Managing Pain - Part 4
Food to Relieve Pain
Turmeric –
You’ll also see turmeric in the supplement section because you can take it either way…but it’s best as a food. Turmeric is a very potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant, which is why it’s generally my #1 recommended food for pain.
Turmeric is best used in your cooking because it gets absorbed best when there’s a bit of fat and especially if you add some black pepper and/or cumin. Turmeric is traditionally used inside a spice blend, like curry, and research has confirmed what this ancient tradition of cooking has known for millennia.
Aim for: ½ to 1 tsp per day, add a dash of black pepper for absorption. Can be sprinkled on eggs and easily hides inside tomato-based sauces.
Garlic & Onions –
These veggies are full of sulphur which help rebuild your joints and are anti-inflammatory foods. They also have anti-bacterial and -viral components that help the immune system.
Aim for: enjoy 3 – 5 times per week, unless they cause bloating/gas
Cherries –
Both tart and sweet cherries are high in anthocyanins, which are antioxidants that help to relieve pain.
Enjoy sweet cherries in season (or frozen throughout the year) or try a few ounces of tart cherry juice each day. Anecdotally, I’ve heard that tart cherry juice is particularly helpful for foot pain.
Hot peppers & spicy food –
Hot peppers are full of capsaicin which what you feel when your mouth burns after eating them. Capsaicin is also a potent anti-inflammatory.
They’re also thought of as a thermogenic, which warms you up and speeds up your metabolism, so it’s used in many weight loss supplements…but may not be overly effective in that regard.
If you have any questions, jump to our private Facebook Group or the Ask Lisa page :)