Diet for chronic pain

Chic_geek31

I want to try to see if changing my diet will help with my suspected autoimmune disease. I have been in chronic pain for years that’s getting worst. I want to try a new diet for at least 30 days to see if I can tell a difference. What should I cut out? What should I add?

claireychn074

I’m really sorry that you’re in pain - it sounds horrible. Can you see a dietitian or specialist in your area who could guide you and help you? There are various programmes like FODMAP, but firstly you need to be under the care of a dietitian to ensure you get enough nutrients, and secondly you might get some random advice on the forums from unqualified people that could cause issues!

cmriverside

What does your medical team say? I would think any low-inflammatory foods diet would be good, but I'm just guessing.

Have you Googled it on medical sites?

I try to keep my wheat and sugar (carb) levels lowish, that helps a lot with pain.

HeidiCooksSupper

Different folks react differently to different foods. As folks above have said, figuring this out will take research, trial and error, and expert medical advice.

lgfrie

I've had an autoimmune disease, UCTD, for 17 years and have been up and down and up and down the lists of what to eat and what not to eat. The main thing I would tell you is to get with your doctor and go over this question. Autoimmune diseases are by their very nature highly specific and unique to an individual; no two cases are exactly alike. This is especially true if yours is hitting your digestive system (mine isn't primarily digestive in nature, but I do get digestive inflammation flares now and then).

The general hypothesis is, as @cmriverside said, to avoid foods that cause inflammation, and you can also take a shot at eating things that are anti-inflammatory.

Once again pointing out that this should really be discussed with your doctors, here's what I've found over the years is particularly inflammatory for me as well as some other people I know with AI diseases (yeah, fun topic at parties!):

• Dairy
• Gluten. It's in wheat, rye, barley, and other stuff, but wheat is the big player here. Cutting back on gluten can be quite helpful; even for people who don't have a gluten allergy (I don't), it is an irritant and isn't helpful for people predisposed to inflammation. Just switching from wheat pasta to rice pasta (which tastes just as good, btw, and imho has better texture, not as gloppy) can make a real difference.
• Sugar in particular, and refined carbs in general.
• Greasy, fatty junky foods like processed meats

I would say Step 1 of anti-inflammatory eating is to get as much sugar and refined carbs out of your diet as humanly possible. They do nothing good for you, and there is nothing but upside in driving your consumption of them to the lowest level you can stand. I'm not an anti-sugar evangelist by any means, but when you're talking about inflammation issues, sugar and refined carbs should be the first things put on the chopping block.

There is a whole slew of foods that are supposed to be anti-inflammatory. I've had mixed results with them, but two that have been home-runs for me as far as reducing inflammation are:

• Turmeric - for the win! Don't neglect this in your arsenal.
• Fatty fish with lots of Omega 3 - salmon, sardines, anchovies, etc.

Multiple rheumatologists have pointed me in the direction of these two things over the years, and without a doubt they've worked. You can't go wrong with eating more fatty fish. I eat lots of sardines. An old school (and cheap) food that packs a serious punch of healthy, inflammation-reducing oils.

You're gonna have to experiment over time, but I do suggest googling "anti inflammation diet" and reading up on the topic. People have been writing lots of stuff about it and it's all out there to read for free.

MikePfirrman

lgfrie wrote: »

I've had an autoimmune disease, UCTD, for 17 years and have been up and down and up and down the lists of what to eat and what not to eat. The main thing I would tell you is to get with your doctor and go over this question. Autoimmune diseases are by their very nature highly specific and unique to an individual; no two cases are exactly alike. This is especially true if yours is hitting your digestive system (mine isn't primarily digestive in nature, but I do get digestive inflammation flares now and then).

The general hypothesis is, as @cmriverside said, to avoid foods that cause inflammation, and you can also take a shot at eating things that are anti-inflammatory.

