progesterone or estrogen analogues like Evista to prevent bone loss.

6. Talk with your doctor before using medications to treat bone loss.

Because most of these medications work by decreasing bone breakdown, this can potentially cause more brittle, unhealthy bone, and result in fractures of the femur and jaw necrosis. We generally reserve medication treatment for those with severe osteoporosis or a history of pathological fractures. Before considering bisphosphonates, like Fosomax, Actonel, Boniva, Reclast, or a newer injectable, Prolia, it is recommended to complete dental procedures before starting treatment for osteoporosis. Report any persistent jaw or thigh pain to your healthcare provider immediately.

Another treatment option is Miacalcin, a synthetic version of the hormone, calcitonin. It has been shown to build bone more in the spine than in the hip, offering users some pain relief. Two alternatives to the bisphosphonates and Miacalcin are Forteo and Tymlos, synthetic versions of a hormone called parathyroid hormone which also builds bone. Some of these drugs, however, carry warnings about an increased risk of bone tumors called osteosarcoma.

7. Consider Bone-Density Imaging

It’s important to evaluate the effectiveness of any medications or hormone replacement therapies you may use because each individual inevitably has their own unique response to a given treatment. A bone-density test can help measure the therapeutic benefits of any treatment path you have chosen.

8. Vitamin K supplementation.

Research on Vitamin K and postmenopausal bone loss has shown that it can have a positive effect on bone strength. This 2022 meta-analysis that looked at 16 randomized controlled trials and included 6,425 subjects concluded that “Vitamin K2 supplementation has a positive effect on the maintenance and improvement of [bone mass density lumbar spine] in postmenopausal women, and it can also reduce the fracture incidence”. Supplements are a great way to improve your health, but you should always discuss any new supplements or medications with your provider to ensure that it would be a good option for your unique health profile.

In sum, there’s a lot you can do to keep your bones strong! So, do it!

If you would like to talk to a Kaplan provider about any of the treatments above, please give us a call at 703-532-4892.

We are here for you, and we want to help.

Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2

This article was originally published online in May, 2018. Its content was reviewed and updated in May, 2023.

Additional References

Castiglioni S, Cazzaniga A, Albisetti W, Maier JA. Magnesium and osteoporosis: current state of knowledge and future research directions. Nutrients. 2013 Jul 31;5(8):3022-33. doi: 10.3390/nu5083022. PMID: 23912329; PMCID: PMC3775240.

Rondanelli M, Faliva MA, Tartara A, Gasparri C, Perna S, Infantino V, Riva A, Petrangolini G, Peroni G. An update on magnesium and bone health. Biometals. 2021 Aug;34(4):715-736. doi: 10.1007/s10534-021-00305-0. Epub 2021 May 6. PMID: 33959846; PMCID: PMC8313472.

supplement labels

Sleep Supplement Study Exposes Label Inaccuracies

During the Covid-19 pandemic, many people turned to sleeping pills and supplements to improve disturbed sleep cycles either for themselves or for their children.

In 2022, prompted by a large increase in pediatric melatonin poisonings, particularly during the pandemic, researchers from the Cambridge [MA] Health Alliance and the University of Mississippi looked to assess several brands of the popular sleep supplement, melatonin. What they specifically wanted to examine was the quantity of melatonin as compared to its label and if any other non-labelled ingredients such as cannabidiol (CBD) were present.

The study, which was published in JAMA in April 2023, looked at 25 over-the-counter brands of melatonin gummies and found that most of them (88%) contained more melatonin than the labeled quantity, in some cases far more, and five brands even contained CBD! While the study only looked at a small sample of supplements, this is not very reassuring for the supplements industry.

To understand how this can happen you have to understand how the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) “regulates” supplements. The FDA does not approve dietary supplements before going to market; their role in regulating supplements begins after the product is available to consumers. According to the Dietary Supplement Health & Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA)

  • Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. That means that these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act as amended by DSHEA and FDA regulations.(1)
  • FDA has the authority to take action against any adulterated or misbranded dietary supplement product after it reaches the market.(2)

Again, it is the manufacturer’s responsibility to provide a good, safe product that is effective and free of impurities and contaminants. The FDA will act only when an issue has been brought to their attention.

