7 Do’s and Don’ts for a pain free body can be easy… Simply give yourself the freedom to feel better by following these holistic principles.

Body pain is known to be exacerbated by lifestyle factors. Too much acidity in your diet, high-stress levels, and not enough body movement are your opponent players in the pain free game.

Try out these 7 do’s and don’ts for a pain free body and you’ll be well on your way to feeling rejuvenated instead of feeling tired, fatigued and frustrated.  

DO:

 

1. Eat your way to a pain free body with  antioxidant rich, natural whole foods 

Antioxidants are powerful substances that help neutralize disease causing free-radicals in the body. The more antioxidants you can get in your diet the less inflammation you’ll experience and the lower your likelihood of getting sick and more likely to be pain free.

Abundant in whole fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly blueberries, blackberries and grapes, the more antioxidants you can pack into your day the faster you’ll start feeling better. Try making a big smoothie with berries and dark leafy greens every day.

 

2. Consume plenty of omega-3 fatty acids

Most people are sorely lacking in these healthy nourishing fats. Brought to you by our fishy friends, omega-3’s seem to becoming more and more sparse in the diets of us modern folk. But they are by no means less important. Most of the oils we consume daily are high in omega-6 fatty acids. This causes a quantifiable conundrum for anyone experiencing chronic pain. Too much omega-6 causes increased inflammation, a recipe for an achy back and joints.

Eat plenty of fatty fish, flax seeds, hemp hearts and grass fed beef and butter and nix the omega-6 laden vegetable oils for good.

 

3. Work on improving your digestion

Digestive health might not seem related to pain reduction, but it’s truly all connected. Improving your digestion will make it easy to release toxins from the body. It will also make it easier to lose excess weight which could be causing problems by increasing the strain on the joints.

Consume plenty of soluble and insoluble fiber from fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds. Drop those laxatives though, as they can be incredibly dehydrating and actually make inside matters worse in the long-run.

 

4. Supplement with probiotics

Many people think probiotics only have to do with digestion. The truth is that probiotics are being researched for a multitude of important functions they play in the body. One of those functions is to reduce inflammation and increase energy.

Probiotics have also been shown to make a marked difference in treating depression and anxiety. These are common symptoms in anyone experiencing chronic pain. It goes without saying that prevention is the best medicine.

 

5. Minimize inflammation

Every strategy on this list is going to help reduce inflammation. Because at the root of all pain lies chronic inflammation of the tissues and cells.

One of the best natural substances science has found for reducing inflammation is curcumin, an extract of turmeric. Cooking with turmeric can help increase this potent anti-inflammatory compound in your diet, or you can supplement with pure curcumin for faster, more predictable and dramatic results.

 

6. Incorporate weight-bearing minimal stress exercises and 15 minutes of vigorous exercise daily (sex counts)

Exercise and movement are important for pain reduction. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy, even just doing some gentle weight lifting practices, going for a brisk walk or swimming.

The important thing is to do something you enjoy, and to get the heart pumping hard even for a short amount of time. So whether it’s sex, playing tag with the kids, or running back and forth for a few minutes on the soccer field, daily exercise will help in the long-run.

 

7. Rest & relax to maintain balance and flexibility

Prioritizing relaxation and calming the mind is something I preach often and for good reason. Life is so very busy and full that this often becomes the last priority. Our stress builds and builds until finally our bodies get sick and force us to chill out.

If relaxing and self-care were a priority to begin with we never would’ve had this problem. Consciously taking the time to just let go of your duties is healing and will be of great benefit for reducing chronic pain.

Now the DON’TS: 

1. Avoid eating refined sugar

The last century hasn’t really focused on sugar as a dietary danger as much as it’s focused on fat. Finally, the scientific consensus is in. Fat, unless we’re talking trans-fat, is not the problem. The problem, the cause of our explosive rise in diseases like cancer and heart disease is indeed, sugar.

Sugar is highly acid producing, causes inflammation in the body, messes with our energy and blood sugar levels and basically causes far more problems than it does good. Replace refined sugar with natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup and stevia.

 

2. Avoid consuming allergenic foods or toxic additives

There are certain foods that cause inflammatory markers to spike in a high percentage of people. Among these foods are gluten and nightshades. I’m sure we’re all familiar with gluten, but nightshades aren’t talked about quite as much. Tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers are all in the nightshade family and for some people they can greatly worsen chronic pain.

3. Don’t Overexercise causing body wear and tear

While exercise is indeed very useful and important, it’s key to make sure you don’t push yourself to unhealthy extremes. Doing too much, too fast is a recipe for an overuse injury. Plus this can make body pain much worse. Know and understand your physical boundaries and you’ll less likely have a problem.

 

4. Don’t overuse medication for pain

Too many meds  can create dependencies that are hard to kick. Certain pain medication is addictive and does not address the root cause of most body pain. They can create excessive acidity in the body and are hard for our organs to process, creating a serious toxicity burden on your liver.

5. Avoid getting dehydrated

I consider water to be an essential nutrient. Keeping your body well hydrated assists body and joint fluids and functions to run smoothly and consistently well. This simple principle is vital to achieving a pain free body. Drink plenty of pure water.

Try making your daily intake of water more interesting by adding a little fresh lemon, cucumber, orange or fresh mint leaves. Think of it as a refreshing non-alcoholic thirst quencher.

 

6. Avoid sitting for long periods without standing

I’ve written and spoke about the dangers of sitting in my blogs. Reality is that office people are spending the vast majority of their day sitting at a desk! Counteract this harmful posture by standing up and moving around at least once every 30 minutes. Ideally, every office space will eventually have standing desks. Until then take things into your own hands. Make or take a call standing up. Stand up and stretch. Movement is the message of the office work day.

 

7. Just don’t engage in the highest stress situations

Just avoid drama! Aren’t there are opportunities for stress and drama around every corner? But if  you’re consciously and consistently avoiding that kind of negative energy, likely less of it will come your way. This is definitely where less stress is more opportunity to live a pain free life. 

 

Medical Disclaimer: This article and the information therin has been provided to the reader as information and education only and not as specific medical opinion or specific medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in this article are intended to be general in nature and are NOT intended for specific personal use.  In all cases, seek medical attention or advice from your licensed health care practitioner for your specific medical conditions.