Diet & Nutrition

NATURAL PAIN KILLING FOODS AND HOW THEY WORK

By Sheryl Alfonso e D’Souza

Aging leads to a slow deterioration of muscles and joints, making each more susceptible to damage and injury. The physical activity went wrong, such as when playing a sport or a wrong move in the gym, can lead to a sprain which makes the injury known by way of a surge of pain. Pain is, hence, a natural outcome of damage, and is an important signal warning us that tissue has been damaged and needs immediate attention.

An injury causes the release of chemicals that alert nearby sensory nerves, which in turn carry the 'pain' message to your brain. The brain processes the message and sends a signal to your motor nerves, telling them to prevent any action that will aggravate the ' pain ' . Hence, if you strain a muscle while playing or have arthritis, your motor nerves will not allow you to move the affected part, in a bid to 'rest' it, thereby preserving the part from further damage. Your body also has a very natural way of managing pain – it releases endorphins, chemicals that are painkillers and pain-relievers. H u m a n p h y s i o l o g y i s t r u l y amazing!!!!! Pain can be classied as 'acute' or ' chronic ' depending on the duration it lasts. Acute pain is momentary – for example, a sudden are-up of an old back injury or a gout attack or a stomach cramp – and subsides as soon as the 'cause' has been treated. Chronic pain lasts for months and even years and is often because a permanent treatment has not been established. Acute or chronic pain caused due to inammation of the injured site can be prevented and managed with the help of certain antiinammatory foods. Identifying foods that trigger pain is the rst step towards a dietary approach to pain management. Acute or chronic pain caused due to inammation of the injured site can be prevented and managed with the help of certain antiinammatory foods. Maintaining a food diary will help y o u i s o l a t e f o o d s o r f o o d combinations or cooking methods that bring on or aggravate pain. Members of the nightshade family ( p o t a t o e s , t o m a t o e s , a n d aubergine), sugar-rich foods, meats, and high-fat dairy are known offenders of pain but can behave differently in individuals across the community. Vitamin C-containing foods such as citrus fruits and vegetables and sprouts, which support collagen structure and especially help deal with joint-related pains Fried, grilled, and processed foods are also best avoided, especially in cases of chronic pain. The following foods have been established as being painpreventers and pain-relievers, and including them on a daily basis in your diet can help alleviate pain: · Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as sh, walnuts, axseeds · V i t a m i n C - c o n t a i n i n g foods such as citrus fruits and vegetables and sprouts, which support collagen structure and especially help deal with jointrelated pains · Micronutrient-rich foods, especially those containing Zinc, Selenium, Folic Acid, and Vitamin B6 and A (a combination of nuts, seeds, dark green vegetables, orange-yellow-red fruits and veggies, and whole grains), develop the immune system that helps ght pain · Spices such as turmeric, and sulfur-containing onion and garlic are known to contain antiinammatory substances · Anthocyanin-rich foods such as berries and cherries also s t o p i n a m m a t i o n a n d i t s associated pain · Maintaining gut health with the help of probiotics (curds, yogurt, lassi, buttermilk) is today known to help alleviate pain symptoms The repetitive emphasis on including the above food groups as part of your daily diet speaks about the healing powers of them. Do yourself a favor, then – and make sure that your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and any in-between snack contains a healthy serving of one of the above-mentioned foods.