My Top Tips for People in Pain

By: Ashley Dew 

So many people in our society are unfortunately dealing with pain on a daily basis.   I am not talking about acute pain that comes from acute inflammation, which is normal and important for healing.  Chronic pain is different in that it is a manifestation of inflammation in the body and chronic inflammatory processes are linked to well-known health conditions, many of which are considered very serious.  Some common examples are auto-immunity, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, gastritis, IBS, and fibromyalgia, just to name a few.  In fact, there are over 100 chronic conditions that are linked to inflammation, many of which cause direct pain.

Furthermore, chronic inflammation ages us.  So we have to pay attention to where this inflammation is coming from. It is being triggered by something.  And we are seeing this now with people in their 20’s and 30’s because of all the refined foods, lack of exercise, poor sun exposure, and all of the things that come with a sedentary lifestyle and a disconnect from their food source.  Nowadays, we think of food as something that comes in a plastic package, with no idea of the ingredients we are actually eating.  

With more people today looking to find answers rather than merely putting on the proverbial ‘band-aid’, many are looking towards a functional medicine model that aims to uncover the root cause of illness.  As many of my clients know, one of my favorite sayings is “You are what you eat”.  This is pertinent to how we treat our bodies today – and it starts with the foods we eat. Food can either fuel our bodies and help to optimize health and well-being, or it can fuel inflammation and feed disease.  Below are my Top 8 Food Rules for those living in pain, and those that are interested in reducing inflammation in their body for better overall health: 

1. SUGAR IS NOT YOUR FRIEND.

Starch and sugars are the killers and accelerators of aging. Sugar sets up a low grade inflammation in our bodies that overtime starts upregulating and activating genetic DNA that we don’t want activated. Sugar is the root of so many chronic diseases, including arthritis. And it can be very hard to cut this out of your diet because it is addictive. Sugar activates the same center in your brain that heroin activates and it feels so good. I grew up in Georgia where sugar goes in everything. The tea, the fresh cakes everyday, my grandmother’s south carolina chewies – oh my God those south carolina chewies. And this is the thing about food – we have emotional attachments to it – a feeling of love or comfort and we have things we turn to, like sugar, when we are down because it makes us feel good in that moment. But this stuff is so very bad for you and will absolutely catch up with you over time.

2. GET RID OF THE GLUTEN AND REFINED GRAINS

This may not be a surprise to many of you, but gluten continues to plague many people who are dealing with chronic pain (and other chronic conditions). I am always amazed by the amount and VARIETY of conditions that I see in my business that are either caused by or aggravated by gluten. Grains that contain the most gluten and gliadin proteins are; barley, rye, wheat, triticale, spelt, and oat. In fact, due to recent research showing that almost all grains have some degree of either gluten or gliadin, it is my opinion that many suffering from chronic pain will benefit from going off grains entirely. I know going gluten free has become almost ‘trendy’ in some circles, but this does not always mean healthy either. Be careful to avoid gluten free products that include the common inflammatory ingredients corn and sugar. These will make your gluten free bread taste much better, but can still keep you feeling sick and sore.

I suggest that most of my clients that are dealing with pain or chronic inflammation cut out all refined grains.  Aren’t whole grains supposed to be good for you? Actually, research shows that a piece of whole wheat bread can spike blood sugar just as much, if not more, than a can of soda.  Grains weren’t always this way, but the hybridization of our grain supply to make it taste sweeter has created grains with ‘super’ sugars and increased gluten content beyond what is naturally occurring and both these concentrated sugars and elevated gluten can be disastrous to our health.  Throughout history, when grains were traditionally consumed, they were soaked, sprouted, and fermented (an of course not hybridized or genetically modified, either).  These seemingly subtle differences have had a major negative impact on human health.

3. AVOID NIGHTSHADE VEGETABLES

Many who suffer with arthritis or an arthritis related disease such as lupus, rheumatism, and other musculoskeletal pain disorders, have found that consuming foods from the nightshade family is in fact adversely affecting their health. This family of vegetables includes; tomatoes, potatoes, bell peppers, and eggplants – healthy foods, right? For some, these foods trigger a significant inflammatory response that can spike arthritis and pain. Nightshades can increase certain pain promoting molecules known as alkaloids, and when removed from the diet can make a LARGE difference.

