Did you know what you eat can affect your chronic pain levels?

I bet you didn’t know how much your chronic pain levels can change with what you put in your mouth. You probably had a feeling that your pain may have been worse after eating sugary things or a bowl of pasta? But you just couldn’t put a finger on why your chronic pain was worse after it? There’s just so much research out there and it can be confusing to say the least! I understand. One day coffe is good for you, the other day it’s bad. Some say egg is good,  others say it’s bad. Whom to believe right? Well, there are some basic effects certain foods have on the body. And this is proven by research. So here are a few things you need to know so you can manage your pain by changing your relationship with food.

Meat contains proteins that are packed with inflammatory substances. They change the environment of our gut causing inflammation producing organisms to multiply. There’s an amazing documentary called the Game Changers that was released in 2018 about the effects of meat products and the rise of the plant based diet in athletes. In it,  Dr. Scott Stoll , a former olympian and team physician for US olympic team said that when we consume animal products, it changes the microbiome that live in our gut.In animal products you’re getting protein packaged with inflammatory molecules. Bacteria that increase inflammation, increase and start producing toxins in the body. It’s because of this that chronic pain develops and continues in the body. So guess what you need to change, in order to change your chronic pain levels? You guessed it!

Isn’t it weird that humans are the only species on the planet, let me repeat this, the only species that consume the milk of another species. In fact, we’re the only group that also drink milk way into adulthood. Now I know what you must be thinking, but milk is supposed to be good for the bones! Is it now? Did you know that as we grow older, we lose the ability to break down the sugars that are present in milk, namely lactose? There are various degrees of intolerance to lactose. Some with mild bloating to others feeling nausea, vomitting or even diarrhoea! Dairy products are rich in saturated fats that can increase inflammation. One of the factors that cause chronic pain. So is this a good argument then to think about some milk alternatives you think?

With the way the food industry works, everything that comes in a package is either full of sugar or salt. Not to mention the bad kind of fats. Now we all know this that extremely sugary things like any kind of cakes are not good for us. But did you know that it can directly affect your pain levels? Next time pay attention to how you feel after eating a donut or a big bowl of pasta. Sluggish, low energy and heavy, right? Over a period of time this will lead to chronic inflammation in the body. So if you are already suffering from chronic pain,you’re not doing yourself any favours by eating these things. Easier said than done , I know. But knowledge is power. So I’m hoping once you start paying attention to how these foods make you feel, you’re going to stop wanting them as much.