Salads for Chronic Pain Control

Healthy Salads for Chronic Pain Control

When you have chronic pain, you still have to take time to eat healthy salads. You can’t go on by not eating regular meals, as this worsens your nutritional status and you will end up with more pain!

What will you eat? The best answer would be healthy salads that reduce inflammation and detoxify your body, especially if you are currently taking painkillers. Painkiller medications are meant only to be taken for short periods of time, and like other medications, they can eventually interfere with your liver’s ability to detoxify itself.

The second best answer is to have plenty of dark green vegetables in the healthy salads. And the third best answer is to make sure you pack the salads with antioxidant fruits and vegetables.

Antioxidant Salad Recipes for Chronic Pain Control

Here are two salads that could help you in your chronic pain control efforts:

Cruciferous Crunch

Yield: 8 servings

• 1 pound broccoli florets, cut into small bites
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• 1-1/2 cups strawberries, cut
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 pound cauliflower, cut into small bites
• ½ cup celery

Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• Pinch of sea salt
• Pinch of black pepper

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, add the broccoli and cauliflower. Toss.
2. Then add the strawberries, blueberries, celery, and pomegranate seeds.
3. Drizzle the vinegar and olive oil over the top, add the salt and pepper and toss lightly.
4. Serve on a bed of spinach.
5. This salad is best if you can add additional protein to it, such as 2 cups chicken or beef strips.

Curried Chicken Salad with Peaches

Yield: 4 servings

• 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 cup peaches, diced
• 1 red sweet onion, chopped thinly
• ½ cup almonds, chopped
• ¼ cup fennel, chopped
• ¼ cup parsley, chopped
• 2 kale leaves, chopped

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey or 3 drops Stevia
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cook chicken, let it cool and then debone it. Set aside 2 cups chicken, chunked for salad.
2. In a large bowl, add celery, kale, parsley, fennel, onion, and peaches.
3. Toss ingredients. Then add chicken.
4. Mix up the dressing by placing all ingredients in the blender. Blend for 15 seconds.
5. Pour dressing over salad.  Toss ingredients.
6. Add almonds on top of salad. Serve on top a bed of lettuce or spinach.

It’s the curry in this recipe that has a strong anti-inflammatory action, which could help decrease your pain. However, any of the ingredients with antioxidant action – parsley, kale, onion, and peaches can contribute to a reduction in your pain as well.

Make a decision today to eat one salad with four servings of vegetables or more for two meals a day for a week and see what happens to your pain. You’ll love the results.