Final Newsletter 2024 (5) - Flipbook - Page 19
Self Help & Guidance
The Power of Food: How Your Diet Influences Your Well-Being
The phrase "you are what you eat" resonates more profoundly today than ever before. As we
gain a deeper understanding of the intricate relationship between diet and health, it becomes
increasingly clear that what we put on our plates significantly impacts not only our physical
well-being but also our emotional state and overall quality of life. From alleviating pain to
improving digestion, mood, sleep, and energy levels, the right foods can act as vital
components of our treatment plans—truly turning food into medicine.
Research has shown that an anti-inflammatory diet can be beneficial for people struggling
with pain. Inflammation is a normal and healthy process that is part of our immune system to
fight off illness. However, when the body becomes chronically inflamed this can contribute to
various diseases and conditions.
What should you be eating?
Vegetables
Aim for at least 7 different vegetables a day. They contain
antioxidants which support your immune system to fight
inflammation. Try to include a variety of colours, and make sure
you include green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and
lettuce, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage,
sprouts and cauliflower which support the liver. Every time you
make a meal think about how you can add more vegetables to
it.
Fruit
Eat 2 or 3 different fruits per day. The ones that are particularly
rich in antioxidants are berries, cherries and red grapes. Frozen
fruit is just as good as fresh.
Good quality protein
Another important aspect of a diet to help manage pain is the
inclusion of good quality protein. Our nervous systems moderate
pain, and this system of the body needs amino acids (the
building blocks of protein) to function. Get your protein from fish,
poultry, beans, eggs, tofu, gluten free oats, lentils, nuts and
seeds.
