Do you suffer from chronic pain? Ouch! But you may be surprised to learn that you can help minimize your pain through your food choices. Yes that’s right, what you may be eating can contribute to chronic pain, and on the flip side, you can choose to incorporate certain foods that may help alleviate pain.

Ready to create a diet that supports you in feeling your best? Here are 10 foods that may cause pain, and 10 that alleviate it.

Painful Food

1. Gluten

We’ve often discussed how gluten intolerance can lead to stomach and intestinal pain, but did you know that eating gluten can also cause all-over pain? A recent study showed that many people had a sensitivity to gluten in which the body saw gluten as a foreign pathogen and released inflammation to fight it. An inflammatory response can be very painful, and if you are gluten intolerant but ingest gluten on a regular basis, you may have chronic inflammation causing widespread pain. Gluten is a sticky protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and some processed oats. It is also in many processed foods. So the happy bi-product of resolving to go gluten-free also means you will also have to give up most of all processed foods! You will feel so much better without them, as you find much better alternatives (see below!)

2. Eggs

Egg yolks contain arachidonic acid, which studies have shown is one of the main fatty acids involved in inflammation. Diets high in arachindonic acid may lead to a constant level of inflammation, and thus, pain.

3. Meat

Meat, particularly red meat, can contribute to chronic pain in a few ways. First, meat is high in purines. When you ingest dietary purines, your body breaks them down into uric acid, which can cause the excruciatingly painful condition, gout. Likewise, meat is also high in fats containing arachindonic acid, which can cause inflammation and pain.

4. Milk/Dairy

Milk products can contribute to pain in a few ways. First, milk contains lactose, a sugar that is very difficult for the human body to digest. For people with lactose intolerance, consumption of dairy products can bring about gastrointestinal pain or discomfort. Milk products can also contribute to all over inflammatory pain because milk contains high levels of the protein casein. Because so many people have difficulty processing casein, it can lead to a painful inflammatory response in the human body.

5. Aspartame

Studies show that this artificial sweetener, also known as NutraSweet, can cause headaches.

6. Trans fats

According to the Mayo Clinic trans fats may increase inflammation in your body, which can cause all-over pain and discomfort.

7. Beer

According to WebMD, research shows that drinking as few as two beers each week can increase your risk of getting the painful condition gout by a quarter. And the more beer you drink, the higher your chances of getting gout are – drinkers who had two beers per day had a 200 percent increased chance of getting the disease. That’s most likely because beer is high in purines, which convert to uric acid in the body.

8. Fried foods

Many foods are fried in oils high in omega-6 fatty acids. While your body needs a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, the key word is balance. Unfortunately, the typical Western diet lacks this balance. According to one study, the omega-3 to omega-6 ratio should be 1:1; however, in the typical Western diet it is about 1:15 or even more out of whack! Omega-6 fats at this high of a level in the human body are pro-inflammatory, which can lead to inflammation and chronic pain.

9. Processed foods

These foods (those that come in a bag, box, package, or can) may cause chronic pain and inflammation for a number of reasons. Some of the pain causing ingredients you may find in processed foods include gluten, trans fats, high levels of omega-6 fatty acids, and artificial chemicals.

Pain Relieving Foods

1. Dark leafy greens

Greens such as spinach, kale, and Swiss chard are high in antioxidants and nutrients that fight oxidative stress. According to Arthritis Today, eating greens can also help prevent the painful condition, osteoporosis. This is because greens create a state of alkalinity in your body, which helps to balance out acidity without demineralizing your bones, and helps your body maintain these minerals.

2. Raw walnuts

Walnuts are high in omega-3 fats, which can help to balance your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, which fights inflammation and pain. Try pulsing them in the blender or food processor with some fresh basil and other herbs for a yummy nut pate that you can top salads with.

 3. Avocado

These fruits are high in vitamin K. In their book, Prescription for Nutritional Healing, James and Phyllis Balch describe how vitamin K reduces pain and other arthritis symptoms.

