Posted on Mon, Feb 09, 2015The start of the New Year is a great time to make changes to lifestyle ha...

1. Recipes That Fight Pain Featuring Cherries, Coffee, Fish &
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Posted on Mon, Feb 09, 2015
The start of the New Year is a great time to make changes to lifestyle habits such as diet and
exercise - both of which play a significant role in our ability to manage pain. Being overweight or
obese adds stress on joints, as they must carry a greater load. Managing weight, eating a healthy
diet and exercising all contribute to pain reduction.
After the holiday season, it may seem like a difficult task to get back on track with healthful eating.
Changing our diet can be as simple as taking a look at what is currently in your kitchen and
identifying healthy foods that will help fight inflammation, block pain signals and help heal
underlying disease.
"Eating more fruits and vegetables alone will not alleviate your pain," says Advanced Pain
Management (APM) physician Michael Jung. "But if you commit to a healthy eating plan that
includes less processed foods and more fresh foods, you will likely see positive results."
We've identified six easy-to-find foods that are known to help ease pain. In moderation, these recipes
fit into a healthy diet so you can kickoff your New Year's resolutions with a delicious start. Cheers to
a happy, healthy 2015!
Cherries:
Cherries' high amounts of antioxidants are the foundation to their pain-fighting power. These
antioxidants block inflammation much the same way that an aspirin or other NSAIDS would. In a
U.S. Department of Agriculture study, participants who ate 45 Bing cherries a day for 28 days
reduced their inflammation levels significantly.
Curried Chicken Salad With Cherries, Mango and Pecans
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise?
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder?
2 cups cubed cooked chicken?

2. 1 cup fresh cherries, pitted and sliced?
1 small ripe mango, peeled, pitted and diced?
1/4 small red onion, diced?
2 tablespoons minced cilantro?
Salt?
Freshly ground black pepper?
1/2 cup chopped roasted pecans
In a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise and the curry powder.
Fold in the chicken, cherries, mango, onion and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle with the pecans and serve.
Link to recipe: http://www.aarp.org/food/diet-nutrition/info-03-2011/pain-fighting-foods.5.html
Coffee:
Many over the counter cold and headache medicines contain caffeine for a reason - its known pain-
lowering powers. If you are not a regular coffee drinker, you may see some benefit from drinking a
cup or two when pain strikes as caffeine helps narrow the dilated blood vessels that often cause
headache pain. However, too much caffeine can exacerbate pain.

3. One-Bowl Chocolate Cake
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour, (see Ingredient Note)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot strong black coffee
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with a circle
of wax paper.
Whisk flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add
buttermilk, brown sugar, egg, oil and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2
minutes. Add hot coffee and beat to blend. (The batter will be quite thin.) Pour the batter into the
prepared pan.
Bake the cake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the
pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from the pan, peel off the wax paper and let cool
completely. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar before slicing.
Link to recipe: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/one_bowl_chocolate_cake.html
Ginger:

4. Historically used as a digestive aid, anti-nausea and sea-sickness remedy; ginger is also an effective
painkiller. Almost two-thirds of patients with chronic knee pain reported less soreness upon standing
after taking a ginger extract, according to a six-week study from the University of Miami. Much like
the cherry, ginger can be beneficial in reducing inflammation[1], particularly offering relief from
migraines, muscle pain and arthritis.
Roasted Winter Vegetables with a Maple-Ginger Glaze
1/2 lb. parsnips, peeled and cut into 2x1/2-inch sticks
1/2 lb. carrots (about 3 or 4), peeled and cut into 2x1/2-inch sticks
1/2 lb. turnips (about 2 medium or 1 large), peeled and cut into thin wedges
1/2 lb. Brussels sprouts, stems trimmed and any wilted leaves pulled off; large sprouts halved
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into very thin matchsticks (about 1/3 cup)
3 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1-1/2 Tbs. pure maple syrup
Heat the oven to 425ºF.
Spread the vegetables and the ginger matchsticks in a large, low-sided roasting pan or a heavy
rimmed baking sheet.
Drizzle with the butter and season with salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat the vegetables and
spread them so that they're just one layer deep.
Roast the vegetables, tossing a couple of times, until tender and golden brown in spots, about 30
minutes.
Combine the grated ginger and maple syrup.
Drizzle the vegetables with the maple-ginger mixture, toss, and roast for another 5 minutes. The
vegetables should be very tender and browned in spots.
Serve warm.
Link to recipe: http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/ginger_roasted_winter_vegetables.aspx