Now, are all sleeping aids bad? Do you have to stop buying supplements? Absolutely not. But we must work within the framework we are given, which means when it comes to buying supplements, making sure you’re buying from a trusted source.

Once restricted to just our patients, in 2021 we opened The Kaplan Center Store to the public. Now anyone looking to buy high-quality supplements can access our store. Our providers have taken the time to vet every one of the manufacturers we carry and can attest to the fact that they provide a quality product that’s been thoroughly tested and contains the ingredients it claims to contain.

Supplements are not a replacement for a healthy diet and lifestyle but can provide essential nutrients and support when deemed necessary. And remember, before you start taking any new supplement or medication, make sure to talk to your provider to avoid any possible drug interactions or adverse reactions.

We are here for you, and we want to help.

Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2

(1),(2) U.S. Food & Drug Administration / Dietary Supplements

gluten free options

When Going Gluten-free Makes Sense

Gluten is a general name for the family of proteins found in the grains wheat, barley, and rye. Glutenin and gliadin, the 2 main proteins in gluten, are responsible for giving dough its characteristic elasticity and glue-like structure before the baking process and its wonderful texture and rise when baked.

Most people can eat gluten without any problem. However, for some, even the smallest amount of gluten can trigger a wide array of inflammatory reactions in the body when consumed, with symptoms sometimes lasting for months. Sensitivity to gluten presents across a spectrum, sometimes being the primary factor that is making a patient ill, but more often it exacerbates an existing pain condition.

Gluten is directly correlated with 3 major gastrointestinal disorders: Celiac disease (CD), non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), and wheat allergy.

Celiac disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that is triggered by eating foods that contain gluten. Even miniscule amounts can trigger a reaction. Celiac disease is characterized by the damage and atrophy of the villi of the intestinal cell lining. The villi are finger-like extensions that extend from the wall of the small intestine into the lumen. The primary role of these villi is to absorb nutrients from the foods we consume. This damage leads to an increase in the space between cells, allowing food particles to enter the bloodstream (also referred to as intestinal permeability or “leaky gut”), and triggers an inflammatory immune response.  CD can directly cause atopic problems, nutritional deficiencies, and anemias. Research also confirms that individuals with CD have a higher risk of developing other autoimmune disorders, such as Type 1 Diabetes, Sjogren’s Syndrome, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

Celiac disease is also genetically linked, thus, anyone with a relative who has CD is at higher risk to develop it themselves. You can be tested for celiac disease just as you can be tested for food allergies and food sensitivities.

If you have been diagnosed with Celiac disease, going gluten-free is a must. Usually, after following a gluten-free diet (GFD) for just one month the health of patients with celiac disease improves dramatically.

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity

People with non-celiac gluten sensitivity share many of the symptoms common to celiac disease but do not test positive for CD. Once gluten is eliminated from one’s diet, patients with NCGS will quickly see an improvement in several symptoms.

Wheat allergy

Wheat allergy is an allergic reaction to any number of the proteins found in wheat, not necessarily gluten. A person diagnosed with a wheat allergy must avoid eating any form of wheat to avoid triggering an immune reaction but can tolerate eating gluten found barley and rye.

Symptoms of celiac disease & non-celiac gluten sensitivity

The most common symptoms of celiac disease and gluten sensitivity are listed below. Individuals with these conditions can experience a combination of any number of symptoms and some people with CD report having no symptoms at all.

Gastrointestinal:

  • Chronic diarrhea and/ or constipation
  • Chronic indigestion
  • Dehydration
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • Flatulence
  • Sores or ulcers inside the mouth
  • Poor appetite and lactose intolerance
  • Recurring abdominal bloating, cramping, distention or pain and vomiting

Extra-intestinal:

  • Anxiety and Depression
  • Extremely itchy skin rash called dermatitis herpetiformis (DH)
  • Fatigue
  • Fluid retention
  • Hair loss
  • Joint pain, muscle weakness or cramping
  • Migraine headaches
  • Peripheral Neuropathy (tingling and numbness in hands and feet)
  • Vitamin deficiencies, especially Vitamin D
  • Weight loss
  • Cognitive impairment

