Health

6 Foods That Ease Chronic Pain

Have a sore back, stiff neck, or deal with chronic pain issues? Make sure your diet includes these foods

by Meghan Rabbitt

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Wild salmon and Chia seeds Salmon is loaded with essential fatty acids (EFAs) -- especially omega-3 fatty acids -- which help reduce pain-causing inflammation in the body.

Not a fan of fish? Get a hefty dose of omega-3s by adding chia seeds to your diet. (Yes, the same seeds that make the chi-chi-chi-chia pet grow.) "Athletes all over the world add chia seeds to their training diet to reduce the inflammation caused by hours of training," says Koff. You can find chia seeds at your local health food store; toss them into an omelette or salad, add to your favorite milk or milk substitute to make a chia pudding, or blend into a smoothie. These seeds have a mild, nutty flavor, and odds are you won't even notice you're eating them.

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Older comments

yumm i love pineapple and cherries!

by 92jess11 Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 11:16PM Report as inappropriate

Coconut water is very overrated. It is loaded with sugar (in packaged form), and is no cure-all for dehydration. This is because your hydration levels are a balance of water, salt, and sugar levels that all need to be equal levels. Long science short, stick to regular water and eat some fruit.

by hiddenexpose Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 01:26PM Report as inappropriate

Thanks. My mother has arthritis pain and actually loves a lot of these foods. I'll be happy to share this article.

by Helmi Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 07:05PM Report as inappropriate

I knew about cherries (and dark berries), but pineapple and coconut water? These are amazing!

by GigiSD Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 10:25AM Report as inappropriate

I'm grateful for these tips I've got to try them to see if they work. If so it'd sure help me a lot.

by Chica181 Wednesday, February 27, 2013 at 12:23PM Report as inappropriate

yum pineapple

by LittleBunny Friday, January 4, 2013 at 07:27AM Report as inappropriate

Nice information

by EricaC123 Wednesday, December 26, 2012 at 02:42PM Report as inappropriate

Pineapple is great, bromelain in pineapple is a natural anti-inlammatory!

by April_the_Esti Saturday, October 27, 2012 at 02:29PM Report as inappropriate

Definitely going to try coconut water now!

by Chris213 Saturday, October 13, 2012 at 08:18PM Report as inappropriate

I have Fibromyalgia and I can tell you that the only thing that does work is Zico Coconut Water (the dark chocolate one is AMAZING and makes you feel better quickly if you're suffering from heat exhaustion, among other things.). If you have migraines, grab one within an hour or so of the pain hitting you. Ginger only ever helps me with nausea, there are times I live on ginger ale, gingersnaps, and ginger tea. I've been eating cherries even when they're not in season locally for years and they don't work. It would be great to find a cherry supplement to see if maybe that helps. I eat a ton of fruit, none of it seems to make a difference.

by MissPoison Tuesday, August 14, 2012 at 07:09AM Report as inappropriate