Eating and Living

Nutrients within foods reduce damage at the site of an injury, will cool the body’s inflammatory response, provide analgesia on the pain nerves themselves, and will even work within the brain to reduce pain sensitivity.

Research studies have revealed that a soothing of the digestive tract can be a result of taking rice or peppermint oil. Ginger and feverfew can prevent migraines, natural plant oils can reduce arthritis pains, cranberry juice can fight bladder infections and vitamin B6 can even increase your resistance to pain, and can also be used to treat nerve symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. Hot chilli peppers, taken in the right dose, can block the nerves’ ability to transmit messages of pain to the brain.

In the following, we will take a closer look at how foods can aid in decreasing pain within certain conditions.

Back Pain

Like every other part of the body, a good supply of blood is required, in order for the back to heal from the traumas received from day to day living. When lumbar arteries are clogged up with plaque, the oxygen and nutrients essential to aid recovery are blocked off. This will result in the build up of cell waste products, that irritate sensitive nerves.

By changing a diet to a whole food diet, avoid smoking, passive smoking, excessive stress and sedentary habits, a reversed effect can take place. This will enable the cleansing of the arteries resulting in the relief of back pain.

Certain foods are required to clean the arteries in order to maintain health, and even reduce pain in the effected area. Food consumed to accomplish this are as follows:

Grains - pasta, bread, oatmeal, cereal
Legumes - beans, peas, chickpeas, lentils
Vegetables - asparagus, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, potatoes, spinach, sweet potatoes
Fruits - apples, bananas, oranges, pears, strawberries
Vitamin B12- fortified soymilk, cereals or B12 supplement

Rheumatoid arthritis

The first step in using foods to relieve the discomfort of arthritis, is to simply avoid common joint pain triggers, and to emphasize those that are recognised as pain safe foods.

Pain safe foods include:

Brown rice
Cooked or dried fruits - cherries, cranberries, pears, prunes ( not citrus fruits, apples, bananas, peaches or tomatoes)
Cooked green, yellow and orange vegetables - artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, chard, greens, lettuce, spinach, string beans, courgettes, marrow, sweet potato
Water - plain or carbonated. Herbal teas may trigger pain
Condiments - modest amounts of salt, maple syrup, vanilla extract are usually tolerated

This list of pain safe foods may be used to aid a migraine sufferer. It must be noted however, that apples are not restricted in arthritis, as research has observed that the proteins in apples or apple products contribute to pain associated in arthritis.

To aid your body in fighting inflammation, certain natural oils may be used successfully.

Alpha linolenic acid E1

Found in:
Alpha oil
Flaxseed oil
Linseed oil
Soybean oil
Walnut oil
Wheat germ oil

ALA can be found naturally in:
Vegetables - lettuce, broccoli, spinach
Legumes - haricot, pinto, lima beans, peas, split peas
Citrus fruits - ( if not diagnosed as pain killers )
Oils - flaxseed, linseed, canola, walnut oils - richest in ALA , followed by wheat germ and soy oils

Gamma linolenic acid E3

Found in:
Blackcurrant oil
Starflower oil
Evening primrose oil
Hemp oil

If a diet is rich in animal fats and cooking oils, inflammatory fats will be bulking up inside the cell membranes. If the body faces an injury, the fats known as E2 (found in animal fats and cooking oils), will take their place of attacking invading bacteria, and will aid in the process of healing. However, due to over load of E2 from a high consumption of animal fats and cooking oils, during the process of aiding the injury, instead of only surviving for an instant, E2 will carry on being released from the cells. It will then turn, to provide a constant spray of sparks, that will continue to cause pain and discomfort within the joints.

In reducing fat intake found in meats and cooking oils, and increasing consumption of E1 and E3 natural oils, natural anti inflammatory compounds will be readily available to take the necessary action, should the body become injured. Only so much fat or oil can fit into the membrane of the cells, if a diet is rich in GLA and ALA foods, cell membranes will take up adequate amounts required at the appropriate time. A period of up to six months may be required to see the results of eliminating unhelpful fats from the cells, to be replaced by the natural oils and food containing E1 and E3 acid.

In following this change of diet, normal ability to produce E2, and ability to produce an inflammatory response to injuries will not be reduced. Rather, excessive and inappropriate inflammation will be avoided.

It is strongly advised to avoid GLA should you be pregnant, in order to avoid miscarriage. It is also advised to obtain consent from your doctor before including GLA and ALA oils within your diet.

Cancer

Cancer of the prostate, breast, uterus, ovary and digestive cancers such as cancer of the oesophagus, stomach, colon, liver, and pancreas are most strongly linked to poor diet.

Prostate, breast, uterus, ovary and colon cancer are greatly linked to high consumptions of fat from meat, dairy products and vegetable oils. By replacing these foods with a plant based diet of grains, vegetables, fruits and lentils, cancer conditions can be reversed.

Vegetables, fruits, grains and legumes are not only low in fat, but also contain essential nutrients. Vitamin C, E, the mineral selenium are all found in these foods, and act positively to increase immune function against disease.

A healthy diet can be used alongside medication for any serious disease and common illness. Recognising the healing power in foods can aid healing in the suffering of others. Treatment must be planned carefully with an individuals doctor, encouraging nutrition to have an integral part of the healing process within the body and mind.