How Processed Foods Make Your Pain Worse

​Given, not all food is bad- in fact, most whole, natural foods are exactly what we need. But there are those, that have undergone excessive processing and which are loaded with preservatives that are ultimately the bad eggs. In fact, if you experience constant, or chronic pain, there is a fairly high chance that processed foods are the culprits.

​Few people actually give thought to the fact that the food we eat is ultimately responsible for our health, including the pain we experience. Here are a few reasons why processed foods may be making your pain worse:

High Sugar Content

​Processed foods are sometimes solely composed of refined carbs and simple sugars, which are good for absolutely nothing.

In particular, is the speeding up of a process known as AGE (age-related glycation), which promotes damage to muscle and joint tissue and often results in pain.The body attempts to break down the products of this process, but the result is usually just more inflammation, resulting in both joint and muscle pain.

It is better to avoid high sugar junk altogether to slow down this process before it is set into motion.

Dairy

​Dairy should not inherently be bad. However, the fact is that most commercially available forms of dairy have been enhanced with casein protein, which improves its protein content but also significantly makes it more allergenic.

Even people who do not display symptoms of lactose intolerance are likely allergic to dairy. And with over 70% of the body’s immune cells actually located in the digestive tract, it should come as no surprise that many allergic reactions and symptoms of intolerance originate at this point.

Enhanced dairy intolerance may or may not start with symptoms of gastric intolerance, but may also end up as promoting inflammatory and painful conditions.

Trans Fats

​These are the fats that gave all other fats a bad name. Trans fats are artificially modified “oils” to make them retain a solid state at room temperature.

As such, they are stable under higher temperatures and can be used to keep processed foods tastier- especially those that use sodium as flavoring.

Trans fats are now notoriously associated with heart disease, but also inflammatory processes such as arthritis.

High Sodium Content

​The one universal denominator of sodium’s effects can be summed up as water retention.

The water retention that sodium promotes accumulates in joints, can negatively affect blood pressure, and worsen pain, especially chronic varieties of the joints.

Electrolyte levels that are off track can also lead to painful muscle spasms and cramping.

Gluten

​Gluten is the mother-ship of things inflammatory and is found in dozens of processed foods, ranging from chips to pastries and more.

Many people are sensitive to this protein, however, and experience a range of inflammatory symptoms ranging from intestinal disturbances to the development of autoimmune arthritis.

This is much worse than arthritis as a result of worn down joints, as it is a constant day after day bombardment of the joint by our own immune system.

​Bulk Farm Meat

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p style=”text-align: center;”>​If chicken nuggets are your meat of choice, then you need an intervention. 

These types of meat, apart from being enriched with tons of preservatives, is also pumped full of growth factors while on the farm.

Plus, overcrowding and unsanitary farm conditions lead to a deficient diet. Poultry and cows fed a grain enriched diet become meat high in omega-6 content, which further causes inflammation (omega-6 is highly pro-inflammatory). 

Opt for free-range meat at every opportunity you get.