While the cause of chronic pain depends on the person, it impacts at least 10% of the population. . For some, there is an underlying cause like Ehlers Danlos syndrome (EDS) or hypermobility spectrum disorder. Others develop chronic pain that can occur after an injury or due to other conditions like fibromyalgia. Many of these disorders do not have a known cure, however, research has shown that diet and lifestyle changes can impact pain. Adjusting sugar intake in particular shows promise for those with chronic pain.

Sugar and Inflammation

As you may know, sugar is in a lot of food. First, it is helpful to distinguish what kind of sugar we are talking about today. Sugar is naturally occurring in carbohydrates, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy. It is also added to many foods to improve flavor and shelf life.

Due to the fiber and other components, naturally occurring sugar is generally not an issue. Added sugar, however, is. Food and drinks that are common in a western diet and have added sugar include soda, cereal, cookies, cakes, candy, many types of bread, ketchup and other condiments, salad dressing, and even canned soups. Due to this prevalence of sugar, the National Cancer Institute estimates that adult men intake about 24 teaspoons of sugar per day, which is about 384 kcal of just sugar daily. This is substantially higher than the suggested 9 teaspoons or 150 kcal, which is about the same as a can of soda.

The mechanism and scope of the impact of added sugar are not entirely understood. However, it is known to do the following.

• raise blood pressure
• increase the risk of obesity
• increase the risk of diabetes
• increase the risk of heart attack and stroke
• AND chronic inflammation

Inflammation and Chronic Pain

Inflammation is a biological mechanism for healing. When our bodies recognize an injury or invading pathogen, the immune system sends out white blood cells to protect and heal. This causes inflammation and may look like a stuffy nose or an ankle swelling after rolling it. When inflammation is acute, helping the body heal and subsiding, it is not problematic. However, issues arise when it becomes chronic.

When chronic inflammation occurs, the immune response switches gears. Instead of attacking invading pathogens and protecting them, the immune system attacks our cells. An example is found in visceral fat cells, a type of cell that builds up in the abdomen and surrounding organs when one is overweight. Our immune system sees these cells as threats and increases inflammation in that area to solve the problem.

Chronic low-grade inflammation has been shown to affect many health conditions that include the following.

• chronic pain
• cardiovascular disease
• diabetes
• dementia
• depression

Within the scope of chronic pain, it is inflammation is associated with the following.

• visceral pain: secondary pain due to issues involving the internal organs
• chronic headaches
• chronic musculoskeletal pain

Inflammation impacts each of these issues differently, however, all of the chronic pain issues above are associated with chronic inflammation.

Dietary Consideration: Sugar and Chronic Pain

Due to its direct impact on chronic pain, diet and lifestyle changes that help decrease inflammation can be very helpful for those with chronic pain, regardless of the reasons behind their behind. A standard western diet is commonly based on highly processed foods, including processed meats and grains with few fruits or vegetables. Things like protein bars and sugary snacks which are easy to buy and eat quickly have become commonplace in western culture.

These changes in our diets lead to two issues. They both increase inflammation and obesity, but they also include little to no anti-inflammatory properties. Meaning we are ingesting more things that increase inflammation and fewer things that decrease it.

Research published in September of 2020 in Nutrients Journal, found that fibromyalgia and generalized chronic musculoskeletal pain were alleviated and inflammation decreased with the following diets.

• plant-based low-fat diet
• vegan
• low FODMAP

These diets vary to some degree, and each individual will likely respond lightly differently or prefer one over another. However, they do have something in common. They all decreased sugary processed foods.

How to Decrease Sugar Intake

Many nutritional options that are popular currently are very strict. While this works well for some, others may want to address specific parts of their nutrition one by one without adhering to an entire list of dietary regulations. This can be very challenging, and support in the form of a coach or program can be very helpful to keep you on track.

Making changes in your nutrition can be hard, as eating is highly habitual and takes effort to change. However, there are some simple changes that can help. One or multiple of the suggestions below might help you if you have chronic pain and would like to decrease added sugar.

• Replace a sugary item with something else. For example, replace ice cream with fruit or a low-sugar yogurt
• Decrease sugary drinks. Drinks are a HUGE culprit for added sugar. Nuun or sparkling water are great alternatives
• Meal prep/plan ahead. When traveling or going to work having a plan on some low-sugar items can help decrease your need for a quick, and sugary option, like a cookie at work

Remember to be gentle with yourself. If you have had a lot of added sugar in your diet, it takes time to find solutions that will work long-term. I believe the first step is to just become aware of it, and take note of added sugar in your day-to-day, either by writing it down or using an app like myfitnesspal which you can add food and it will calculate the amount of sugar you’ve had over one or multiple days. Decreasing is not the solution for all, but it is an option to consider if you are looking to make changes in your diet to help reduce chronic pain.

Support looks different for everyone, and when making changes it is vital. I offer nutritional counseling that supports you in your goals. I believe everyone’s “perfect” diet looks different and will likely change throughout their lives. If you are looking for someone who can help you find creative solutions to make changes in inflammation, chronic pain, energy, and more, call Chelsea today at (360)774-1607.