Nutrition Quiz: Is Your Food Contributing to Inflammation and Pain?
- Do you find yourself snacking on foods due to boredom, stress, or fatigue more than 3 times each week? (Y/N)
- Do you experience any digestive issues, such as heartburn, indigestion, ulcers, or irritable bowel syndrome? (Y/N)
- Do you consume caffeinated beverages after 2 p.m.? (Y/N)
- Do you get noticeably irritable, light-headed, or weak if you haven’t eaten in a while? (Y/N)
- On average, do you drink more than 1 alcoholic beverage each day? Y/N)
- I consider vegetables and fruits to be the most important source of nutrients for my health. (T/F)
- In the past month, I have drank >4 sodas, juices, coffee with added ingredients, or other sugary beverages. (T/F)
- I don’t always have enough money to buy the food I need. (T/F)
- I have an illness or condition that has made me change the kind and/or amount of food I eat. (T/F)
- I often eat dinner with friends or family at the dinner table (not watching television/ not using the internet). (T/F)
- I have tried more than 1 diet to lose weight in the past 12 months. (T/F)
- I view healthy eating as an important component to living a healthy life. (T/F)
- Most days, do you eat all of your food each day within a 12-hour window (example breakfast at 7 a.m. and dinner by 7 p.m.)? (Y/N)
The Connection between Nutrition and Pain
"Do you live to eat or eat to live?"
In other words, what role does food play in your life? Personally, I have always been an 'eat to live' type of individual. Food is fuel. It is the gasoline that helps your internal engine run efficiently. When it comes to the connection between pain and nutrition, the best approach is a diet that minimizes inflammation within the body and brain.
Why Focus on Anti-Inflammation?
To get rid of pain, it is important to remember that pain is a sensory and emotional experience. Sensation (sight, feeling, touch, smell, pressure, etc...) is often first perceived within the body, and quickly sent to the brain for interpretation. When inflammation is present, it can impair the communication between the brain and body.
Inflammation occurs as a result of a stress or perceived stress on the body.
Nutrition Advice and Recommendations
Your Daily Food Guide Pyramid |
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Achieving Your Day-to-Day Food Goals
Below is a daily chart to help guide your food choices.
| Eat The Rainbow Food Chart.pdf |
How to Eat after an Injury or Surgery
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After an injury or surgery, getting the proper nutrients into your system is crucial for optimal healing. While there are dozens are important nutrients and minerals, four of the most important are:
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