Last Updated on June 1, 2022
Pain is on my brain. My mom, client/friend Tina, and bff Denise have all complained about their pain over the past week. Then today, I woke up feeling pain in my lower back. I was in a car accident a few years ago it still hurts when I sleep the wrong way. This got me thinking…
I realized that almost everybody I know personally and have worked with professionally, has experienced chronic pain at some point in their lives. Whether it’s from an old injury, accident, repetitive stress, surgery/medical treatment, or debilitating disease… Chronic pain is frustrating, demotivating and and millions of people deal with it on some level, every single day.
The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, conducted in 2013, approximated 100 million adults are affected by pain, including joint pain and arthritis. Persistent pain is life-altering causing missed worked days, changes in exercise habits, discomfort, and trouble sleeping. This greatly affects your ability to be happy, healthy and fit. Pain medications can help… but I find that most people I’ve worked with still have pain despite taking drugs. They also experience side effects like constipation, moodiness, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating.
If you’re dealing with pain there is hope! There are natural alternatives that have been proven to treat pain. That’s what today’s episode of CCtv is all about. How to treat pain naturally with foods, scientifically-proven to be effective painkillers.
How to Treat Pain Naturally with Painkilling Foods
Painkilling Superfood #1: Tart Cherries
Most deeply colored fruits are rich in nutritive compounds and powerful flavonoids. But only tart cherries contain anthocyanin, a special kind of flavonoid not found in these other deeply colored fruits. This powerful compound has been proven to reduce inflammation and inhibit pain enzymes, the exact same way aspirin, naproxen, and other steroid-free anti-inflammatories can.
Scientists at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore found that tart cherry anthocyanins provided effective reduction of painful inflammation comparable to that obtained with the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, indomethacin. 1
Tart cherry anthocyanins may also help prevent muscle pain related to intensive exercise, according to another report. Young men who incorporated tart cherry juice into their daily diet experienced reduced muscle pain following an exercise challenge, suggesting a role for tart cherries in decreasing the symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage.2
The Daily Dose: 45 cherries, tart cherry extract supplements, or 8 oz. of organic, unsweetened tart cherry juice
Painkilling Superfood #2: Turmeric
Turmeric is one that tops my list, particularly when it comes to helping reduce joint pain, inflammation, and stiffness associated with arthritis. Turmeric, aka curcumin, is the spice that gives curry its distinctive flavor and coloring, also has plenty of pain-relief benefits. Tumeric is one of the most thoroughly researched supplements. There are more than 4,000 studies conducted and several more ongoing about the benefits of tumeric.
In one study, participants with osteoarthritis who took a concentrated dose for 90 days. Participants claimed they had a 58 percent decrease in pain and stiffness and improved physical function and mobility.
Other clinical studies have shown a 50-percent reduction in pain and stiffness, along with significantly reduced inflammation and swelling of the lower limbs.
Don’t worry – I’m not going to ask you to eat turmeric by the spoonful! Just keep a jar of the powdered spice in your kitchen and add a little to your cooking in place of salt and pepper. Turmeric is also sold in supplement form.
For adults the official recommendation is up to 1.5 g. daily which will be about one very slightly rounded teaspoon, which can be divided over two to three doses daily. Therapeutic doses are considered to be 2-3 g.
The Daily Dose: I recommend taking 1500 mg daily… but, talk to your doctor first.
Painkilling Superfood #3: Plain Greek Yogurt
Yogurt contains tons of probiotics, especially lactobacillus bacteria, which are essential to the healing process within the intestines and immune system. A study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology, which found that yogurt bacteria, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, significantly decreased C-reactive protein levels in the body, a blood marker for inflammation. Probiotics in yogurt also help reduce candida.
Most wholistic practitioners agree that a wide range of muscle symptoms are often seen in patients suffering from chronic candidiasis. Symptoms of candida overgrowth include muscle soreness, tenderness, aching, stiffness, weakness, cramping and rapid fatigue. In particular, the muscles of the upper back, shoulders and neck often become tight and painful. Sufferers state that their muscles always feel like they have just finished exercising. It’s likely that the muscles may be in a heightened toxic state due to high levels of circulating stress-related hormones and a waste product of yeast cell activity called acetaldehyde.
Candida yeast cells can multiply very quickly and after a prolonged period of growth, the buildup of acetaldehyde toxins can be overwhelming to the body tissues. These toxins are then transformed into ethanol and converted by the liver to alcohol. This depletes the body of magnesium and potassium, two minerals that are absolutely essential for tissue strength and integrity. This depletion, in turn, reduces overall cell energy. As more alcohol is produced, an individual may experience symptoms of being drunk, disorientated, dizzy, or mentally confused. Panic attacks, feelings of anxiety, depression, irritability and headaches are often the results of a Candida yeast overgrowth within the body. Acetaldehyde can also cause excessive fatigue, thereby reducing strength, stamina and clarity of thought. It can destroy the enzymes needed for cell energy and cause the release of free radicals, contributing an acceleration of the aging process.
Avoid yogurts with added sugars, flavors, and fruit. Make sure the nutrition label has less than 10 grams of sugar, per 150 gram serving. I recommend Stonyfield organic, plain Greek yogurt.
The Daily Dose: 1 cup a day.
If you think this info would help someone you know, please share it… You never know… you may end up helping someone you didn’t even know was hurting. : ) I know this is a short list, but I wanted to include only the best, readily available foods proven to treat pain. If you can think of another one that didn’t make list list, or any other tips you’ve used to treat your pain naturally, please share them in the comments below.
As always, these tips can only work, if you work it… so work it! You’re worth it!
Your Coach and Biggest Cheerleader –
xxoo
1. Tall JM, Seeram NP, Zhao C, Nair MG, Meyer RA, Raja SN. Tart cherry anthocyanins suppress inflammation-induced pain behavior in rat. Behav Brain Res. 2004 Aug 12;153(1):181-8.
2. Connolly DA, McHugh MP, Padilla-Zakour OI, Carlson L, Sayers SP. Efficacy of a tart cherry juice blend in preventing the symptoms of muscle damage. Br J Sports Med. 2006 Aug;40(8):679-83; discussion 683.
