When we feel pain, it’s because of signals traveling through our nervous system. Imagine these signals as cars on a highway. The “pain gate” is like a toll booth that decides how many cars (pain signals) get through to your brain. Luckily, the foods you eat can help open or close this gate.
What Opens the Pain Gate?
Certain foods can cause the body to make more of certain chemicals called cytokines. These cytokines cause inflammation, swelling, and make pain worse. These inflammatory cytokines are like a fire—it ruins that tollbooth, opens the pain gate wide, and lets more pain signals through. These foods are the most common ones that make pain worse:
- Sugary and starchy snacks: Donuts, churros, cookies, muffins, sugar-free pastries, fat free pastries.
- Fried foods: Some foods that you may not realize are fried may be like: spring rolls/egg rolls, tortilla chips, falafel, mozzarella sticks, croutons, buffalo wings, tempura vegetables and tempura tofu, samosas, calamari, Indian paratha bread, taco shells.
- Saturated and trans fats: Butter, cream, coffee creamer.
- Processed meats: Sausage, salami, deli-meats.
How to Close the Pain Gate with Food
The good news is that other foods can help “close” the gate, calming inflammation and reducing pain signals. Here are some top picks:
- Omega-3 Fats: Found in salmon, walnuts, and flaxseeds, these healthy fats act like a fire extinguisher for inflammation.
- Colorful Veggies and Fruits: Bright foods like berries, spinach, and carrots are packed with antioxidants that fight pain-causing chemicals.
- Spices: Turmeric and ginger are nature’s painkillers. Add them to meals to ease inflammation.
- Whole Grains: Foods like quinoa and oatmeal keep blood sugar steady, which helps reduce pain sensitivity.
And don’t forget your nervous system! Foods rich in magnesium, like almonds and dark leafy greens, can calm overactive nerves that send pain signals. Vitamin D, like from salmon or fortified foods can also support nerve health and reduce chronic pain.
Food Swaps for Less Pain
To close your pain gate and reduce pain, here hare some things you can do:
- Don’t fall for flashy sugary packaging. Sugary and starchy foods, try yogurts with “No Added Sweetener”, dried cereal or granola with 4g or less of sugar, fresh berries, or freeze-dried fruits.
- Instead of fried foods, try baked falafel, roti/chapati instead of parathas, blanched or roasted vegetables, and fresh Vietnamese/Thai spring rolls instead of fried rolls.
- Nix the fatty dairy. Instead of coffee creamers, try making your own flavors homemade; use avocado or roasted walnut dip instead or cream cheese, and use avocado oil instead of butter in cooking.
- Stay away from the deli counter. Instead of processed meats and Oscar Meyers, try using leftover baked chicken or roasts for sandwiches, get smoked or canned salmon or tuna in water, or use a hummus spread in sandwiches instead.
Takeaways
While food isn’t a cure-all, it’s a very powerful tool. Pair a pain-reducing diet with other habits like regular movement to keep blood flowing, stress management to improve our mindset and outlook, and good sleep to help our body reset. Small changes can make a big difference in closing the pain gate and taking control of how your body feels. By swapping inflammatory foods for anti-inflammatory ones, you can “hack” your pain signals and feel better naturally. So, why not start today? A pain-free life might just be on your plate!