It can be overwhelming trying to understand what food to eat to support your goals of pain reduction. Here are a few practical tips to follow as you plan your meals for the week.

What to Eat? Fruits and Vegetables – get green and leafy!

  • Why? To reduce Inflammation. Fruits and vegetables are an excellent way to help reduce inflammation in your body. They contain polyphenols, which act as antioxidants in the body, meaning they help protect the body and neutralize free radicals that cause damage to cells (i.e. reduce chronic inflammation!)
  • Tips and tricks: if it’s difficult or costly for you to always have fresh produce in the house, try stocking up on frozen fruits and vegetables. They hold their nutritional value when frozen and save you the trip back and forth from the store!

What to eat? Good quality fats

  • Why? Omega-3 fats and olive oil both help to reduce inflammation and enhance our body’s immune system.
  • Tips and tricks: when planning your meals try to include fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines, flaxseeds, walnuts, coconut oil, and extra virgin olive oil. Try to limit cooking with hydrogenated vegetable oil, sunflower, and safflower oils, which can be inflammatory to our system. Supplementing with fish-oil has been shown to reduce pain and can be a good option if fish is not available for you. Seek advice from a medical professional for more information on specific brands and doses to consider.

What to eat? Vitamins and minerals

  • Why? It is common for people experiencing chronic pain to have micronutrient deficiencies in Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, and magnesium. We typically get our vitamin D through exposure to sunlight and deficiencies are associated with increased muscle fatigue. Vitamin B12 and magnesium deficiencies are associated with muscle cramping, inflammation, and nerve pain.
  • Tips and tricks: Get 15-30 minutes of sunshine per day to hit your vitamin D quota, if this isn’t possible, consider speaking with your doctor about a vitamin D supplement. Try to consume a wide range of nutrient-dense foods to ensure you are meeting your vitamin and mineral requirements. You can find vitamin B12 in meat, fish, eggs & dairy and to increase your magnesium levels try green leafy vegetables, nuts, and whole grains.

What to eat? Natural sugars instead of processed sugar

  • Why? Processed sugar in foods and drinks contain high amounts of calories and lack the beneficial nutrients we need. These foods tend to increase inflammation and oxidation which can worsen our pain experience.
  • Tips and tricks: Focus on healthy snack options like fruits, vegetables, or yogurt. Ditch the sugary drinks and focus on hydrating with water instead. Grocery shop around the outside of the store to purchase more whole foods (processed foods come in boxes or bags and are found in the middle aisles). Try to prioritize cooking at home so that you know exactly what ingredients are going into your meals.
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