5. Fish:
Fish contain omega-3 fatty acids that not only help keep your heart in top shape, but may also
reduce the pain and inflammation of arthritis, migraines and neck and back pain. Omega-3s help
improve blood flow by reducing inflammation in blood vessels and nerves. A study published in Pain,
the Journal of the International Association for the Study of Pain, suggests that omega-3s provide
benefit as an alternative therapy for joint pain and inflammation.[2]
Aim for two to four meals a week of fatty fish such as salmon, Atlantic mackerel, sardines, or trout --
all top omega-3 sources. Halibut, light tuna, snapper, and striped bass are good, too.
Black Bean Salmon Tostades
8 6-inch corn tortillas
Canola oil cooking spray
1 6- to 7-ounce can boneless, skinless wild Alaskan salmon, drained
1 avocado, diced
2 tablespoons minced pickled jalapeños, plus 2 tablespoons pickling juice from the jar, divided
2 cups coleslaw mix (see Tip) or shredded cabbage
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons prepared salsa
2 scallions, chopped
Lime wedges (optional)
Position racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 375°F.
Coat tortillas on both sides with cooking spray. Place on 2 baking sheets. Bake, turning once, until
light brown, 12 to 14 minutes.
Combine salmon, avocado and jalapeños in a bowl. Combine cabbage, cilantro and the pickling juice
in another bowl. Process black beans, sour cream, salsa and scallions in a food processor until
smooth. Transfer to a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on High until hot, about 2

6. minutes.
To assemble tostadas, spread each tortilla with some bean mixture and some salmon mixture and top
with the cabbage salad. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.
Kitchen tip: Look for convenient pre-shredded cabbage-and-carrot "coleslaw mix" near other
prepared vegetables in the produce section of the supermarket.
Link to recipe:
http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/nutrition_news_information/foods_that_fight_pain?page=
3
Mint:
Menthol in peppermint is known for helping with headache and back pain symptoms, in addition to
treating muscle spasms. Wintergreen's methyl salicylate adds an additional pain-fighting boost that
blocks the enzymes that cause inflammation and pain. Try making mint tea to help with headaches
and general aches and pain.
Cucumber Salad With Mint Feta
1 lb thin skinned, mild (non bitter) cucumbers, such as Persian, Armenian, or Japanese cucumbers,
thinly sliced. You might also try it with English cucumbers.
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced and cut into 1-inch long segments
2 or 3 red radishes, thinly sliced
10 mint leaves, thinly sliced
White vinegar
Olive oil
1/4 pound feta cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper
In a medium sized bowl, gently toss together the sliced cucumbers, red onion, radishes, mint leaves
with a little bit of white vinegar and olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.
Right before serving, sprinkle on crumbled bits of feta cheese.
Serve immediately.

7. Link to recipe: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/cucumber_salad_with_mint_and_feta/
Hot Peppers:
Capsaicin, an ingredient in hot peppers, can help reduce pain. In fact, you may notice that many
topical creams contain this as a pain-fighting ingredient. Capsaicin helps alleviate pain in part by
depleting your body's supply of substance P, a chemical component of nerve cells that is involved in
transmitting pain signals to your brain. It also works by de-sensitizing sensory receptors in your
skin.
Hot Pepper Relish
1/2 pound hot green peppers (such as jalapeños or serranos), stemmed, seeds removed for a more
mild relish
1/2 pound hot red peppers (such as fresnos or cherry peppers), stemmed, seeds removed for a more
mild relish
1/2 pound yellow onions, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup white sugar
Place peppers and onions in bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade. Pulse until peppers and
onion are finely chopped. ??
Transfer pepper mixture to a fine mesh strainer set inside a bowl. Stir in salt and let sit for 2-3
hours. Rinse under cold water and strain, pushing vegetables against side of the strainer using a
rubber spatula to remove as much water as possible.??

8. In a medium saucepan, bring vinegar and sugar to a boil over medium high heat, stirring to dissolve
to sugar.
Add in pepper mixture, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Transfer relish to an airtight container and store in refrigerator up to a month.
Link to recipe: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/05/hot-pepper-relish-recipe.html
[1]?Grzanna et al. (2005) Ginger--An Herbal Medicinal Product with Broad Anti-Inflammatory
Actions. Journal of Medicinal Food. Volume: 8 Issue 2.
[2]?Goldberg, Robert J; Katz, Joel. (2007) A meta-analysis of the analgesic effects of omega-3
polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation for inflammatory joint pain. Volume 129, Issue 1 , Pages
210-223.
What other foods do you incorporate into your daily / weekly diet to help manage pain? Share your
diet success stories and healthy recipes on our Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/advancedpainmanagement
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