4. BALANCE YOUR OMEGAS

Omega-3 fatty acids, found in salmon, sardines and a variety of other fish, have been touted as an all-star nutrient, and one of the most researched substances on the planet. In fact, there have been over 18,000 studies done on omega 3’s. To put this in perspective, there are no medications that have had this many studies done on them. These fatty acids can keep inflammation in check by keeping pro-inflammatory molecules (such as interleukins and eicosanoids) in check. A 2006 survey of arthritis patients found that daily fish oil supplements reduced pain symptoms in 60% of the patients. But, like most vitamins and supplements, the quality of fish oil is critical, as many poor quality fish oils contain impurities and toxins.

Alos, it is important that we are careful about the amount omega 6’s we consume. While we do need omega 6 oils for optimal health, the standard American diet is high in vegetable oils that contain large amounts of omega 6’s. An imbalanced ratio (ideal is 1:1) between omega 3’s and omega 6’s are linked to higher rates of inflammation, and most of us from the western world that are eating the standard western diet do not have a 1:1 ratio, and can actually be as high as 1:50 (omega 3:6’s). This is a recipe for disease and something we all need to be very careful about.

 5. CUT OUT COW DAIRY

Some degree of dairy sensitivity & lactose intolerance affects about 70% of adults worldwide. Many fibromyalgia and auto-immune patients have trouble digesting dairy products leading to increased inflammatory molecules in their body. If you must eat dairy or have milk in your coffee, go with goat or sheep milk because the protein is different, much less inflammatory and more digestible than cow dairy.

6. AVOID VEGETABLE OILS

One of the first things I tell all of my clients is to get rid of all of your vegetable oils. Immediately! And by vegetable oils, I mean safflower oil, sunflower oil, canola oil (modified rapeseeds), corn oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, soybean oil and rice bran oil just to name a few. These oils are highly inflammatory and should not be a part of the diet for anyone. Unlike coconut oil or olive oil which can be extracted by pressing, these new-fangled oils have to be extracted in very unnatural ways. They are also extremely high in polyunsaturated fats, which are highly unstable. These types of fats oxidize easily and cause inflammation and mutation in our cells. That oxidation is linked to all sorts of health problems from cancer, arthritis, heart disease, endometriosis, PCOS, etc. Vegetable oils are bad news. They are far, far off the road to health and longevity.

Get your fats from whole foods. By whole foods, I mean nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, pasture raised eggs, and small fatty fish like sardines and mackerel. Avocado oil is great for higher heat cooking. Extra virgin coconut oil can also be great unless you are like me and sensitive to consuming saturated fat because it spikes your cholesterol. Olive oil is the winner on all fronts. You just don’t want to cook with it. Put it on your food AFTER it has been cooked. Olive oil is anti-inflammatory, helps reduce cholesterol and is packed with healthy polyphenols, which boost your immune system.

7. GET RID OF THE JUNK FOOD

If you are dealing with any form of pain, I recommend eliminating refined sugar, caffeine, fried foods, and highly processed foods – in other words, most fast food, candy, and vending-machine products and anything that comes in a package. In addition to contributing to inflammation (often linked to chronic disease such as heart disease and cancer), these foods may irritate muscles, disrupt sleep, compromise the immune system, and cause weight gain, among other things.

8. GET TESTED FOR HIDDEN FOOD SENSITIVITIES

One of the most important, yet misunderstood, steps in addressing chronic pain is the discussion of underlying food sensitivities. Known as a ‘delayed’ allergy, these reactions are identified by an IgG, IgA or an IgM antibody reaction. These are very different from a true immediate allergy, defined by an IgE reaction. While both types of allergies can be measured by blood markers, a delayed reaction is much tougher to identify on your own as a reaction can take up to 3 weeks for symptoms to surface. These typically include issues with digestion, mood, skin, lungs, weight gain, and of course muscle and joint pain. Gluten, dairy, corn and soy are some of the more common food sensitivities, however I have seen almost all types of foods be reactive, from blueberries to tomatoes. As always, it depends on each person’s unique genetic and biochemical makeup. There are simple blood tests that can be run to determine hidden food sensitivities, which can be very helpful.