Nutrition and Lifestyle Recommendations for Pain Management

Pain and sensitivity to pain comes in all shapes and sizes and is a very individual thing, and let’s not forget about emotional pain. Maybe the link between red hair and pain makes sense to you or maybe you have another gene that balances out your red hair gene and you think it's a bunch of bunk. If there is anything that I’ve learned about genetics is that the more we learn about genetics, there’s always something more to learn about genetics.

If you are in pain, please consult with your physician or seek out complimentary treatment to try to get to the root cause of your pain and do what you need to do to take care of yourself. The majority of the battle is learning about yourself and having the discipline to take care of yourself. I struggle with it too - I just found out that I aggravated my sciatic nerve, probably while doing forward bends in yoga and then by sitting and writing most of the day. It causes pins and needles in my feet and they swell – ugh! But I’m getting referred to physical therapy, and I’m going to try to do what they tell me to do, so that I can feel better. You can make your health a priority too!

Please do NOT avoid the dentist because of anxiety or fear of pain. As a child, my teeth were drilled on without any numbing medication, and this has given me a certain level of dental care anxiety. Just thinking about the sound of the dental drill makes me cringe – so I can completely relate. But my anxiety is not enough to make me avoid dental care completely. My anxiety actually motivates me to floss daily, get my cleanings every six months (thanks to my employer-based insurance), and pray during my x-ray and exam that I don’t need a filling or a crown or worse -- a root canal. So far, so good on the root canal, and that is most likely because I do all of the above. When I do need dental work, the drugs my dentist uses work pretty well for me (thankfully!), but then again, I only have the red hair gene on one side of my family so I might have a bit of protection that other redheads don’t have. If anxiety and fear of dental pain are an issue for you, please consult your physician to see if you can be medicated before procedures and ask a friend or relative to take you to and from the dentist.

If your dentist or physician dismisses your concerns about your anxiety or past pain experiences, then say goodbye to him or her and find another practitioner. There are many practitioners in the sea who will listen to you and support you. If it helps, print out Redheads and Pain: A Recap, send it to him or her, and interview him or her over the phone or in person before deciding how to proceed. A better sense of control will help ease your anxiety.

Dietary Recommendations for Pain Management

Please consult your physician before embarking on any new dietary regimen.

A fresh, local, seasonal, natural, whole food diet consisting predominantly of plant-based foods is anti-inflammatory and would best support pain. If you have access to organic food that is fresh and local and you can afford it, purchasing it will help reduce your exposure to pesticides, herbicides and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Shop at Farmer's Markets, the Perimeter of the Grocery Store, the Bulk Section and the Oil Section!

-Produce Section – leafy greens (chard, kale spinach), crunchy veggies (broccoli, asparagus, green beans), starchy veggies (yam, parsnip), fruit, sprouts

-Meat/Fish Section – grass-fed, range-raised, organic, hormone & antibiotic free, wild or organically farmed fish

-Cultured Dairy Products (as tolerated) – yogurt, kefir, butter, buttermilk, cottage cheese – try goat dairy products too!

-Eggs – range-raised, cage-free, omega 3

-Bulk Section – nuts & seeds, legumes, whole non-glutinous grains (e.g. wild or brown rice, quinoa, millet)

-Quality Oils – extra virgin olive oil, unrefined coconut oil, flax seed oil, unrefined sesame or safflower seed oils

Restock your pantry with healthy staples:

-Chicken or vegetable stock

-Non-irradiated organic herbs

-Natural sweeteners (agave syrup, pure maple syrup, or whole leaf stevia powders)

-Change table salt to REAL Salt or Himalayan Crystal Salt and use herbs

-Try seaweed for flavoring (full of minerals and a natural source of iodine)

Eat 2-3 servings a day of quality protein to avoid hypoglycemia (e.g. meat, fish, dairy, legumes, nuts, seeds)

Read All Labels and Avoid the Inflammatory Monsters!

