Can diet help us if we have chronic pain?

Nutrition is an essential aspect of the new health paradigm, where life habits are the mainstay for building a change in our reality, he tells us, adding that if we talk about pain and inflammation, this topic is much clearer, with Key Anti-Inflammatory NutrientsaRivers, spices and food .

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Moreover, the type of our diet is a modifiable factor that will determine (along with others such as sports, stress management, rest, lifestyle …) the greater or lesser expression of the genes responsible for pain. So, if we can determine the type of diet we eat regardless of genes, why not take care of our health and promote an anti-inflammatory diet? It is in our hands!

Nutritional guidelines for chronic pain

We took the opportunity to ask him what are the basic nutritional guidelines for a diet that helps us achieve this goal, and he summarizes them as follows:

eliminate any Foods that increase inflammation Sugars, sauces, soft drinks, ultra-processed foods, sweeteners, polyols, processed meats, alcohol, refined white grains…
Enter in every meal Priority Antioxidant Basis This is found in a mixture of fruits and vegetables, which should be the most common foods you consume on your plate (about 40-50%).
included HIGH QUALITY PROTEINS Healthy fats rich in omega-3 (Extra virgin olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds…) in each intake. They should occupy approximately 25 and 20% of the plate, respectively.
If we choose carbohydrates, Grains should be whole, unrefined, low-glycemic, gluten-free such as brown rice, quinoa, potatoes, certified gluten-free oatmeal, or sweet potatoes.
The most anti-inflammatory proteins are those rich in omega-3s, such as oily fish; We will try to include it about 3 times a week, prioritizing the smaller ones to avoid heavy metals like sardines, anchovies, anchovies, salmon, bonito…
Cook with spices and avoid salt . Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory spice, followed by ginger. One idea is to get into the habit of seasoning vegetable creams, french fries, or salads with these spices.
Replace breakfast with Turmeric latte, an anti-inflammatory drink made with turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger, and a botanical drink.
hydrate yourself well And drink water as a primary hydration drink, so that the metabolic reactions in our bodies occur properly.

Infallible foods

Are there foods we should include in our diet to achieve this? “As mentioned earlier, having Fruits, vegetables and omega-3 fatty acids It is necessary as the basis of our diet in almost daily intake. Carbohydrates should be low glycemic, gluten-free, and wholegrain free. Examples of these foods include: sardines, anchovies, quinoa, avocado, natural nuts, albacore tuna, turmeric, ginger-based sauces, berries, green leafy vegetables (spinach, lamb lettuce, arugula) or extra virgin olive oil. He adds.

Conversely, what foods should we limit our consumption of?

Of course, as is logical, Consumption of inflammatory foods should be reduced Among them are added sugars and sweeteners, refined white flour, processed meat and alcohol, as well as all foods that contain them as ultra-processed (cookies, bread, breakfast cereals, industrial packaging and sauces …), soft drinks, Light or zero full in Sweeteners, vegetable oils…once a week or once every 10 days,” he recommends.

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All this from one idea: the ideal is to be followed personalized nutritional advice, As per our problem. This is confirmed by the specialist, who tells us that the future of food is going in this direction: always customize food according to the stage that a person is in. He concludes, “There will always be some general patterns, but the nutritionist must always adapt them to the patient’s condition in order to achieve success.”