Pain and inflammation go hand in hand. Many individuals suffering from chronic pain, particularly those with inflammatory conditions like arthritis or fibromyalgia, can significantly reduce their pain by treating inflammation. 

 The foods we eat have an enormous impact on our body, including on inflammation. Switching to an anti-inflammatory diet is a powerful way to treat chronic pain. 

 Here, we cover some of the best and worst foods for inflammation and offer some tips for treating chronic pain with what you eat without unreasonably restricting your diet. 

How Do Foods Cause Inflammation?

Food can trigger inflammation in a variety of ways, whether or not you have food sensitivities. While people with allergies or sensitivities to foods will experience more immediate signs of inflammation when exposed to a trigger, most people experience some inflammation as a result of their diet.

 The most inflammatory foods include highly processed foods, foods high in refined sugars and. foods high in saturated fats, sodium, and artificial ingredients. When we eat sugar, our bodies produce insulin to convert the sugar into energy for your cells. When we eat foods that are high in sugars, we can eventually overload the body, triggering an inflammatory response in the metabolic and immune systems. A similar process occurs with other inflammatory foods.

Reduce or Eliminate Foods That Trigger Inflammation

While short-term inflammation (like the inflammation caused by an injury) can help to protect the body, long-term and chronic inflammation can create lasting health issues from damaged cells and tissue. If you experience inflammation, eliminating or limiting some of the following foods can help reduce inflammation and protect your body against damage.

Added Sugars

 Sugar exists everywhere, but the ones you want to look out for are the highly refined, added sugars. In addition to the overload we’ve already mentioned, added sugars can trigger the body to release cytokines, proteins that create an inflammatory response at the cellular level. The production of cytokines can trigger even more cytokines to be produced, creating an endless loop of inflammation triggers unless you can get your blood sugar under control. 

 Examples of products containing added sugars include:

• White bread and non-whole grain bread products
• Candy and sweet baked goods
• Soda and sugary beverages
• Breakfast cereals

 In addition to avoiding “sugar”, look for these words on ingredient lists when cutting out added sugar: 

• Dextrose
• Fructose
• Lactose
• Maltose
• Sucrose
• Cane Syrup

Trans & Saturated Fats

Trans and saturated fats can raise bad cholesterol, which in turn can trigger inflammation. The long-term effects of consuming foods high in trans and saturated fats can be serious, including heart disease and high blood pressure. Of the two, trans fats are the more serious offenders. Trans fats should be avoided as much as possible, while saturated fats should be limited to only a small portion of your diet. 

 While saturated fats occur naturally in some foods (like full-fat dairy products and red meat), most trans fats are artificial additives and are found in hydrogenated oils and margarine. Trans fats are created by adding hydrogen to unsaturated fats to make them more shelf stable. To reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet, keep red meat to a minimum, and oils like butter and lard.

Added Sodium

We need a certain amount of sodium to keep our muscles functioning, to aid nerve function, and to retain hydration, but an overload of sodium can trigger inflammation, increase blood pressure, and put you at a risk for stroke or heart attack. Adults should be consuming no more than 1 teaspoon of salt per day.

 To avoid overloading your body with sodium, you should eliminate processed snacks like chips and prepared frozen foods and cook at home as much as possible. Restaurants often over-salt their food to make it extra tasty. Eating at home gives you more control over your sodium intake. 

Foods That Reduce Inflammation

It’s important to remember with any dietary change that the goal should be to not be too restrictive. A varied diet is extremely important for physical and mental wellbeing, so be sure to add something new and delicious to your diet for every item you take away. 

 Here are a variety of anti-inflammatory foods that taste great, and will help you feel your best:

Fresh Fruit

Fresh fruits are packed with essential antioxidants and minerals that help combat oxidative stress and inflammation. Adding at least 1-2 servings of fresh fruit to your daily diet can help deliver a daily dose of anti-inflammatory nutrients and reduce your risk of developing long-term side effects from inflammation. 

 Some anti-inflammatory fruits include:

• Cherries
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Cranberries
• Oranges
• Tomatoes 

 Tomatoes (yes, we’re counting them as a fruit, here!) are particularly high in lycopene, which gives tomatoes their signature red color. Lycopene is also known to inhibit production of cytokines, that pesky protein found in sugar that triggers widespread cellular inflammation. 

Leafy Greens

Leafy green vegetables are rich in vitamin E, a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent that is known to address general inflammation, increase wound healing, and regulate blood pressure. A deficiency in vitamin E not only can allow inflammation to increase, but can also cause increased pain in the form of neuropathy. Supplementing with vitamin E and C in combination has also been shown to help with fibromyalgia.

 Leafy greens containing vitamin E include: 

• Collard Greens
• Kale
• Turnip Greens
• Avocado (not leafy, but certainly green!)

Fatty Fish

Omega-3 fatty acids are the secret ingredient that makes fatty fish so good for reducing inflammation. Known to be useful for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, omega-3 fatty acids are often recommended to treat specific conditions like arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and psoriasis. 

 Try eating one of these fatty fish varieties at least once a week to increase your omega-3s:

• Salmon
• Sardines
• Mackerel
• Herring
• Cod

 Omega-3 fatty acids can also be taken as a supplement.

Other healthy fats

Fats found in olive oil, nuts and seeds like flax and chia are also anti-inflammatory and can help reduce pain and inflammation.

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Sonja Henrikssen is a content writer who specializes in culture, cannabis, plant medicines, wellness and marketing. She is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago and continues to reside in the Chicago area.