The following foods usually or often contain gluten:

  • Breading, coating, Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) (wheat)
  • Cakes, pastries, cookies, pies, etc. (wheat)
  • Broth, soup bases (barley)
  • Brown rice syrup (barley)
  • Candy, for example, licorice (wheat) and some chocolates (barley)
  • Croutons (wheat)
  • Breakfast cereals (wheat, barley)
  • Imitation bacon (wheat)
  • Imitation seafood (wheat)
  • Processed lunchmeat, sausages, frankfurters (wheat)
  • Marinades (wheat, barley)
  • Pasta (wheat)
  • Sauces, gravies (wheat)
  • Self-basting poultry (wheat)
  • Soy sauce or soy sauce solids (wheat, barley)
  • Stuffing, dressing (wheat)
  • Thickeners (roux) (wheat)
  • Communion wafers (wheat)
  • Herbal supplements (wheat)
  • Drugs and over-the-counter medications (wheat)
  • Nutritional supplements, Vitamins, and mineral supplements (wheat)
  • Play-Doh (wheat)
  • Beer, ale, porter, stout, malt liquor (wheat)

Behind the label

In the last several years, we have seen tremendous growth in gluten-free products available in grocery stores and restaurants, and the number of gluten-free cookbooks has grown exponentially. In 2013, the FDA required that food manufacturers who wished to use a “gluten-free” label on their products had to limit its gluten content to 20 parts per million or less. The FDA chose this standard based on evidence that suggests that most individuals with celiac disease can tolerate “variable trace amounts and concentrations of gluten in foods (including levels that are less than 20 ppm gluten) without causing adverse health effects.”

In 2020, “gluten-free” labeling requirements extended to fermented or hydrolyzed foods. The FDA’s rule requires that manufacturers themselves keep records to support the “gluten free” claim.

Going gluten-free can be tricky; federal law requires wheat and the other top food allergens (milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, sesame, and soybeans) to be clearly identified on food labels, but there are no regulations regarding barley, rye, and oats. For example, if you see a label that lists malt extract, malt vinegar, malt flavoring, or brewer’s yeast, that product will contain some barley. Learning what to look for on a food label is essential!

Do oats contain gluten?

Strictly speaking, no, but oats have been found to be at risk of contamination with gluten during its production process. Gluten-free oats are available and should be labeled as such. Many people with CD can eat a small amount of gluten-free oats without a problem. A percentage of people with CD react the same way to the protein in oats as they do to gluten.

Should you go gluten-free without a diagnosis or symptoms?

Important to note is that implementing a gluten-free diet without a Celiac diagnosis or without any symptoms of sensitivity does not come without some risk. A review published in Clinical Nutrition in 2016 found people who follow a gluten-free diet are at higher risk of developing nutritional deficiencies. The reason? Many processed gluten-free foods on the market are lower in vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, folate, magnesium, iron, and calcium, than their non-gluten-free counterparts.

What can you eat on a gluten-free diet?

Plenty! In addition to all of the processed gluten-free products on the market, fruits, vegetables, meat and poultry, fish and seafood, dairy, beans, legumes, and nuts are all part of a healthy, gluten-free diet.

The following grains do NOT contain gluten: rice, corn (maize), millet, quinoa, sorghum, buckwheat, amaranth, teff, flax, chia, and nut flours.

In sum, a gluten-free diet is necessary for all patients with celiac disease and highly recommended for patients with a commonly associated autoimmune disorder (Sjogren’s disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis). Our experience at the Kaplan Center has also shown that patients with non-Celiac, inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis, chronic muscle pain, chronic fatigue, and fibromyalgia, also see great improvements in their health when implementing a gluten-free diet.

Learning how to dissect food labels and understanding what ingredients indicate the presence of gluten is the key to staying gluten-free! By eliminating your exposure, a GFD can provide a clean slate to curb the cycle of inflammation.

If you are experiencing some of the symptoms above and have not been able to find resolution, please give us a call and make an appointment. We’re here to help you get to the root cause of your symptoms so healing can begin. Call 703-532-4892.

We are here for you, and we want to help.

Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2