ISSUE 3 - Finding relief from chronic pain
ISSUE 3
This week, we're focusing on chronic pain, a common and often debilitating condition that affects millions of people around the world. Chronic pain can take many forms, from back and neck pain to headaches and arthritis, and it can have a major impact on a person's quality of life.
But despite its prevalence, chronic pain is often misunderstood and misdiagnosed. Many people struggle to find relief from their pain, and may feel frustrated or helpless in their search for solutions. That's why we're here – to share more insight, and to provide you with the tools and resources that can help you to manage your pain.
Whether you're living with chronic pain yourself, or you're looking to support a loved one who is, we're here to help. So let's get started!
Food
Can diet heal chronic pain
https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/can-diet-heal-chronic-pain
“The strongest scientific evidence suggests foods rich in a group of antioxidants known as polyphenols can have an anti-inflammatory effect that helps soothe and prevent painful flare-ups…When it comes to the anti-inflammatory foods, Dr. Tabung says you shouldn't load up on a few favorites, as you may miss getting some of the vital nutrients your immune system needs. Instead, aim for variety.”
How to use diet to reduce chronic pain
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7551034/
“Dietary approaches to chronic pain should include lifestyle education for a balanced diet following healthy eating patterns, interdisciplinary care, and food supplements where needed to obtain the best results.” Basically, in order to see lasting results, it requires discipline, support from medical professionals, including nutritionists, and access to healthy foods.
Wellness
Tired of sore muscles?
Are you looking for a way to enhance recovery post-workout or a grueling, active day at work or in life? Turmeric has been shown to help in the management of exercise induced inflammation and muscle soreness with as little as 2g of curcumin paired with 20mg of piperine.
Managing pain in America
This month USA Today released a five-part series on the impact of chronic pain in America, “exploring chronic pain, the challenges of treatment and the scientific advances offering hope for the future.” Most of the series is available to read via the link above except for the sections on pediatric pain and cannabis. So, here’s the summary.
Pediatric pain: Addressing childhood pain quickly is key to how people respond to pain as they age. Children heal faster and should have a multi-pronged treatments that help them to build healthy habits that can alleviate chronic pain and/or help them to lead fulfilling lives despite their pain.
Cannabis: Treatment plans are not one-size fits all, doctors should offer it as an option to patients early on and more research is needed.
Health
Should you be tested for inflammation?
Before asking yourself this question, it is important to understand what inflammation is and what conditions exist that can cause inflammation. Treating underlying issues can help to reduce inflammation when paired with consistent monitoring and preventative care.
How much turmeric do you need receive anti-inflammatory benefits?
Here’s the latest research on how much curcumin is needed to see reductions in inflammation. Did you know that the active component, curcumin, in turmeric is what helps to reduce inflammation? When paired with piperine, it enables our bodies to more effectively absorb the anti-inflammatory benefits by 2000% [Source]. But how much curcumin is actually in turmeric? It varies widely, but on average, it is about 3.14% [[Source](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17044766/#:~:text=Pure turmeric powder had the,%2C averaging 3.14%25 by weight.)]. Black pepper is also not the same thing as piperine. Black pepper has a piperine content of about 0.5% [[Source](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7914320/#:~:text=Ko (1995) determined a piperine,100 g in black pepper.)].
If this is the case, you would need to consume a significant amount of turmeric on a daily basis to see the benefits. This is not even possible in Nepal or India where the average person consumes between 1.5-2.5g of turmeric per day [Source]. This is why many studies conclude a curcumin supplement in addition to incorporating turmeric into your diet has a greater impact.
Read more here:
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of curcuminoid-piperine combination in subjects with metabolic syndrome - in this study they used a daily dose of 1g of curcumin with 10mg of piperine for 8 weeks. Following the 8 weeks participants saw an improvement in inflammation for patients with metabolic syndrome.
Curcumin: An age-old anti-inflammatory and anti-neoplastic agent
Choose Joy
Can nature heal our pain?
Biophila is the idea that there is a fundamental human attraction to and need for contact with the [natural world](https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/how-does-nature-impact-our-wellbeing#:~:text=According to the physician who,and plants in hospital rooms.). Recent studies also show that exposure to greenspaces can have a positive impact on participant pain reduction for some illnesses. [Source]
In a recent installation for the Brooklyn Museum, The Gray-Green Divide, Mona Chalabi explored the relationship of green spaces in New York on community health.
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