Millions of Americans suffer from pain, making it one of the primary reasons people seek medical attention. The conventional approach to pain management often involves medications that carry many side effects and risks, such as GI upset, addiction, and impaired physical and mental functioning. Fortunately, there are natural options that can be very effective and have little to no adverse effects.
The foods you eat have the ability to trigger either pro-inflammatory chemicals or anti-inflammatory chemicals. Pro-inflammatory foods increase pain, swelling, and cellular damage. An increase in inflammatory chemicals has been associated with most chronic diseases including arthritis, heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and various cancers. Anti-inflammatory foods are health promoting and protective to the body. Examples include:
- Healthy fats – avocadoes, nuts and seeds, olives, wild caught fish, etc.
- Whole grains – brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat, etc.
- Colorful fruits and vegetables – berries, dark leafy greens, apples, cabbage, broccoli, yams, garlic, carrots, etc.
- High quality protein – organic/hormone-free meat, poultry, grass-fed beef, fish, organic eggs, etc.
- Legumes – lentils, soy, black beans, pinto, garbanzo beans, etc.
Beyond diet, taking a comprehensive approach that also incorporates internal and topical natural products can help to address pain. We have collaborated with doctors, nutritionists, pharmacists, as well as innovative manufacturers to create protocols for both acute and chronic pain. Because we have received such great feedback regarding these recommendations, we want to share them with you, with the hope that they can help you too. Here is a link to our pain management protocols.
