Chronic Pain

Many people deal with chronic pain on a daily basis, some of it is classified as Fibromyalgia, and some of it is considered arthritis, some just plain joint pain. There is something that these all have in common – in many cases they are caused by our lifestyle. Now when I say lifestyle I mean what we put in and on our body, is what causes our health problems. This newsletter is on things we can do to relieve the chronic pain that we experience on a daily basis.

1. Limit sugar and carbs as much as possible – Basically, limit things that are processed and high in carbohydrates. When I mention sugar I am not talking about the sugar that is in fruits and vegetables – these are natural sugars and can be consumed in moderation. It is perfectly safe to consume 2-3 servings of fruit per day. Things such as bread, cakes, pies, rice, oatmeal, and other grains even though healthy will break down in your body as sugar. These cause inflammation in your body, and the inflammation is what causes the pain. You can take an anti-inflammatory – fish oil, antioxidants, curcumin, etc. to help with the pain, but the best thing is limiting your sugar as much as you can.
2. Eat fresh foods – This means to avoid anything that comes in a box or can, anything that is processed, anything that can sit on the shelf for longer than a week, anything that has more than 4-5 ingredients on the package – avoid these items like the plague. Many times it’s the additives and preservatives in these foods that cause inflammation and many health problems. Organic fresh fruits and vegetables is the best way to go because they are more likely to not be sprayed with preservatives. Buy your fresh fruits and vegetables at farmers markets or even the grocery store – fresh is best no matter what.
3. Avoid Caffeine – Chronic pain or fibromyalgia has been linked in research studies to an imbalance of brain chemicals. These brain chemicals control mood, and has been linked to not getting enough sleep and causing fatigue. We often drink caffeinated products to eliminate the fatigue. Problem is that at times this can cause sleeplessness. So, the more caffeine consumed, the less you are going to sleep, and possibly have more chronic pain. This means either give up coffee or drink decaf, or give up your soda habit, or other forms of caffeine. When you give up caffeine you will suffer from withdrawl symptoms – which means a headache for 2-3 days, but once the symptoms go away, you will be free of coffee/caffeine.
4. Avoid Nightshade Vegetables – You might be thinking what is a Nightshade Vegetable? That is what I thought the first time I heard this. Nightshade vegetables are tomatoes, tomatillos, potatoes, peppers, eggplant, and gogi berries. Nightshades contain alkaloids, which have pro-inflammatory properties, and cause pain in those suffering from arthritis. If you think nightshade vegetables are causing your pain or health issues – do an elimination diet – remove them from your diet for 3 weeks. Than add them back in one by one to see if any of them cause the symptoms. If they do, them remove them from your diet, or be content with your pain.
5. Be Careful with your fats – Trans fat and fried foods have been found to contain toxins called AGES (Advanced Glycation End Products). These products increase oxidation in the body’s cells and increase inflammation levels. Inflammation is the primary cause of pain. Cutting out fried and processed foods can greatly reduce your levels of inflammation. Supplements such as fish oil, curcumin, and many antioxidants will lower inflammation and promote brain function.
6. Avoid pasteurized dairy –The majority of dairy products contain casein, a type of protein that is known to cause inflammation. Studies have shown that casein protein can irritate the tissue that surrounds the joints, resulting in pain and inflammation.
7. Avoid Aspartame – The artificial sweetener found in some diet sodas and many sugar-free sweets is part of a chemical group called excitotoxins, which activate neurons that can increase your sensitivity to pain.
8. Avoid Additives – Much of the food you buy in restaurants – fast food, quick service, and regular sit down – are loaded with additives, such as gluten, or MSG (monosodium glutamate). MSG is an excitatory neurotransmitter that may stimulate pain receptors; glutamate levels in spinal fluid have been shown to correlate with pain levels in fibromyalgia patients. Gluten – which is found in wheat (but is used as an additive in much of the processed food) causes an inflammatory response in many people, especially in those who are intolerant or suffering from a leaky gut. A leaky gut allows toxins and waste to enter your bloodstream through your intestines, causing the body to initiate an immune response. This immune response is what leads to inflammation.
9. Avoid Corn Oil – Corn oil contains omega-6 fatty acids. Any food that contains high doses of omega-6 fatty acids can upset the balance of omega-6 and omega-3, causing inflammation. This includes all oils derived from seeds, such as canola, grapeseed, soybean and sunflower oil.
10. Watch your salt intake – Too much salt upsets the balance of water in the body. It causes water retention, which increases the pressure on your blood vessels. The added pressure can aggravate arthritis, causing pain and inflammation. Reducing the amount of sodium in your diet can help balance your electrolyte levels and reduce inflammation. Many processed foods are loaded with added salt, if you eat all fresh fruits and vegetables you won’t have to worry much about salt intake.
11. Limit alcohol consumption – Drinking alcohol places a burden on the liver. Excessive drinking weakens liver function and disrupts other organ interactions, which can lead to inflammation.

You may be thinking, what is there left to eat or drink? The answer is eating lean grass fed meats or wild caught fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats. The beverage of choice is water, now you can infuse your water with fruits and vegetables to give different tastes to your water.