Consuming a wide variety of vegetables is the quickest way to better health for just about any ailment, including pain. There are not many instances where this is not true, nor “experts” that will challenge this advice.
Incorporating tons of seasonal, colorful vegetables on a daily basis will ensure you are covered with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and other essential micronutrients, with very little need for supplemental vitamins.
Some of the reasons vegetables are so valuable for long term health are :
1 – High in antioxidants
Antioxidants help combat the daily “exhaust products”, (otherwise known as free radicals) produced from normal functioning of our body’s cellular machinery, environmental exposure to toxins, and stress.
To keep your joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments and other important organs from rusting away, aim to get about 50% of your daily caloric intake from vegetables.
2 – Low in fat
This is self-explanatory. Overconsumption of unhealthy fats (in addition to lots of highly refined carbohydrates) is the number one reason for the declining health and exploding obesity rates.
Plenty of healthy fats and a hearty helping of vegetables at each meal, will help keep the body in a more anti-inflammatory state, and with time moving it towards a more pain free state.
3 – High in fiber
Diets high in fiber help to keep your gastrointestinal tract functioning optimally to allow maximal extraction of vital nutrients and lead to timely and regular elimination of those toxic “exhaust products”.
4 – Low Glycemic Index
Lower GI foods, whether natural or refined, are less likely to spike blood sugar. Maintaining a fairly constant blood sugar without huge peaks and troughs over the course of a day is key to successful aging.
At the cellular level, there are many reasons why you age. One particular reason is the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). This is a reaction where excess circulating sugars crosslink, or glycate, fats and proteins causing molecular rearrangements.
With molecular rearrangements, this leads to deterioration and decreased function of the tissue, the release of free radicals known to promote inflammation, and in turn – you guessed it – more pain.
AGEs are strongly linked to metabolic disorders, such as diabetes and hyperlipidemia. They are also known to promote inflammation and contribute to tendon, ligament, and joint damage.
Bottom line – next time you’re in the grocery store, make sure a minimum of 50% of what you plan to prepare comes from plant-based sources.
WHO recommends 9-13 servings of vegetables and fruit daily. Obviously this is difficult to achieve, however it is necessary to get rid of the free radicals. Hence supplementation from a good organic source is recommended.
Stay Healthy!