Did you know...that for individuals with chronic pain, forty percent of the problem can be traced to their diet?
Well, it's true. And sadly, the foods that are the most problematic are the very foods we love oh so much. Eating these foods, especially when we know they are triggers, can mess us up for weeks on end. Doctors and other health care providers are not always in the loop about this. They do need to become more knowledgeable so they can help patients to help themselves. In the end, those same patients will feel better more of the time and rely on medications much less. That's a winning combination!
So, which foods should be avoided? Start with bread, flour, sugars, artificial sweeteners, fruit juices, potatoes, and hydrogenated fats. Those seem to affect most everyone. Read the ingredients on all the foods you eat. You'd be surprised how many wheats, fats, etc. you are consuming without even thinking about it. This kind of diet is not about losing weight; it is about maximizing pain management efforts.
In addition to the above, some of us have our own unique pain triggers. A good way to identify these is to using a pain diary, as described in this post. You may be able to pinpoint foods and other triggers using this method. It's also important to be aware that re-using cutting boards, knives, etc. may contaminate the safe foods you are eating with small amounts of foods that can cause flare ups. Even a small amount of contaminant may be enough to wreak havoc!
There are numerous references on diet and its impact on chronic pain...you can read some of my earlier posts here and here. I also wrote a post some time ago about a book on this very subject.
Sources: Everyday Pain Management Ideas; PainWeek.org; pixabay
Well, it's true. And sadly, the foods that are the most problematic are the very foods we love oh so much. Eating these foods, especially when we know they are triggers, can mess us up for weeks on end. Doctors and other health care providers are not always in the loop about this. They do need to become more knowledgeable so they can help patients to help themselves. In the end, those same patients will feel better more of the time and rely on medications much less. That's a winning combination!
So, which foods should be avoided? Start with bread, flour, sugars, artificial sweeteners, fruit juices, potatoes, and hydrogenated fats. Those seem to affect most everyone. Read the ingredients on all the foods you eat. You'd be surprised how many wheats, fats, etc. you are consuming without even thinking about it. This kind of diet is not about losing weight; it is about maximizing pain management efforts.
In addition to the above, some of us have our own unique pain triggers. A good way to identify these is to using a pain diary, as described in this post. You may be able to pinpoint foods and other triggers using this method. It's also important to be aware that re-using cutting boards, knives, etc. may contaminate the safe foods you are eating with small amounts of foods that can cause flare ups. Even a small amount of contaminant may be enough to wreak havoc!
There are numerous references on diet and its impact on chronic pain...you can read some of my earlier posts here and here. I also wrote a post some time ago about a book on this very subject.
Sources: Everyday Pain Management Ideas; PainWeek.org; pixabay
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