I ran across an interesting article on CNN last week titled When Food Causes You Pain. It got my attention because they were discussing chronic inflammation, which is something I’ve suffered with for years.
Prior to starting the Low Carb Diet, my chiropractor (who I had to visit entirely too much back then, lol) suggested I may have Fibromyalgia. I also have a lower back injury, and the inflammation often causes Sciatica – which feels like electrical current going down my left leg, causing muscle spasms and charlie horses.
I’m only 39! 😯 LOL.
While these issues rarely affect my everyday life, they’re a royal pain (pun intended) when they flare up.
Unfortunately when I was younger I was involved in a traumatic car accident, and a couple of years later fell and broke my tailbone. Oddly, it didn’t really start to affect me until I reached my thirties. Which is, oddly again, when I also started putting on weight for the first time in my life.
I refused official diagnosis, by the way – and medication, of course. I trust pain as a good indicator of what you should and shouldn’t do, and my personal experience with pain medications were that the side effects simply weren’t worth it. Instead I set out to “strengthen my core” (to support my lower back) and to become physically healthier through diet and exercise…
Part of that included drinking more water, which was not an easy habit to start. My daughter and I have both found that keeping water bottles handy makes a huge difference.
As I was reading this article on CNN by Julie Daniluk, it made total sense to me why all my symptoms practically went away when I started eating low carb!
The author (Julie Daniluk) outlined foods that cause inflammation, and foods that reduce inflammation. This is a GREAT list for anyone that suffers from arthritis, asthma, skin disorders, muscle pain – or like me, inflammation flare-ups from old injuries.
Julie Daniluk is the author of Meals that Heal Inflammation: Embrace Healthy Living and Eliminate Pain, One Meal at a Time
, and also co-hosts “Healthy Gourmet,” a reality cooking show that airs on the Oprah Winfrey Network.
Here is just a partial list of the foods that cause inflammation:
- Flour
- Sugar
Julie says: Food allergies also trigger mast cells to release histamine, causing the redness and swelling associated with inflammation. Common allergens include wheat, gluten, corn, dairy, sugar and potatoes.
And a few foods that reduce inflammation:
- Berries
- Olive Oil
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Brussels Sprouts
- Kale
- Eggs
Looking over that list, it makes perfect sense why I feel SO much better eating low carb – and why my chronic pain issues went away almost immediately! Not to mention I lost 25 pounds. 😀
Great article, interesting book, and yet another GOOD reason to switch to the low carb lifestyle! 😉
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