How to Eat the ‘Pain’ Away

Keighley Brown May 24, 2023

If you’re like most people, you’ve probably relied on painkillers all this time to sooth those painful muscles and joints, stomach cramps, and other body pains. But did you know you can also ‘eat’ the pain away? There are plenty of foods that, surprisingly, have pain-reducing abilities. Incorporating them in your diet can greatly help you manage pain issues. Here are some of them:

Protein-rich Foods

Your body needs protein for healing and repair especially of your muscles and tissues. But you don’t want to get much of your protein needs from red meat as they could have the opposite effect. Diets that are high in meat promote inflammation which leads to or aggravates pain. You want to get protein from non-animal sources. Of course, eggs are the exception. Eggs are good for you. They are a complete protein. Eating them for breakfast does not only provide you enough protein but also helps you fight hunger pangs. Other great sources of protein are fish, nuts and seeds, beans, lentils, chickpeas and soy.

Herbs and Spices

Herbs and spices, including turmeric, ginger, garlic, onion and pepper, are high in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds that protect your body from various diseases and fight inflammation. Basil is in fact as strong as anti-inflammatory drugs! Cardamom has been shown to be effective in relieving the pain associated with stomach cramps and other stomach problems. Meanwhile, cayenne contains a compound called ‘capsaicin’ which is used as an ingredient in many prescription and over-the-counter drugs, ointments, creams and patches for arthritis and muscle pain.

Fruits and Vegies

Health experts recommend at least five portions of fruits and vegetables of varying colours. Not only does it promote health and wellness, it may also help you get rid of pain. And they do it by maintaining a good acid-alkaline balance in the blood, which in turn reduces inflammation in the body. Most fresh vegetables are alkalising, most especially the green ones like broccoli, spinach and kale. They are also high in antioxidants which neutralise the free radicals created in the areas where inflammation occur.

Fats

Yes, you read it right. Fats can also help you thwart pain. But be careful about the fats you consume. You only want to go with the good ones. They include polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats coming from fresh produce, including fish. Bad fats (saturated fats) from meat and dairy products only increase inflammation in the body, thus, worsening pain.

Adding these foods to your diet can help a lot in managing pain. In addition to proper food choice, experts also recommend other ways to manage pain, such as exercise, meditation, yoga and acupuncture.

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