Pain is awful, and chronic pain is not something you ever want to deal with. Luckily, many painful conditions can be managed, if not prevented, by generally living a healthy life, including eating a healthy diet. Here are five foods you should add to your diet if you want a better chance at controlling pain.
Anything Containing Resveratrol
Red grapes, cranberries, blueberries, grape juice, and red wine, among other foods, contain resveratrol, an anti-inflammatory compound that can help prevent lower back pain. The resveratrol may disrupt the communication between your brain and the cells that are trying to tell your brain that inflammation is present. It may also cut off enzymes that contribute to cartilage damage.
Ginger
Already promoted as an anti-nausea aid, ginger may also be a key ingredient in arthritis care. It's currently under investigation for its potential role in easing joint pain. Injections containing ginger extract may also help ease knee pain from osteoarthritis.
Salmon (Especially Wild)
Salmon offers two pain-relieving benefits: a compound called calcitonin and good levels of magnesium. The calcitonin may help ease joint pain, particularly from osteoarthritis, and the magnesium can contribute to fighting and preventing fibromyalgia, which can cause shoulder pain and neck pain.
Soy
Soy isoflavones may help cut down on knee pain substantially. It's not an immediate effect; you may have to ingest more than 40 grams of soy daily to see an effect within a month. Still, soy products are easy to find, making this an affordable addition to your diet.
Water
Don't forget to drink water. This is something that gets overlooked all too often. If you can stay properly hydrated, you give your body's cartilage a fighting chance against joint pain because the water keeps the cartilage soft. If the cartilage dries out, you end up with more pain.
Chronic pain shouldn't be ignored, and you should talk to a doctor to see what's causing the pain. But by eating well, and by eating anti-inflammatory foods, you give yourself a better chance of living pain-free. If you have more questions concerning chronic pain and therapy options, contact The Physical Therapy Institute.
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