If you are living with chronic pain, you know how desperate you are for relief. Experts believe one of the best and easiest ways to ease your chronic pain is by eating an anti-inflammatory diet. Let’s discover what chronic inflammation is and how a proper diet might have the ability to relieve symptoms and potentially prevent further problems.
How Does Chronic Inflammation Affect Your Body?
By definition, chronic inflammation is a prolonged inflammatory response in the body. It can persist for weeks, months, or even years. It is unlike acute inflammation, which is a short-term and protective response to injury or infection. Unfortunately, chronic inflammation can have harmful effects on the body over time. These effects can be devastating.
Chronic inflammation can be caused by a variety of factors. These include things like autoimmune disorders, recurring infections, toxin exposure, and lifestyle factors. Lifestyle factors can include such things as poor diet, lack of proper exercise, and chronic stress. Lastly, chronic inflammation can contribute to the development of a wide range of diseases that include things like arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, certain types of cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.
In detail, painful inflammation is the body’s response to foreign toxins. Your body has an immune response when toxins are present and this involves inflammation. This is why you feel pain when experiencing a flare up.
Symptoms of chronic inflammation can include fatigue, joint pain, skin rashes, digestive issues, and recurrent infections. Treatment for chronic inflammation has historically involved addressing the underlying cause. It has always been suggested to make lifestyle changes, perhaps start a new medication, or approach other therapies as needed.
An Anti-Inflammatory Diet for Chronic Inflammation.
What is an anti-inflammatory diet? Simply put, it is a diet or type of eating plan that emphasizes consuming foods that are known to reduce inflammation in the body. The best part is that there are virtually no side-effects when attempting this approach. What does an anti-inflammatory diet look like? Let’s take a look below at the main components:
1. Adding a variety of fruits and vegetables. Choosing ones that are highest in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Ideally, you should eat the rainbow. This means your meals should be colorful and full of fruit and vegetables.
2. Opting for whole grains over refined grains. Choose things like brown rice and whole wheat bread.
3. Avoid dairy when possible.
4. When consuming fat, opt for healthy fats. These include things like nuts, seeds, avocados and fish.
5. Reduce/avoid all processed foods, especially those high in sugar, salt and trans fats.
6. When choosing a source of protein, opt for lean meats like chicken, fish and legumes. It is best to avoid red meats.
7. Researching herbs and spices to add to your meals that have anti-inflammatory properties. These include things like ginger, turmeric and garlic.
All of these pointers are great at targeting your inflammations and helping reduce the side effects. Keep in mind that there is no guarantee your pain will magically disappear the moment you change your diet. Theoretically, at least some of your symptoms should begin to diminish.
Additionally there are many other factors to consider. A healthy diet is a great first step but it should also be combined with regular exercise, stress management and adequate amounts of sleep. You should also be following the guidance from your doctor. If they recommend other therapies or approaches to your inflammation management, you should always heed their advice first.
How Can Summa Pain Help Manage Your Chronic Inflammation?
When diet and exercise alone are not enough, you may need additional help from Summa Pain Care. Specializing in pain management, Summa Pain Care has a wide variety of treatments available. Your case will be evaluated as a whole with the best treatment plan made just for you. With locations in Peoria, North Scottsdale and Phoenix (Carefree), there are different options for each part of the valley. We welcome you in to see if we are a good match for treatment.
Final Thoughts
Living with chronic inflammation is not only painful, but exhausting. Long term relief will likely need to include a well-designed and managed diet alongside exercise and stress management. Take the time to manage your diet wisely and reap the benefits that come along with proper nutrition. Your body will thank you.
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