Remembering Your Past to Lose the Pain

By Donna Stark

"Forget the past. Move on with your life." Have you ever found yourself in the position of wanting to start over and have a loved one tell you to just go ahead and let go of the old? For some circumstances in life, that's an appropriate response, but for others, I beg to differ. And those others that I am speaking about are the new beginnings you desire that come from being sick and tired of living with chronic pain. Of course, you want to start over when that's the case, but for those situations, I encourage you to actually remember, not forget, the past and then move on with your life!

Remembering Your Past

There is nothing more motivating for change than remembering what your ideal life was once like. Do you remember those days when you did not wake up with body aches? When your feet hit the ground running, instead of wincing in pain as they do now? When you could hike in the morning, work all day, dance at night, hit the sack, and wake up ready to do it all over again? Yes, those were the days and that is what you are shooting for once again. So remember your past and use it for motivation. And then take these steps to move on with your life by getting rid of your pain naturally!

• Diet - Pain is often caused or exacerbated by inflammation so try to incorporate an anti-inflammatory diet into your lifestyle. Replace the foods that increase your body's inflammatory response with those that help to reduce it, such as berries, broccoli, salmon, avocado, and green tea.
• Exercise - The last thing you want to do when you feel pain is to move but exercise is one of the best things you can do for your body, barring any serious injury or medical condition. Try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day and avoid feeling worse by choosing low-impact workouts, such as walking, swimming, or cycling.
• Massage - Getting a massage is a great way to release the stress and tension that has built up in your muscles and reduce any pain or discomfort you may be feeling. Massage can help to stimulate blood flow as well, which speeds the natural healing process.
• Yoga - Yes, yoga is a form of exercise, but it's in a class all by itself. It helps to increase flexibility, range of motion, and strength, but more importantly, it is also a great stress-reducer. And the one thing that chronic pain feeds off of is stress, so take your pain's food away and join a class today!

Moving on With Your Life

Once your pain is reduced, or eradicated for good, you will finally be able to move on with your life! Doesn't that sound good? So grab your hiking boots and shine those dancing shoes. Your life is about to begin ... again!

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Beaverton, Ore.