HOW CAN NUTRITION HELP REDUCE MY PAIN & INFLAMMATION?
Nutritionists have had patients report great success in turning around their symptoms by adopting an anti-inflammatory diet. Inflammation is your body’s way of trying to heal, which can be accelerated through a nutritional diet that complements the removal of toxins. This includes: • Adding in more veggies! Raw broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage are the best options when sustaining an anti-inflammatory diet. They can be cooked if you prefer, but raw vegetables are generally better for speeding up the inflammation process. You’ll want to eat up to nine servings per day, and you can substitute fruits for a couple of those servings to break it up, if it becomes too much. Otherwise, the timeless saying “eat your veggies” is key. • Trying your best to avoid red meat altogether. It is best to avoid red meat while participating in an anti-inflammatory diet. If this proves difficult, red meat is okay in small doses; however, it should be an extremely rare treat in your diet. The proteins in red meat require extra work from your kidneys to process, so it will slow down the healing process if you eat a lot of it. One small piece of steak, one time per week, should be your maximum limit. Luckily, chicken and fish are just fine for an anti-inflammatory diet. Enjoy them with all of those servings of vegetables! • Reducing your grain and dairy intake. In order to strengthen your body’s immune response, you’ll want to avoid simple carbs and sugars. Unfortunately, that means no donuts, no pastries, and no white breads. Dairy products should
also be extremely limited, so very little cheese or milk with anything. Whole grains, such as barley, oats, brown rice, and wheat are best. WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? By maintaining a nutritious dietary plan with the help of a physical therapist, you should quickly begin to notice a decrease in your pain and inflammation symptoms. In addition to this, you can also help manage your pain and inflammation through: • Daily exercise: Exercise will keep the muscles warm, which can alleviate pain or stiffness, and stop the inflammation from becoming worse. • Stress management: If you’re feeling mentally stressed, your body can become physically stressed - causing more inflammation and a longer recovery rate. Taking time to relax can actually allow you to heal quicker! • Weight loss: If you have some unwanted weight, getting down to your ideal body weight will help with your pain and inflammation. Schedule your consultation with Farmingdale Physical Therapy today to discuss nutrition plans with one of our licensed physical therapists and gain additional advice on other ways you can help manage your pain!
Sources: https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/can-diet-heal-chronic-pain https://www. webmd.com/pain-management/ss/slideshow-foods-fight-pain
FARMINGDALE PT WEST & LAKE SHORE PT 516-731-3583 FarmingdalePhysicalTherapyWest.com
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HEALTHY REC I PE EASY ROASTED VEGETABLES
• 1 tsp. chopped rosemary leaves • 1 tsp. chopped thyme leaves • Kosher salt • Freshly ground black pepper • 1/2 c. toasted pecans • 1/2 c. dried cranberries
• 3/4 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved • 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2” pieces • 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil • 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 400°. Scatter vegetables on a large baking sheet. Toss with oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the vegetable are tender, shaking the pan halfway through. Before serving, toss roasted vegetables with pecans and cranberries.
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