Nutrition top tips
What we eat not only impacts our overall health, it can actually affect our pain levels too. So what exactly are the foods we need – and why are they important for pain? We’ve put together some top nutrition tips to help you find out.
Explore our top nutrition tips for people living with persistent pain
Include fruit and vegetables in your daily food intake
It is recommended that we aim for at least 5 different portions of fruit and vegetables a day. New research also suggests that we should have 30 different plants per week – this can include fruit, vegetables, seeds, nuts, herbs, and spices.
Why? Fruit and vegetables (and other plant sources) have been shown to reduce inflammation and support overall health.
Fruits and vegetables come in many forms, such as fresh, dried, tinned, or frozen, and all offer great nutritional benefits. For example, dried raisins, frozen beans or peas, or tinned tomatoes can be used to make a delicious pasta dish. Experimenting with different types can help to save you money, as often tinned, dried and frozen fruit and vegetables last longer and are easier to store. Why not check out our recipe book for some ideas.
Examples:
Fresh: spinach, broccoli, berries, oranges
Frozen: peas, carrots, mixed berries
Tinned: tomatoes, sweetcorn, peaches
How to include more fruit and vegetables in your diet
Include Omega-3 fats in your diet
Why? Omega-3 fats help to reduce inflammation and support a healthy immune system, which can reduce pain.
Tip: Add oily fish like salmon or mackerel to your meals, or try plant-based sources like walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, or edamame.
Examples:
Oily fish: salmon, sardines, mackerel, kippers, pilchards, herring, crab (fresh), whitebait
Plant-based: walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, edamame, soybeans
Don’t forget about vitamins and minerals
There are a number of vitamins and minerals which may be helpful in managing persistent pain:
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Vitamin D helps to support strong bones, it also helps to reduce inflammation.
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Calcium helps to support strong bones and teeth, it also helps to regulate muscle contractions.
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Magnesium helps to strengthen bones, maintains nerve and muscle function, regulates heart rhythm and blood sugar levels.
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Vitamin B12 is essential for normal brain and nervous system function.
Tip: The majority of our vitamins and minerals should come from our food intake rather than supplements, where possible. If you’re unsure if you’re getting enough, talk to your GP or pharmacist before taking supplements.
Examples:
Vitamin D: fatty fish, eggs, fortified milk
Vitamin B12: meat, eggs, fortified cereals
Magnesium: spinach, nuts, seeds, whole grains
What about foods that have added Vitamin D?
Some food companies add vitamin D to their food product (they sometimes describe this as fortified with vitamin D). This can be found in some plant based milks, cereals and dairy products such as yoghurts. All items with added vitamin D should have a label informing you.
People who who eat a plant based diet may require a vitamin B12 supplement. See NHS guidance on vegan diets.
Pleasese refer to NHS guidelines regarding quantities of vitamins and minerals to ensure you do not go over safe amounts.
Make sure you stay hydrated
Why? Dehydration can increase sensitivity to pain, cause constipation, and affect wound healing.
Tip: Aim for 6-8 glasses of water a day, and try to drink regularly, not just when you feel thirsty!
Examples:
Water, herbal teas, flavoured water (no added sugar)
Bonus tips:
How to increase your water intake:
– Carry a water bottle with you everywhere.
– Flavour your water to make it more exciting – why not try fruit slices, mint or cucumber?
– Hydrate with meals – drink a glass of water with your meal.
– Make it part of your routine – fill up your bottle in the morning, top up at lunch and top up before bed.
– Eat water-rich foods such as cucumber, melon and oranges!
Include plenty of fibre in your diet
Why? Fibre keeps your digestive system healthy and supports your gut health, which can influence pain levels.
Fibre also helps to prevent constipation which is a common side effect of the medicines commonly prescribed for pain, including opioids.
Tip: Include fibre-rich foods at each meal.
These foods can also help control blood sugar and reduce constipation.
Examples of fibre:
Whole grains – brown rice, oats, whole wheat bread
Beans and legumes – lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans
Fruits and vegetables – apples, berries, carrots, leafy greens, dates, prunes, figs, bananas
Reduce ultra-processed foods
Ultra-processed foods usually contain at least one ingredient or additive that you usually wouldn’t find in your kitchen. For example emulsifiers, sweeteners, preservatives, and artificial flavours and colourings.
Ultra-processed foods can increase inflammation and oxidation, which can heighten pain sensitivity.
Tip: Cut back on highly processed foods like chips, sugary snacks, fast food, and ready meals.
Examples of ultra-processed foods:
manufactured biscuits, crisps, some breakfast cereals, instant soups, ham, sausages, bacon, manufactured cake, some mass produced bread.
You can find out more about why ultra-processed foods are bad for us, on the British Heart Foundation website.
Ultra processed foods are also typically high in salt, sugar and saturated fat. Having a diet high in sugar and salt can worsen chronic pain symptoms. Aim for no more than 6g per day of salt (UK adults), no more than 30g of sugar per day (UK adults), and no more than 30g of saturated fat per day (UK males) or 20g of saturated fat per day (UK females). You can use the traffic light label when shopping to keep an eye on the amount of salt, sugar and saturated fat that ultra-processed foods contain.
Be careful with your alcohol choices
In line with NHS guidelines it is recommended that you don’t exceed 14 alcohol units per week.
If you are living with persistent pain it may be worth considering limiting your alcohol consumption as it can impact sleep quality, worsen inflammation and interact with pain medications. Why not look at swapping to a mocktail?
It may also be beneficial if you do consume alcohol to drink water alongside it to help minimise pain impacts.
It is also know that alcohol in the form of beer and wine can cause more negative symptoms (linked to chronic pain) than spirits.
Examples of spirits: gin and tonic, vodka with soda and lime, Jack Daniels and cola.
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One 125ml wine of 12% (red, white, rosé) = 1.5 units
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One bottle (330ml) of 5.5% beer, cider, lager = 1.7 units
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One single (35ml) serving of spirits including gin, rum, vodka, whisky, tequila and sambuca = 1.4 units
Find out how much alcohol is in your favourite drinks using his handy unit calculator from Alcohol Change UK.
For more ideas and help with alcohol consumption visit the NHS Better Health website.
Portion sizes
We are all different, with different metabolisms meaning we burn energy at different rates. Therefore, the correct portion sizes can vary from person to person.
Whatever your portion size, it’s important to get the balance right, with the right proportions of each ‘food group’.
Sometimes it can be useful to have a visual guide, for example by splitting our plate into the different food groups. The illustration below shows how much of what you eat overall should come from each food group.
It is important to note that not all plates will look like this and that this is a guide only. For personalised support please seek advice from a registered nutrition professional.
The British Heart Foundation website has some really useful information about portion sizes.
