Health experts recommend that eating a diet rich in antioxidants as well as drinking enough water daily to stay hydrated are essential steps to a successful pain management routine. The reason for this being is that these two lifestyle changes work to reduce inflammation in the body which is the leading cause of chronic pain in many cases. Keep reading for more information on the science behind the effectiveness of proper hydration and clean eating habits in preventing as well as treating these conditions.
Drinking water plays a huge role in pain management because it serves as one way to flush toxins and other irritants out of the body. As the body detoxes naturally, it decreases the prostaglandin and histamine response which can help reduce the severity of pain. Aside from inflammation reducing benefits, staying hydrated can also help keep joints healthy. Joints are made up of cartilage that acts like a cushion and reduces the amount of friction between bones during daily tasks. Since cartilage is composed of 60% water, it loses its sponge-like shock absorbing properties when there is a lack of hydration in the body.
Inflammation is often associated with the immune system as it has a key role in protecting the body from infections and other harmful conditions. In the event of an injury or illness, your body would signal white blood cells to affected areas causing inflammation to occur. Ideally, this inflammation would go away when you begin to recover however this is not always the case. In situations where the immune system stays on alert even when there is no threat to the body, it can damage healthy cells or organs as well as lead to chronic pain in muscles, tissues, and joints. For this reason, a proper diet is important to ensuring that your immune system acts appropriately to your environment instead of attacking vital parts of your body. Strong scientific evidence suggests foods rich in antioxidants can have an anti-inflammatory effect that helps soothe and prevent painful flare-ups. This diet is similar to that of a Mediterranean diet as it features whole fruits, dark leafy greens, nuts, legumes, and whole grains.
