Working with people who are experiencing chronic pain, we get asked quite often about eating habits that will help their body feel better. While we can take care of you during your visit in the NSO office, unfortunately, we can’t be at your house to cook for you every day. So instead, we have done our research and provided you with 8 foods to assist with pain relief. Most of these foods have anti-inflammatory properties that naturally ease pain. Wait there’s more … we’ve also included several recipes that incorporate these foods because let’s be honest, who really likes to snack on ginger root? Enjoy!

1. Ginger – eases nausea, fights inflammation, muscle pain and joint pain.
   Chinese Green Beans, Lemon Ginger Tea, Whole Grain Ginger Pear Bran Muffin
2. Cookies – not only are cookies just delicious in general but the sweetness increases endorphins which can in turn, help reduce the perception of pain.
   Snickers Bar Cookies, Whole Wheat Vanilla Sugar Cookies, White Chocolate Chip Orange Burst Cookies
3. Olive Oil – extra virgin olive oil contains compounds similar to Ibuprofen.
   Broccoli with Olive Oil, Cucumber Salad with Olive Oil and Lemon Juice, Leeks Vinaigrette
4. Salmon – rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, reduces joint pain and inflammation, contains calcitonin, which protects against osteoarthritis.
   Honey-Ginger Baked Salmon with Jasmine Rice, Salmon Tacos with Jalapeno Cream, Balsamic Orange Salmon
5. Red Grapes – they contain resveratral, which is a compound that has anti-inflammatory benefits.
   Italian Sausage with Red Grapes, Arugula and Romaine Salad with Red Grapes, Grape Salad
6. Thyme – it is as effective as the drug Dethamexasone in the reduction of pain perception.
   Roasted Chicken with Thyme, Sweet Mashed Potatoes with Thyme, Baked Carrots
7. Fish Oil – contains docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), 2 fatty acids which are proven to block the creation of inflammatory chemicals.
   Glazed Salmon, Grilled Herring with Mustard and Basil Dressing, Garlic Chili Sardines
8. Tart Cherries – 20 of these could relieve pain better than an Aspirin. They contain antioxidants which can act as pain relievers for arthritis, gout and inflammation.
   Chicken Thighs with Tart Cherry Sauce, Easy Cherry Tart, Cherry Revitalizer Smoothie

Source for this post: Positive Foodie – 8 Foods to Assist with Pain Relief