Whether you deal with chronic pain or just find yourself hurting after an especially grueling workout, tart cherries or tart cherry juice can help. Tart cherries are a good source of antioxidants and phytonutrients, especially anthocyanins, which may help block some enzymes associated with inflammation, says Massey. Some studies have found that tart cherries may help with certain inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis.
Research published in 2010 suggests that consuming tart cherry juice may also help minimize post-run muscle pain, adds Massey. Researchers looked at 54 healthy long-distance runners and gave them either a placebo or about 1.5 cups of tart cherry juice to consume twice a day for seven days before and on the day of running about 16 miles. The researchers found that those runners who consumed the cherry juice reported significantly less muscle pain than the runners who took the placebo.
When you're dealing with chronic pain, it can be tempting to reach for anything that will make you feel better. And by anything, we mean drugs. Strong ones.
While non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and prescription pain meds have their place in a chronic pain treatment plan, they're not the only solution. In fact, you'll give those pain pills a better shot at working most effectively if you take a look at your diet.
"You can actually find a lot of relief by adding specific foods to your diet that are proven to ease pain," says Ashley Koff, RD, Los Angeles-based celebrity dietitian and author of "Mom Energy." But just as important as what you add to your diet is what you might need to stop eating, says Alison Massey, MS, RD, LDN, a dietitian at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD. "Diets high in refined starches, sugars, saturated fats, and trans fats turn on the inflammatory response in the body, which makes pain worse," she says.
So while comfort foods packed with these ingredients may be just what you're craving when your pain gets intense, try to remember that those bad-for-you foods are only going to make you feel worse. Your new go-to eating plan: Load up on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and these nine foods proven to ease chronic pain.
