Address Pain Naturally
Pain is your body’s way of telling you ‘something’s up’. More specifically, pain is a symptom of the inflammatory response, a normally short-lived process with the sole function of protecting the body from infection and injury. Your immune system becomes activated when your body recognizes anything that is foreign—such as an invading microbe, plant pollen, or chemical. This often triggers a process called inflammation. Intermittent bouts of inflammation directed at truly threatening invaders protect your health. The redness, heat, swelling, pain and loss of function experienced during acute inflammation is your body’s way of healing itself.
Most people address pain with pain killers, including analgesics, opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs). Analgesics and opioid medications may provide some much needed symptomatic relief, however these agents mask the pain rather than resolve it. Sometimes you need a ‘bandaid’ temporally but getting to the root cause is also important for long term health. Acting on the inflammation itself versus what is causing it is considered a reactive approach.
Fortunately, there is a safe and effective way to help speed up the process of healing, and reduce pain along the way. This involves using stress management techniques, diet and natural anti-inflammatory medicines to target the driving force behind pain; inflammation. Not only are these approaches efficient at reducing inflammation and pain at its roots, they can help reduce dependence on pain killers, preventing overuse.
Here are my top three herbs and nutrients to help you overcome pain and inflammation:
Foods that cause inflammation
Try to avoid or limit these foods as much as possible:
refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, white pasta, refined flours and pastries
French fries and other fried foods
soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages
red meat (burgers, steaks) and processed meat (hot dogs, sausage)
margarine, shortening, and lard
Due to modern farming practices and pesticide, herbicide and insecticide use, many so-called healthy foods can be considered inflammatory in the body. And the majority of North Americans these days are busy and taking short cuts when it comes to nourishing their bodies. The consumption of fast food, processed foods, and refined foods it all playing into an un-balanced body.
Anti-inflammatory diet
To reduce levels of inflammation, aim for an overall healthy diet. If you're looking for an eating plan that closely follows the tenets of anti-inflammatory eating, consider the Mediterranean diet, which is high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish, and healthy oils. Or, I can design one based on your specific needs.
In addition to lowering inflammation, a more natural, less processed diet can have noticeable effects on your physical and emotional health. "A healthy diet is beneficial not only for reducing the risk of chronic diseases, but also for improving mood and overall quality of life,"