 4. Sea Vegetables

Sea vegetables like kelp and dulse contain fucoidans – polysaccharides that studies have shown to reduce pain. Sea veggies are also great for providing lots of trace minerals, as well as B vitamins and iron.

5. Acai

These delicious berries are high in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, both of which are powerful pain fighters. Antioxidants fight free radicals, which can damage cells and cause pain, while omega-3 fats fight inflammation. At Glow Bio we have a smoothie called Rainforest Acai Beauty, which pays homage to this amazing berry.

6. Ginger

A recent study showed that ginger decreased muscle pain by 25 percent. Ginger can also soothe stomach pain, and evidence also exists showing ginger may be effective at relieving the pain of osteoarthritis. Try making my Detox Tea!

7. Cherries

Studies have shown that tart cherry juice is high in anti-oxidants and may relieve the pain of osteoarthritis. Since they aren’t in season right now, you could try getting some organic, frozen cherries and making a simple smoothie out of them.

8. Turmeric

According to the National Institutes of Health, turmeric may be effective for relieving stomach upset, as well as the pain of osteoarthritis. I love the taste of turmeric. Try working it into your dishes, or try my Curry-Turmeric Veggie Quinoa dish.

9. Flaxseed

Flaxseeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Eating foods high in omega-3 fatty acids can reduce inflammation, and therefore pain. Try grinding 1 Tbs. fresh and topping soups and salads with it.

I hope these tips have been helpful for you, and that you can start eating your way to feeling better and better!

I recently saw something in the news that caught my eye. It was a news report about how the United States dairy industry is in crisis. According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), American milk consumption has decreased significantly – almost 30 percent since 1975.

While I wouldn’t want to be gleeful about anybody personally suffering of course, I couldn’t help feeling, okay, well yes, gleeful, about this industry news. I am not a fan of dairy and do not think anybody should consume it. I believe it leads to myriad health issues and supreme and unnecessary suffering for many, many people. Dairy is not people food. Period. Too often the news is about big, Monsanto-esque corporations and/or its lobbyists winning out at the expense of the public’s health. But not so in this case my friends. This one is for the people! Here are the various sides of this piece of news, as I see it:

The Good News

First, let’s talk about the good news! If Americans are consuming fewer dairy products, well, people are choosing to consume less dairy products. Yay! The decreased demand will cause the dairy industry to scale back production. Why is this good news? There are so many health and environmental issues associated with dairy production and consumption. I feel that more and more, the tide is turning and more people (like you!) are spreading the info and the word is getting out that dairy is not health food. Let’s review a few key points, after a great quote I wanted to share with you:

If you are willing to stop eating just one group of foods, you will experience the most profound improvement in your health and appearance by eliminating all dairy.

                                                                                           – John A. McDougall, MD

1. Dairy products are extremely acidifying in the body.

While the dairy industry has advertised for years that milk makes bones stronger, the opposite happens when you consume a lot of dairy. In The China Study, T. Colin Campbell explains that when you consume milk, it creates a net metabolic acidity in the body. In order to neutralize that acidity, your body draws salts such as calcium and phosphorus from your bones so it can return to its naturally alkaline state. The result is weakened bones and teeth – just the opposite of what the dairy industry has been suggesting all these years. Countries in the world that consume very little dairy, like China, experience very little osteoporosis.

2. Milk is meant for baby cows – not baby humans.

In fact, human beings are the only species that insist on consuming milk after infancy. Unfortunately, the milk humans consume isn’t human milk. It’s cow’s milk. Cow’s milk contains two elements that make it very difficult for the human body to process, however. The first, high levels of casein, is milk’s primary protein. Difficulty digesting protein can cause damage to the intestines and stomach, which can lead to autoimmune and malabsorption disorders and poor health. The second part of cow’s milk is very difficult for humans to digest is lactose, which is the sugar in milk. Many people have a strong intolerance for lactose, which can cause digestive disorders and upset.

3. Milk may contain hormones, antibiotics, and chemicals

that cause endocrine disruption and have been associated with developing certain cancers. One of the most worrisome of these chemicals is recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), a genetically engineered growth hormone used to increase milk production in cattle. According to the Cancer Prevention Coalition, Canada and European countries have banned American milk because it contains this hormone, which has been linked to increased rates of cancer. Milk containing rGBH is not labeled in the United States.

