Chronic Pain? Consider Changing Your Diet (Copy)
I have witnessed how frustrating it can be for patients who suffer from chronic pain to find relief that also improves their overall wellbeing. That's why I'm excited to share a recent study published in the journal Pain Reports, which explores the benefits of a whole-food low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet on chronic pain.
The study aimed to evaluate the effects of a ketogenic diet on reported pain, blood biomarkers, and quality of life in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Participants were recruited for a 12-week diet intervention that started with 3 weeks removing ultra-processed foods, followed by being split into two groups for the rest of the study: either a whole-food well-formulated ketogenic diet (WFKD) or simply continuing with the minimally processed whole-food diet (WFD).
The results of the study were great! Both groups reported improvements in average weekly pain and quality of life. However, the WFKD group demonstrated significant improvements in
pain interference,
weight,
depression,
anxiety,
and inflammation (hsCRP).
The WFKD group also had a significantly greater reduction in average weekly pain compared to the WFD group.
These findings show that a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet may be a powerful tool for managing chronic pain, as well as promoting weight loss and improving mood.
By eliminating ultra-processed foods and increasing healthy fats and proteins, the ketogenic diet helps to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, which are major contributors to chronic pain.
If you're looking for a natural, non-pharmacological way to manage your chronic pain, changing your diet might be a game-changer. Dietary interventions need to be tailored to an individual’s needs and should take into account any underlying medical conditions or dietary restrictions. With the guidance of a healthcare provider who is fluent in these concepts, individuals with chronic pain can safely and effectively incorporate these principles into their pain management plan.
