Nutrition is Important for Managing Pain

We all get bumps and bruises but chronic pain is much different. In order to be considered “chronic”, pain must last longer than three months.

What’s more, chronic pain is also a heightened level of pain, more so than a simple stubbing of the toe or jamming of the finger. It’s ordinarily pain that is severe enough that working or living a normal life becomes difficult.

Pain is often caused from inflammation throughout the body. There are some exceptions, of course, but in most cases, chronic pain has some level of inflammation. Nutrition can play a big role in helping chronic pain as it can directly impact the level of inflammation that is present in your body.

While there has yet to be a Pain Free Diet, there is an Anti-Inflammatory Diet and this is the next best thing. A diet that focuses on anti-inflammatory foods may help reduce or eliminate pain while improving mood and overall health.

This type of diet is going to focus on primarily plant-based foods with healthy lean meats, usually in the form of fish, being added in sparingly. The idea is to maximize anti-inflammatory vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and the following nutrients:

1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids are the most popular anti-inflammatory nutrients. Omega 3s can be found in:

• Salmon
• Flaxseed
• Walnuts

2. Tryptophan has been shown to be a powerful tool for pain alleviation while improving sleep. Tryptophan can be found in:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Raw chocolate
• Yogurt

3. Fiber can help to alleviate pain from constipation. It’s found in:

• Flax seeds
• Dark leafy green vegetables
• Prunes

4. Green tea is a well-known agent for pain alleviation. You can drink up to 3 cups per day to help with pain.