Likewise, many farmers maintain dairy cattle in extremely crowded conditions, providing genetically modified feed. To combat the disease associated with the crowded living conditions and feed that isn’t a natural part of a cow’s diets, farmers often put antibiotics in the feed. This winds up in the milk and contributes to antibiotic resistance and toxicity in the human body.

4. Dairy production is extremely toxic to the environment.

While some small organic farmers to tend to their cattle naturally, keeping them hormone free and pasture-fed, they are in the minority. Instead, dairy production has become industrialized. Industrialized dairy farming causes large-scale pollution due to animal waste, farm machinery, and fuel usage for shipping dairy products across the country.

Additionally, the hormones, antibiotics, and other chemicals used in dairy production work their way into the soil and groundwater, eventually making their way into lakes and streams.

5. The other reason decreased dairy consumption is good news is because there are so many healthier alternatives to dairy available on the market today.

These alternatives include nut milks such as almond and coconut milk, as well as rice and hemp milk. Soymilk is also widely purchased, although soy has its own issues (including often being genetically modified and mimicking hormones in the human body). I recommend choosing almond milk over soy milk.

If you do choose to drink alternatives to dairy, I recommend unsweetened almond or hazelnut milk. You can even make your own following this recipe. (“UPDATED: NOW AND AT GLOW BIO, WE USE A THINNER PERCENTAGE, WHICH IS 1 CUP ALMONDS, 4 CUPS FILTERED WATER. I LIKE IT THINNER NOW!”)

The Bad News

Unfortunately, according to the WSJ article, the other reason dairy consumption is flagging is because people are turning to less healthy and non-environmentally-friendly alternatives to milk such as vitamin water and bottled water. So it isn’t actually because everyone switched over to making their own almond milk. At least not yet! Let’s not give up on that one.

These aforementioned drinks are typically packaged in plastics and may contain a bevy of sugar or artificial sweeteners (sucralose, crystalline fructose and the like), which are not natural, beautifying ingredients. Likewise, individual serving bottles litter landfills and utilize massive amounts of petroleum products in their production. A better alternative to individual servings of bottled drinks is to purchase a BPA-free reusable water bottle that you keep filled with clear, fresh water.

Beware the Marketing

In order to compete with the burgeoning beverage industry, the dairy industry is beginning to change how they package and market dairy products. The strategy is two-pronged: slapping stickers on dairy milk labeled as “real”, to imply that almond and other dairy milk alternatives are “fake”, and repackaging milk products in a manner more attractive to today’s consumer, such as increasing the protein content and packaging it in individual sized containers as a fitness-type product.

Just because the milk industry is rebranding its product, however, doesn’t make it any healthier or better for the environment than it was before. Instead of slapping the “real” sticker on dairy, they should slap a “never intended for human consumption” sticker on there. Okay, my sticker is longer and may not be as “catchy”. But you get the point.

Because of the detrimental health and environmental factors associated with milk production and consumption, I urge you to give up any and all dairy consumption. Seek out alternatives. They aren’t “fake”; they are very much real, plant-based, and far better for your body, skin and the environment. Spread the word! Friends don’t let friends eat dairy.

We’re rapidly approaching the shortest days of the year. In some places, it’s getting dark as early as 4:30 right now. I often hear people comment about how depressing it is when they drive to work in the dark and return home in the dark. Or if they have an office job, and leave at the end of the day and it is already dark.

But from a yoga perspective, the winter solstice is the true new year, where you let go and bring closure to the past year. Out of the dark comes the seeds of new growth, and the emergence of light and new beginnings. It is a time to contemplate all that doesn’t serve you anymore and let go, as you allow for more space to let the new in.

