Muscle aches and pains are a part of life. The wear and tear of your body is a byproduct of the aging process and is often associated with overuse or muscle strain or injury from exercise or physically demanding activity. If the aches or pains are severe and seem to worsen, consult your physician. If the muscle aches seem mild, adding certain foods to your diet could help them heal faster.
Foods High In Omega-3s
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to muscle flexibility, joint motion and tissue elasticity. They also may be helpful in lowering your risk of heart disease, cancer and arthritis. Due to omega-3s anti-inflammatory properties, eating foods high in these fatty acids could ward off muscle aches and pains or soothe them more quickly. The University of Maryland Medical Center suggests incorporating omega-3s daily into your diet. Good sources of omega-3s come from cold water fish, such as salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, tuna and halibut. Other sources include oils, such as flax seed, olive and hemp, as well as nuts and seeds like walnuts and pumpkin seeds.
Cherries
Cherries contain the antioxidant anthocyanin, which has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, as well as vitamin C and bioflavonoids, two nutrients known to reduce inflammation and repair connective tissue damage. Eating a bowl of cherries or drinking cherry juice may help ease exercise-induced muscle aches and pains, suggests Medical News Today. In fact, in a study published in the May 2009 issue of "American College of Sports Medicine," Kerry Kuehl, M.D., and associates from Oregon Health & Science University concluded that tart cherry juice is an effective natural alternative to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDS. The study showed the participants who drank cherry juice while training for a long-distance run found less aches and pains than those participants who just drank water. The study also showed that after exercise, participants did not need NSAIDS and lessened the amount of time they needed to ice and elevate.
Pineapple
Bromelain, an enzyme found abundantly in pineapple, also has anti-inflammatory properties. According to MedlinePlus, bromelain has been used to treat swelling caused from injury and surgery; as a treatment for hay fever, ulcerative colitis and pulmonary edema; to slow blood clotting; hasten labor; and remove unnecessary adipose tissue from the body. MedlinePlus also reports that bromelain has the ability to relax muscles, stimulate muscle contractions, and prevent and shorten the duration of muscle aches. Alive.com suggests that if muscle aches and pains are present, eating pineapple or using a bromelain supplement of about 1,000 mg each three times per day will relieve the swelling and ease the discomfort.
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