Is your diet worsening your pain?
The fats you eat can worsen pain.
Pain - Whether it lingers after an injury or comes on gradually over time, pain can stop you in your tracks and put your life on hold. Does that sound like you? If so, please read on.
In reference to one of my posts last week with the heading “How fats affect your pain” I thought I should explain in the context of body aches and pains and not just how it affects the health of your skin.
One of the many things I consider in relation to pain is the foods that you eat—including the types of fats in your diet. We know that fats enter into pathways in the body that regulate inflammation and many other body processes.
Those few extra kilos most may affect your overall well-being more than you would like to think. Our fat is stored in adipose tissue, but its function is not just insulation and padding. Each fat cell acts like a little endocrine organ. These adipocytes (fat cells) can produce more than 600 different substances, called adipokines. These adipokines regulates hormones, cytokines (Cytokines are a large, diverse family of small proteins that have immunomodulatory capabilities, meaning they can Influence both innate and adaptive immune responses) and growth factors. The more fat cells, the more cytokines.
Leptin and adiponectin are two of the well-known adipokines. They play a role in signalling to the brain whether we are hungry or not. They also play a role in the function of the immune system and influence inflammation. Thus, when we gain weight and accumulate fat, it has a negative effect on your health. These adipokines can be affected not only by how much you eat, but also by what you eat. Making healthier choices, reduces the production of these adipokines.
In earlier years, storing fat was beneficial as it provided energy when food was scarce. Now, the expansion of our fat stores changes the delicate balance of these adipokine signals, and we become pro-inflammation, meaning we will be more prone to develop other chronic inflammatory conditions. These may include asthma, arthritis, hormonal problems, PCOS, diabetes, injuries, fatigue, poor immune, heart disease, etc.
This persistent state of inflammation is referred to as “meta-inflammation”. Meta-Inflammation affects physiological mechanisms that help control weight (a bit of a catch-22, isn’t it?), your immune response as well as age-related cognitive decline, mood disorders and Alzheimer’s disease.
What to do about it?
Dietary fats also play an important role, reduce your saturated fat intake (these are all animal fats) and increase your intake of plant fats – all still within the limits. I just came across a new study that found that diets high in omega-6 fatty acids significantly increased the risks for both inflammatory and neuropathic pain.
The study was completed by a team of 15 researchers led by doctors at the University of Texas in San Antonio. Their methods included mouse models and humans. Not only did they find that typical diets high in omega-6 fats were associated with pain, but they also found that reversing the diet to include less omega-6 and more omega-3 helped!
Omega-6 fats are found in most vegetable oils that are used in processed foods, fast foods, and baked goods. The healthier omega-3 fats are found in fish, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, and walnuts. Studies have also shown that reducing your weight (if you are overweight) with only 5% from your original weight, will have significant reduction of cardiovascular risks. A well-balanced diet is essential, as well as regular exercise.
We use a lot of different tools to help our patients break the cycle of pain, but diet is always one of them. This study is a great reminder that what you eat truly can influence the way you feel. You must address your lifestyles, what you eat, when you eat and even how you eat. Food is far more than a way of feeding our energy needs, it has become a crutch, a social event, a way of connecting with others and a celebration. It is not easy changing a lifestyle, but it can be so very rewarding!
Are you struggling with pain? We can help you break the cycle. Click through the link in our bio to learn more and book an appointment.
Go and read my article again about Nutrition, The foundation for good health on my website. j a c k y h a t t i n g h
Disclaimer: I am not a dietician, I am however well qualified in nutrigenomics and natural medicine.