The plant based diet can relieve chronic pain - from ecomii blogs

You have only to look at how extensive the pain-relieving products section is at your local pharmacy to know that pain is big business.

The problem is that pain medications are often not effective enough, and certainly not over the long-term.? Pain-relieving medications often have dangerous side effects, as well.

If you are among the more than 100 million Americans who suffer from chronic pain, there are better ways to control pain than taking a daily painkiller.

Nutrition plays a larger role in chronic pain than most people realize.? The documentary, ?Fat, Sick and nearly Dead,? makes the case that switching to the plant-based, nutrient-dense diet will reduce inflammation and restore natural balance in the body.

In contrast, the Standard American Diet (SAD) is one of the most inflammatory diets in the world.? It?s no wonder so many Americans are overweight, fatigued and in pain.

The points made here may seem logical, but most of us live a life disconnected from the effects the typical Western diet has on our health.? We need to strike a balance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory signals within our body.

To tip the scales in favor of anti-inflammation (anti-pain)

1. Avoid cane sugar. It stimulates reward centers in the brain, short term, in the long run it will increase pain sensation in the body and disrupts sleep, which is essential for reducing overall pain.? If you suffer from chronic pain, each time you eat sugar, it will set you back 3 to 4 weeks.

2. Avoid fruit juice., which contains fructose (a type of sugar). It will make you crave the foods that are bad for you!

3.Avoid artificial sweeteners, such as Aspartame and Splenda^?.

4. Avoid wheat and all its derivatives.? If you are in pain, this applies to you even if you are not gluten-sensitive.

5. Avoid hydrogenated oils, such as Margarine, because they pollute cell membranes with fatty acids that disrupt cellular communication and waste removal.? A toxic system is a system in pain, because lactic acid and other toxins are not removed efficiently.

6. Avoid any foods that you are sensitive to and if you don?t know where to start, begin with #1 through 5 above. Follow with other common allergens, such as dairy, eggs, corn and peanuts.

7. Eat leafy green vegetables, which help boost good bacteria in the gut.? This reduces inflammation in one of the largest surface areas of continuous exposure to inflammatory insults from food and the environment.? A healthy intestinal lining makes 95 percent of the serotonin in our body, the neurotransmitter of ?happiness.?

8. Boost your essential fatty acids (Omega-3?s) by eating foods such as avocados, almonds, walnuts, ground flax seeds, ground chia seeds and flax seed oil.

9. Boost the only anti-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid by taking evening primrose oil or borage oil.? I have found this to reduce asthma symptoms, eczema, and inflammatory pain.

10. Engage in stress-reducing, low-impact activities, such as restorative yoga, swimming, meditation, Tai Chi or Qi Gong, as permitted by your condition.

11. Get at least seven to eight hours of sleep per night.

12. Release more endorphins, the natural pain-reducing protein signals in our bodies, by making time in your day for the ?Amazing Trio,? Awe, Movement and Gratitude.? Cultivate a positive attitude and be inspired by these three things on a daily basis and you will most certainly feel happier and in less pain.

Vincent Pedre, M.D. is an integrative, Holistic General Practitioner and Board-Certified Internist in private practice in New York City. Follow Dr. Pedre on Facebook and Twitter

Source: http://www.ecomii.com/blogs/food/2013/03/18/12-rules-for-controlling-chronic-pain-through-nutrition/

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