-Avoid trans-, hydrogenated and partially-hydrogenated fats or oils

-Avoid processed and refined carbohydrates

-Avoid white or “enriched” flours

-Choose whole flours or sprouted grain breads and eat minimally

-Choose whole grain pastas and eat minimally

-Avoid refined sugar and alcohol

-Avoid labels that read above 7 grams of sugars per serving

-Watch out for hidden sugars – alcohol, high fructose corn syrup, dextrin, malodextrin, honey, sucrose (table sugar), molasses, sorghum, cane juice (evaporated too), brown sugar, xylitol, mannitol, sorbitol, barley malt, brown rice syrup, date sugar, fruit juice concentrates, maple syrup

-Avoid artificial sweeteners, preservatives & additives such as aspartame (Nutrasweet), saccharin (Sweet’n’Lo), sucrolose (Splenda)

-Avoid monosodium glutamate (MSG), nitrates/nitrites in lunch meats, sulfites, and artificial coloring.

IF YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS DON’T BUY IT.

Lifestyle Recommendations for Pain Management

Identify and Eliminate Underlying Food Allergies and Treat Inhalant Allergies – For more information, see ‘Tis the Season for Achooo!!

Do things that naturally increase endorphin levels:

-Get enough sleep: 7-8 hours nightly in a darkened room away from electronics

-Stay hydrated – drink eight 8-ounce glasses of purified water a day. Try refreshing it with a bit of lemon or you can substitute water with your favorite herbal tea.

-Exercise: 20-30 minutes daily to increase endorphins and maintain weight and energy. Start slowly by exercising 2-3 times a week and work your way up to daily. If you are injured, ask your physician or physical therapist for appropriate exercises and an exercise schedule -- be gentle with yourself. Exercises like yoga can also be meditative and reduce stress, but do not push yourself like I did!

-Practice meditation or deep breathing

-Put sensitivity to work artistically – indulge the creative redhead in you!

-Seek out complimentary therapies like chiropractic, acupuncture, naturopathy, massage therapy, or cranial-sacral therapy. Consider psychotherapy to work through unresolved emotional trauma or to learn coping mechanisms for stress.

Nutritional Supplements for Pain Management

WARNING: Consult your physician before taking any of the following nutritional supplements.

Licorice:
Inhibits the release of melanocyte stimulating hormone (this effect is not reported in the de-glycyrrhizinated form of licorice or DGL), assists with auto-immune conditions, and supports the adrenal glands. Use a standardized root extract of 100-200mg per day in the morning. WARNINGS: Do not use if pregnant or nursing, if you have heart disease, hypertension, or liver disease or with medications that contain diuretic, digitalis or glucocortiocoids. Do not exceed 600 mg of glycyrrhizic acid daily. Extended use at these levels may elevate blood pressure. If taking medication, consult your healthcare practitioner before use.

5-HTP or L-Tryptophan:
The amino acid in your Thanksgiving turkey that makes you blissfully sleepy, precursors to the neurotransmitter serotonin, helps modulate symptoms of depression, anxiety, anger, regulates sleep/wake cycles and assists with pain management. WARNING: Do not use if pregnant or nursing. Do not use concurrently with SSRI medications or MAO inhibitors. 5-HTP may cause gastrointestinal upset in sensitive individuals.
-Some people have better luck with 5-HTP and others have better luck with L-Tryptophan. I like L-Tryptophan myself.
-5-HTP: 50-300 mg per day, in divided doses, before meals (in the afternoon or evening)
OR
-L-Tryptophan: 1000-3000mg per day, in divided doses, before meals (in the afternoon or evening). Take with a piece of fruit to help with absorption.

DL-Phenylalanine (DLPA):
Precursor to Phenylethylamine (PEA) which is a mood enhancer found in chocolate, supports mood and relaxes muscles, inhibits enzymes that breakdown endorphins that modulate emotional and physical pain. 2000-3000mg per day in divided doses, between meals (e.g. mid-morning and mid-afternoon). WARNING: If pregnant or lactating, consult your physician before taking this supplement. Individuals with phenylketonuria or tardive dyskinesia should avoid this supplement. Occasional nausea, heartburn, or headaches have been associated with dl-phenylalanine.

GABA:
Helpful for stress and anxiety, acts as a natural tranquilizer. 500-750 mg once daily in between meals. WARNING: If pregnant, consult your physician before taking this or any other supplement.