We all know that vegetables and fruits are important to our health, to having a healthy diet. Without them we would get a lack of important vitamins and minerals and probably have a higher cholesterol and blood pressure with their harmful effects on our heart. But did you know that fruits and vegetables prevents pain?
A ‘Western’ diet high in carbohydrates and red meats puts the body into a pro-inflammatory state which makes our immune system go haywire. These chemicals also known as cytokines are usually naturally countered by the natural anti-oxidants from fruits and vegetables.
The immune system is like a traffic controller that regulates how the cytokines interact with the pain fibers that send pain signals. This happens in the cells in the brain and spinal cord. Abnormal regulation can lead to sensitization, a phenomenon that results in a susceptibility to chronic pain. Certain antibodies target can go as far as directly targeting targets on nerve cells and triggering them to fire. Other IgGs (interleukin G antibodies) interact with other white blood cells to cause inflammation or to destroy targets along the sensory pathway. Mainly chemicals and proteins are involved.
The symptoms of such deregulation of the immune system mediated by IgGs include:
- Seizures
- Encephalopathy
- Muscle spasms
- Tremor
- Spasticity
- Complex regional pain syndrome
There is a complex interaction between diet and pain, with the immune system as the bridge between them.
A healthy diet that includes fruits and vegetables, as well a natural anti-inflammatories may make a difference to chronic pain conditions. So if you have chronic pain that you have difficulty managing, and you have tried pills and exercise and even operations, perhaps it’s time to return to that green leafy thing that is on sale at the nearest grocer.
Vegetables prevents pain
Eating fruits and vegetables as part of a balanced diet can make a difference to chronic pain.