Food and Chronic Pain: How to Eat to Ease Pain and Suffering
Discover how your diet can feed chronic pain or ease aches and mental anguish. Learn brain-based food strategies to heal your body and mind.
Table of Contents
Is Your Diet Keeping You Trapped in Chronic Pain?
Food can be medicine or poison, contributing to illness or health. That’s why, when it comes to managing chronic pain, what you eat is just as important as how you move or think.
In his new book, Change Your Brain, Change Your Pain, Dr. Daniel Amen dives into the power of nutrition for managing and reducing chronic pain—whether it’s physical pain or emotional problems. You’ll learn how the foods you choose can either fuel the cycle of pain or help you break free from it.
Chronic pain is often driven by inflammation, and one of the most effective ways to combat that inflammation is through your diet.
What Is The Link Between Food And Chronic Pain?
When you’re in pain, it’s common to seek solace in food. You may think of food as a “friend” you can turn to when you need help coping with physical or emotional pain. When your back is aching or you’re feeling anxious, you may use food to cover up those uncomfortable feelings.
But trying to soothe your mind and body often involves eating unhealthy, high-calorie foods. While these foods may make you feel better in the short term, they end up making you feel worse in the long run. They harm your brain, mind, and body.
Eating foods you love that aren’t good for you—think fries, chips, and ice cream—sets you up for greater emotional and physical pain. Learning to love healing foods that serve your brain, mind, and body will decrease your pain.
At the core of Dr. Amen’s approach is the idea that food is medicine for the brain. Chronic pain is often driven by inflammation, and one of the most effective ways to combat that inflammation is through your diet.
Related: 10 Best Brain Foods
We know that the Standard American Diet (SAD) triggers inflammation and impairs brain function. On the other hand, by choosing anti-inflammatory foods that support brain health, you’re not just nourishing your body. You’re also calming the pathways in your brain that amplify pain.
Make sure to only love food that loves you back. If you follow just this one rule, it will go a long way to ending both physical and emotional pain, moving you toward the pain-free life you want.
What Foods Reduce Chronic Pain?
Here are some key dietary principles from Change Your Brain, Change Your Pain:
1. Embrace an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Focus on whole foods that are rich in antioxidants and low in inflammation-promoting substances. Choose colorful vegetables, berries, leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats like olive oil and avocados.
These foods help reduce inflammation throughout the body and brain, making it easier for you to manage pain.
2. Cut Out Processed Foods and Sugars
Processed foods, refined sugars, and unhealthy fats are like throwing gasoline on the fire of inflammation. These foods spike your blood sugar and contribute to brain fog, mood swings, and increased pain sensitivity.
Dr. Amen recommends minimizing processed foods and opting for natural, whole-food alternatives whenever possible.
Related: Never Eat These 15 Foods
3. Add Omega-3 Rich Foods
Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish like salmon, walnuts, and flaxseeds are powerful brain boosters. They help reduce inflammation in the brain and body, protect neurons, and even improve mood and mental health.
By increasing your intake of omega-3s, you can simultaneously support brain health and reduce pain.
4. Hydrate for Health
Don’t underestimate the power of water. Proper hydration is essential for your brain to function at its best, and dehydration can exacerbate pain.
Aim to drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep your body and brain well-hydrated and functioning optimally.
5. Avoid Common Triggers
Many people have hidden food sensitivities that contribute to inflammation and pain. Gluten, dairy, soy, corn, and sugar are common culprits.
Dr. Amen suggests experimenting with eliminating these foods from your diet to see if your pain levels improve.
What Are Easy Ways To Improve Your Diet?
| Foods That Fuel Pain | Foods That Fight Pain |
|---|---|
| Processed foods high in sugar, refined carbs, and unhealthy fats | Colorful veggies and fruits rich in antioxidants |
| Fried foods, chips, pastries, and sodas | Healthy fats: olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds |
| Artificial sweeteners and preservatives | Omega-3s from salmon, sardines, flaxseed, and walnuts |
| Common triggers: gluten, dairy, soy, corn, and added sugar | Hydrating foods and plenty of water |
And the best part? These dietary changes don’t have to be overwhelming. Start with small steps, like adding an extra serving of veggies at dinner or swapping out sugary snacks for nuts or fruit. Over time, these changes will add up, helping you reduce pain and improve your overall well-being.
FAQ About Food and Chronics Pain
1. Can changing my diet really reduce chronic pain?
Yes. Many types of chronic pain are driven by inflammation, which is heavily influenced by what you eat. At Amen Clinics, we use brain SPECT imaging and integrative nutrition to identify how diet affects your brain and pain levels—then create a personalized plan to support healing from the inside out.
2. What foods help reduce inflammation and pain?
Anti-inflammatory foods like leafy greens, berries, avocados, salmon, and walnuts can calm pain pathways in the brain and body. These foods support healthy blood flow, stabilize mood, and promote recovery—key goals of our nutrition-based treatment programs at Amen Clinics.
3. How does Amen Clinics help people with pain that isn’t improving?
Our team looks beyond symptoms to uncover the root causes of your pain—whether physical, emotional, or brain-based. Using advanced brain imaging, nutritional support, and lifestyle strategies, we create customized treatment plans that address both the body and the brain for long-term relief.
Amen Clinics
References
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- Sullivan MJ, Martel MO, Tripp DA, Savard A, Crombez G. Catastrophic thinking and heightened perception of pain in others. Pain. 2006 Jul;123(1-2):37-44. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2006.02.007. Epub 2006 Mar 24. PMID: 16563630.
