Food is Medicine for Your Aching Bod!

Happy Monday Everyone!

I know my muscles are currently stressed ... ok, they're not really stressed, I just went through a brutal massage ... known as a medical massage by some people.  I'm currently working with a therapist who is awesome and finds the trigger points of my lower back and neck to release the crunchy fascia and promote healing and better circulation.  When she's done with her treatment I am very thankful although I'm seriously starting to bruise as I write this.  It's been a long almost 4 years without full vision and my neck muscles have just kinda said, "She doesn't use us, so we're going to sleep!"   Boy, they have been asleep and kinda turned to fossils!  We're trying to wake them up!

I'm not a doctor but I do know it all makes sense how everything is connected.  Did you ever notice your neck pain and then feel it in your pinky?  Or maybe the pain behind your knee when your back is acting up?  Or the shoulder pain that makes your tmj kick in?  Stressed at work?  You feel it somewhere guaranteed.  Sometimes it's chronic pain, sometimes it's our young athletes dealing with overuse conditions that leads to inflammation.  Those poor shoulders can sometimes work too hard  when swimming fly or throwing pitches!

If you are an athlete or an athlete's mom (aka mommalete in my house!) there is a good chance you have had an issue with some chronic pain at some point.  I know we are also approaching that age where some of us are getting hit with the dreaded "A" word of arthritis! 

How do you deal with your chronic pain?  Do you take ibuprofen?  Heat?  Cold?  Topical ointments?  Chiropractic?  Acupuncture?  I've done all of this!  And then some!  I wanted to pass on the benefits of eating well for pain.  You heard me ... I'm pushing the rainbow again!  That is the rainbow of fresh produce along with some spices and tea.  Not only is it just plain healthy to eat for the sheer healthfulness of raw veggies and fruit, but there is definitely healing that is enhanced with certain foods.  In my quest to heal myself from chronic back pain I have found these foods do help:

Foods that Promote Healing

• pineapple:  there are powerful anti-inflammatory enzymes found in this fruit. 
• berries:  all kinds of berries are powerful!  There are lots of phyto-nutrient antioxidants that help control inflammation and enhance the immune system.
• green tea:  another antioxidant that helps detox and protect the DNA in your cells from free radical damage.
• beef:  look for grass fed beef as these cows are not fed the chemically laden corn that regular cows at your supermarket are fed.  Grass fed beef has less saturated fat and is rich in nutrients.  
• tumeric:  a spice used for chronic pain and inflammation; the compound in tumeric is called curcumin which is an anti-inflammatory.  You can cook with it or add a supplement made with curcumin to your daily intake.
• garlic:  we all have heard the benefits of garlic ... it is a vegetable that promotes healing with it's strong anti-inflammatory properties.  Use liberally when cooking!
• ginger:  this root has also shown to have anti-inflammatory properties;  it actually blocks the enzyme cyclo oxygenase which is what commonly prescribed pain medications use.
• cold water fish:  rich in omega 3 fatty acids which research has shown reduces pain and inflammation more effectively than prescription NSAID medications.  Make sure you know your source as polluted waters can yield fish high in metals.
• water:  we are 66% water so we need to continually replenish ourselves.  Chronic dehyration leads to muscle spasm and increased blood viscosity.  You can use the formula 1/2 of your body weight in ounces per day.  I like to drink water out of quart sized mason jars!  It's easy to keep track and I can easily get my 2 in each day!

Loving this loose leaf green tea with jasmine! 

Give it a try ... if you are looking to get more healthy foods into your diet anyway, this may be the motivation to get you going.  

Real food, less medications, more energy and good days!  Whether that be for you or your athletes, anti-inflammatory foods that fight free radicals and decrease inflammation are good for everybody.

Be Well,
Krista