Once again pointing out that this should really be discussed with your doctors, here's what I've found over the years is particularly inflammatory for me as well as some other people I know with AI diseases (yeah, fun topic at parties!):

• Dairy
• Gluten. It's in wheat, rye, barley, and other stuff, but wheat is the big player here. Cutting back on gluten can be quite helpful; even for people who don't have a gluten allergy (I don't), it is an irritant and isn't helpful for people predisposed to inflammation. Just switching from wheat pasta to rice pasta (which tastes just as good, btw, and imho has better texture, not as gloppy) can make a real difference.
• Sugar in particular, and refined carbs in general.
• Greasy, fatty junky foods like processed meats

I would say Step 1 of anti-inflammatory eating is to get as much sugar and refined carbs out of your diet as humanly possible. They do nothing good for you, and there is nothing but upside in driving your consumption of them to the lowest level you can stand. I'm not an anti-sugar evangelist by any means, but when you're talking about inflammation issues, sugar and refined carbs should be the first things put on the chopping block.

There is a whole slew of foods that are supposed to be anti-inflammatory. I've had mixed results with them, but two that have been home-runs for me as far as reducing inflammation are:

• Turmeric - for the win! Don't neglect this in your arsenal.
• Fatty fish with lots of Omega 3 - salmon, sardines, anchovies, etc.

Multiple rheumatologists have pointed me in the direction of these two things over the years, and without a doubt they've worked. You can't go wrong with eating more fatty fish. I eat lots of sardines. An old school (and cheap) food that packs a serious punch of healthy, inflammation-reducing oils.

You're gonna have to experiment over time, but I do suggest googling "anti inflammation diet" and reading up on the topic. People have been writing lots of stuff about it and it's all out there to read for free.

My wife had debilitating Fibro until she went with a diet very similar to this. She'll be 60 this year but has been 95% better in the last four years. From nearly bed bound to working out 5 days a week and very active. She does have some RA in her feet, but that's about it.

She also takes CBD Oil and Mirica, which she's had better luck with than CBD Oil. Mirica is a European pain supplement with two ingredients -- one is a Polyphenol, the other a root derivative. Mirica has been fantastic for her and it's much cheaper than quality CBD Oil.

All I'd add to your list is alcohol, though it's common sense with your sugar suggestion. Alcohol is a simple carbohydrate. If she has more than two drinks, she'll feel it the next day for sure.

Another huge thing for her was, overtime -- and that was important because she had IBS for years, we added a lot more plant fiber. She gets a ton of fiber now -- like 30 to 40g a day. This was a longer transition but the more fiber you can get in your diet, the better. Along with avoiding NSAIDs, it's the best thing you can do for your Microbiome, which has a lot to do with inflammation.

Cranberry and Tart Cherry are also great. Ocean Spray did a study years ago where one bacteria, that flourishes with cranberry, is very important in quelling pain and inflammation. Real Cranberry Juice or extract, though, not the apple/cranberry stuff.

moonangel12

Good reminder for me (another fibro sufferer, diagnosed years ago as a teen) - I have gotten lax with types of foods eaten during my weight loss journey since I was focused on calories and I have been so stiff and sore! I did Whole30 years ago as an elimination diet and was able to find that sugar and dairy were major issues for me, and also found I actually have something called gluten ataxia! I was being tested for MS around the time I had to drastically change my diet for my exclusively breastfed daughter that had been diagnosed with several life threatening allergies. Cutting gluten out nearly eliminated the textbook symptoms I was having! (No visible legions via MRI).

Hanibanani2020

I have an autoimmune that gives me chronic pain. From experience it seems really individual but for me I found a plant-based diet low in refined sugars really really helped me as well as learning to listen to my body and not ignore what it was telling me. Losing weight also really helped as fat can worsen inflammatory conditions and generally make things more uncomfortable. Best of luck. Chronic pain is the worst.

peggy_polenta

there are elimination diets that have a protocol and you should do some research on them as they will guide you on the things to eliminate and for how many days or weeks and the order you need to reintroduce particular food types, and on what schedule to try to find the culprit food. its not just a matter of cutting a thing or 2 out. you have to start from zero THEN start reintroducing food types.

corinasue1143

I agree with Igfrie and Mike. I would add that the best anti-inflammatory foods are the ones you will eat. I try to eat something especially anti-inflammatory almost every day. Occasionally that’s fatty fish. I love turmeric and ginger, but not in large amounts. My most common choices are garlic, onions and blueberries. What are yours?

yirara

I have two auto-immun conditions and seem to be doing best on lots of bread with nice things on top, lots of veggies, rice and other grains with a shot of olive oil and moderate amounts of meat and fish. You need to figure out what works best for you.