It’s been known for a long time that certain foods increase inflammation in the body, while other foods help bring it down. What’s becoming clearer now is that inflammation and diet are directly linked to chronic pain, from diseases like arthritis and cancer to conditions like heart disease, say rheumatologist Harris McIlwain, M.D., and Debra Fulghum Bruce, PhD., authors of The Pain Free Diet. Dr. McIlwain has found that when patients start limiting their intake of inflammatory foods and eating a lot more anti-inflammatory foods, they can start to see results -- often in just a few weeks. “People often have less chronic pain -- especially in their knees and back -- and can take less medicine,” he says. The added benefit is that diets high in anti-inflammatory foods also promote weight loss, meaning less stress on your joints -- and less chronic pain.
Click through the slide show below to find out which foods have
great anti-inflammatory properties, and which ones you might want to
avoid.
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Foods that Fight Chronic Pain
Turmeric
Turmeric, or curcumin (the ingredient in curry powder), has long been used in Asian medicine to treat upset stomachs and chronic pain from arthritis. Numerous studies have shown that it can have an anti-inflammatory effect (not to mention it can lower blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol). You can get turmeric through curry powder or yellow mustard, or by making a tea from dried turmeric root. According to the National Institutes of Health, the average dietary intake in the Indian population is about 60 mg to 200 mg a day. If you're not ready to add pungent curry to all of your meals, you can take a supplement (after checking with your doctor first) says Molly Kimball, R.D., a nutritionist at Ochsner Elmwood Fitness Center in New Orleans. She has her clients take a 250mg caplet each day.
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Cherries
Cherries are powerful anti-oxidants, but they have anti-inflammatory properties too, and the two work hand in hand to keep inflammation down, Kimball says. "Usually, the darker and riper the fruit, the more concentrated the anti-oxidants are," she says. Cherry juice may be beneficial too: One study found that runners who drank cherry juice prior to and on the day of a long-distance run reported less muscle pain than runners who drank traditional sports drinks.
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Berries
"Berries have long been used in folk medicine as anti-inflammatories," McIlwain says. His pain-free diet makes good use of berries, such as strawberries, cranberries, and blueberries -- especially in things like smoothies. Like cherries, they're packed with anti-oxidants (so they help stave off the cell damage from oxidation that can lead to cancer and make chronic pain flare up more). Plus, they're low in fat and high in fiber -- and they have a natural sweetness that's a great replacement for pro-inflammatory added sugar.
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Pineapple
Pineapple -- specifically pineapple juice -- contains bromelain, an enzyme that helps break down proteins. It's thought to have pain-relieving effects similar to over-the-counter pain medications, like NSAIDs (such as aspirin and ibuprofen). According the Arthritis Foundation's supplement guide one study found that people with osteoarthritis of the knee had less pain after taking a bromelain supplement which also had the enzymes rutin and trypsin. The effect was roughly equivalent to taking an NSAID. Research is still lacking that shows bromelain on its own can fight arthritis pain, but Kimball frequently recommends that her arthritis clients take an enzyme blend supplement (separate from food). You can also try drinking pineapple juice.
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Ginger
Not only is ginger helpful for nausea, evidence has been mounting in the last few decades that it also helps ease chronic pain because it contains powerful anti-inflammatory gingerols. Several studies have shown that taking ginger helps relieve pain from arthritis. McIlwain has his patients consume 1 teaspoon of ginger a day; fresh is best (it's great added to stir-fries, fruit salads, or tea), but you can also find it in supplement form.
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Pomegranate Juice
Another powerful anti-oxidant, pomegranates have also been shown to help with inflammation. A 2008 Journal of Inflammation study showed that pomegranate extract helped reduce the production of chemicals that cause inflammation. Pomegranate extract (the dose given in the study) is equivalent to about 6 ounces of pomegranate juice.
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Salmon
Fatty fish like salmon have omega-3s, which are one of the most common anti-inflammatories, Kimball says. "Omega-3s trigger a cascade of reactions that help fight inflammation," she says. A study at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston found that omega-3 fatty acids help to bring down inflammation because they convert into compounds that are 10,000 times stronger than the original fatty acids.
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Beans
McIlwain's Pain Free Diet is full of beans -- kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, garbanzo beans and others. Beans are an excellent source of both fiber and protein. Plus, they're low in fat and packed with anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, he says. Beans make a perfect substitute for red meat (a pro-inflammatory food), he says.
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Pro-inflammatory foods:
Sugar
White sugar is probably the most well-known pro-inflammatory foods. Many people have strong inflammatory responses to sugar, Kimball says, and some people are definitely more sensitive. There is continuing controversy, but reducing the amount of sugar you consume can help bring down inflammation -- and it will definitely help you cut calories, which can lead to weight loss and less joint pain.
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Red meat
Meats are packed full of protein, but they're also very high in saturated fat -- a definite cause of inflammation, McIlwain says. Specifically, studies have shown that red meat has high amounts of arichidonic acid -- a fatty acid that is converted to pro-inflammatory chemicals, he says. Meats that have nitrites (such as bacon and sausage) are also inflammatory, Kimball says. Substitute fish (like salmon) or beans for red meat.
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