1 in 6 New Zealanders are living with chronic pain

1 in 4 New Zealanders are living with a chronic disease

Here are some handy general tips to help maintain health and reduce pain:

DIET:

Food has the potential to be anti-inflammatory or pro-inflammatory. When you are in pain reducing inflammation is a key to feeling better.

Sugar, alcohol, processed foods and dairy are all highly inflammatory

The Mediterranean diet is recognised as having the best health benefits in protecting against disease and reducing inflammation

Key components of this diet are extra virgin olive oil, garlic, cold water oily fish, nuts & seeds, and a variety of vegetables

Did you know compounds in extra virgin olive oil have a similar anti-inflammatory effect in the body to ibuprofen

Gut microbiome: 100 trillion good and bad bacteria live inside your gut. Too much bad bacteria creates inflammation in your body. Keeping sugar intake low and eating a variety of colourful fruits and veggies is a great way to ensure the good bacteria is flourishing.

SUPPLEMENTS:

Supplements can be a great adjunct to a healthy diet when trying to manage pain. It is always recommended to get professional advice to see what would be best suited for you

Buying quality products and taking therapeutic doses is very important to ensure you are receiving the full benefit. Supplements proven to reduce inflammation include;

Vitamin C – which is also used up quickly by stress and smoking so supplementation may be required to achieve optimal levels

Omega 3’s are renowned for anti-inflammatory properties as well as its positive effects on brain and joint health

Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric but not particularly bioavailable meaning supplementation is often required to get therapeutic levels

SUNSHINE:

Vit D from the sun is not only great for bone health but also supports the musculoskeletal and nervous system

Getting morning sun helps to regulate your circadian rhythm, meaning a much better night’s sleep

10-20 mins of midday sun directly to your skin is recommended at least 3X a week to maintain sufficient Vit D levels

A good quality supplement may be essential during cloudy months or for those who spend most of the daylight hours inside

SLEEP:

Is a critical part of recovery from any injury, a time where our body can heal and reset

Reduced sleep leads to increased inflammation and reduced tolerance to pain

8hrs of sleep a night is considered optimal, very few people can function optimally on less sleep than this over a long period of time

Exercise:

Regular exercise leads to reduced inflammatory markers in the blood

As little as a 20min walk a day can begin to make a difference to inflammation levels

Exercise regulates stress levels, sleep and mood all of which contribute to pain

As the video discusses pain can become a learnt behaviour, retraining your body through specific exercises under the guidance of a health professional will improve function and reduce pain flare-ups

It is important to remember that there is rarely a single contributor to pain meaning multiple small changes are key to improvement.

Having health professionals on your team can help you to develop a plan and achieve optimal outcomes for pain management. A collaborative approach is often required which may involve include psychologists, osteopaths, naturopaths and GPs to achieve the best therapeutic outcomes for you.