But still…on an every day basis, the dark days of winter can be a bit of a downer. For some people, the lack of sunshine leads a condition even more severe than the winter blues – Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).  Causes of SAD may arise from a change in serotonin levels due to lack of sunshine, as well as possible hormonal imbalances.  ,

Even if you don’t meet the clinical requirements for a diagnosis of SAD, the winter blues are understandable. Lack of sunshine, bad weather and stress from the holidays can all leave you feeling more than a little frazzled. For many people, stress can also trigger poor dietary and sleep habits.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Harness this potent time for new beginnings and growth. Here are my recommendations for a little pick-me-up during the winter months.

1. Get outside

Sure the weather is poor in many parts of the country, but that doesn’t mean you need to stay holed up in your house. Try to spend a little bit of time outside during daylight hours every day. According to an article in Issues in Mental Health Nursing, insufficient vitamin D levels are associated with depression. Since your best source of vitamin D is sunlight, it’s understandable that during the winter months these levels drop.

To counteract this, head outside for 20 minutes whenever possible. Try taking a brisk walk during your lunch hour or stepping outside for a few minutes during your breaks at work. The sunlight and fresh air will give you a mental boost that can make you feel better! Just bundle up with a hat and gloves, if needed, and you’ll be happy you got out.

2. Exercise

You have to move that body to avoid feeling lethargic and heavy!

According to the National Health Service in the United Kingdom, exercise is an excellent way to fight the winter blues. One study showed that getting some form of aerobic exercise three times per week effectively improved symptoms of mild to moderate depression. Another study showed the regular practice of yoga could lessen anxiety in women.

Don’t you love modern studies that back up ancient practices that have been used for centuries prior?

3. Take vitamin D supplements

While your best source of vitamin D is sunlight, getting enough sunshine during the winter months isn’t always possible in certain climates. In an article for Psychology Today, James M. Greenblatt, MD recommends D3 supplementation as one factor in improving mood for cases of SAD.

4. Include whole grains and raw seeds in your diet

Whole grains such as quinoa  contain high levels of tryptophan, an essential amino acid that regulates the levels of serotonin in the brain. Studies have shown that tryptophan is better than placebo at alleviating depression. Other foods high in tryptophan include raw sesame and pumpkin seeds.

5. Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids

The typical Western diet creates an imbalance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. This imbalance can lead to a host of health issues, including depression. One study showed that increasing levels of omega-3 fatty acids reduced symptoms of depression.

Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include flax, hemp, chia, and pumpkin seeds, as well as vegetables like cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and purslane.

6. Avoid caffeine, refined sugar, and alcohol

The winter blues can leave you feeling a little blah. When this happens, many people feel it’s natural to self-medicate by turning to substances that pick you up and/or calm you down. Using these substances, however, can wreak havoc on your energy, lifting you up and then causing you to crash. To keep your mood steadier (and your body healthier), stick to a non-processed diet of whole foods and skip these unbalancing entities.

7. Relax

It’s easy to burn the candle at both ends during the winter. Relaxation is an important part of fighting anxiety and depression, however. It’s important during these winter months you take regular time for yourself. Sit with your feet up, gaze out a sunny window (another great way to get sunlight without going outside on the coldest of days, by the way), meditate, or engage in hobbies you enjoy. Stopping and taking time for yourself is essential for recharging and renewing during the busy winter months.

Reflect on what you are letting go of, and what you want to create as the light comes forth again.

8. Laugh

Whether you spend time with funny friends, go to a comedy club, or take in the latest funny movie (Wedding Crashers, Zoolander and Forgetting Sarah Marshall are some of my personal classic funny faves!), laughter is a great way to fight the winter blahs. Multiple studies have shown just how effective laughter is at staving off anxiety and depression, so make sure you take time regularly to get your funny on, and you’ll feel better this winter.

9. Start each day with a Glowing Green Smoothie

Winter causes many people to eat heavier, heartier foods in an attempt to warm themselves from the inside. Lightening up what you eat, however, may just help lighten your mood. That’s because when you eat heavy foods, your body diverts a great deal of energy to digestion. Lighter fare allows you to use that digestive energy for – well – energy! Packed with vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and fiber, the Glowing Green Smoothie (GGS) is energy in a glass. And since it won’t weigh you down, the GGS gets every day off to the perfect start, helping you feel light and energized all day long.