Body Pain & Aches: Is Your Food Killing You?
Body Pain & Aches: Is Your Food Killing You?
You know the saying: “You are what you eat.” What if food is responsible for the total body pain and random joint, bone, and muscle aches you experience?
In the Scientific American article, Dirt Poor: Have Fruits and Vegetables Become Less Nutritious, the authors reported on a landmark study from the University of Texas that showed the fruit and vegetables of today, are not the same as what our parents and grandparents ate when they were kids. And it’s only getting worse.
Researchers from the study surveyed more than 40 different fruits and vegetables and found they all contained significantly lower levels of vitamin C, B12, iron, protein, calcium, and phosphorus. And the depletion isn’t happening in just fruits and vegetables either. Research from early 2018 published in Science Advances found nutrient loss in popular grains, too.
According to the Texas study, “Efforts to breed new varieties of crops that provide greater yield, pest resistance, and climate adaptability have allowed crops to grow bigger and more rapidly, but their ability to manufacture or uptake nutrients has not kept pace with their rapid growth.” Humans need balanced nutrition, so is this essential nutrient depletion in our food killing us slowly and painfully?
The Health Dangers of Non-nutritious Food
Our supermarkets are stocked with preservatives, chemicals, and food-like products. These foreign substances can trigger serious health problems like obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, headaches, lower immunity, and a laundry list of others.
Food allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances are on the rise. Leaky gut syndrome is a significant cause of chronic inflammation, and irritable bowel syndrome cases are steadily rising, affecting 7-10% of the global population. These conditions are directly related to the type and nutritional value of the food you eat. Improper nutrition makes it difficult for your body to recover from the assault on your digestive tract.
The BIG Picture Impact of Food Allergies and Sensitivities
Research shows that approximately 3.6% of Americans have a food allergy or sensitivity, and that number continues to climb. Food allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances wage a chemical war on the body, leading to conditions like fibromyalgia and generalized back and body pain. The damage isn’t always immediately apparent either. Food-related symptoms are rarely consistent.
A healthy digestive system is critical to good physical and mental health. It’s responsible for breaking down and distributing food and nutrients. Something as seemingly harmless as a few pieces of chocolate can lead to an immunologic, inflammatory, or toxic response, with symptoms like:
· Headache
· Muscle aches and joint pain
· Diarrhea
· Colitis
· Asthma
· Gout
· Generalized or chronic pain syndromes
· Edema
· Depression and anxiety
The food you eat matters more than anything else when it comes to good physical and mental health.
Tips for Better Food Choices
Whether you’re going grocery shopping or out to eat, here are a few things to consider. These will help you focus on getting pain-fighting foods:
· If you MUST eat fast food, choose a grilled chicken salad or something that’s not loaded with empty calories.
· Be creative with home cooking so when you go out, you can eat a salad instead of something fried and smothered in butter.
· Stay away from artificial sugars and sweeteners.
· Buy organic every time you can. Most pesticides can’t be washed away.
· Try the elimination diet to identify your food triggers.
See sources at the end of this article to learn more about these tips.
At Slovin Chiropractic Center, we have over two decades of experience dealing with food-related problems that cause bone, joint, muscle, and total body pains. Pain isn’t easy to treat, but it always starts at home, inside your body and mind. We can help you find your way back to good health. We’re accepting new appointments at our Norwalk office, and we’re available for telehealth consultations.
Sources
Environmental Working Group: Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 Shopper’s Guide
Healthline: How to do an elimination diet
National University of Natural Medicine: Addressing Chronic Inflammation
National Institutes of Health: The Effects of Ketogenic Diets on Inflammation and Chronic Pain
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