In pain? A food diary can help you find the cause

It seems strange, but your diet affects almost every aspect of your health. It can even be the culprit behind chronic pain. We'll show you how keeping a food diary and varying your diet can offer some relief.

Record the times you feel pain, the severity of the pain on a 0-to-10 scale, and the foods you've eaten in the past 24 hours. Also, take note of other factors that can contribute to pain, such as stress, sleep, and menstruation. This is the first step to finding out the cause of your discomfort.

• After you've kept a food diary for a week, eliminate the food or foods that seem to be a common denominator whenever your pain increases.
• You can start by eliminating one food at a time. If your condition remains the same after three months, return the food to your diet and eliminate another.
• Alternatively, you can eliminate a group of foods you suspect and return them slowly, one at time. When one causes the pain to flare up again, eliminate it permanently.
• Whichever method you choose, this process can take a lot of time, but it is often very effective at alleviating pain.

Certain groups of foods are much more apt to stir up inflammation than others, including fast food, fatty meats, sugary foods, and fatty snacks. Additionally, some food additives, like the nitrates often found in hot dogs and bacon can trigger headaches.

For some people, spices like chili powder, garlic, black pepper, and cinnamon can trigger painful acid reflux and stir up pain in conditions like irritable bowel syndrome. The same goes for chili and barbecue sauces.

• Sometimes, it's not individual foods that cause pain, but simply eating too much.
• Carrying extra pounds can add to the pain of a joint condition like osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.
• If being overweight adds to your pain, try eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in place of fatty or sugary foods. Aim to exercise at least 30 minutes most days of the week.

Chronic pain is a growing problem for the population. If you're suffering, try these dietary strategies before you resort to expensive medications or treatments. Changing up your diet just might do the trick.