Chronic Pain and Your Plate: What Science Is Finally Catching Up On

Here’s something we often forget when we’re lost in pain: our body isn’t just doing pain to us. It’s trying to tell us something.

New research from the University of South Australia confirms what so many women have felt intuitively for years – what we put on our plate shapes what we feel in our body. And it turns out, eating well doesn’t just keep your doctor off your back. It can actually ease chronic pain.

The study’s findings were simple, but powerful.

People who ate in line with the Australian Dietary Guidelines – more vegetables, fruits, grains, lean meats, dairy, and their alternatives – reported less pain. Women, in particular, felt the strongest benefit. And if you’re thinking, “Oh, it’s probably just because they lost weight,” – nope. This effect showed up regardless of body size.

For many of us who have spent years battling food guilt, body image worries, and that inner critic whispering “you should eat better”, this is refreshing. Because the focus here isn’t punishment or restriction. It’s nourishment.

Why does diet help pain – and why is this crucial during menopause?

Researchers suggest it comes down to inflammation. A diet rich in plant-based nutrients, fibre, and protein has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Chronic pain has an inflammatory component, so calming inflammation can calm pain.

And during perimenopause and menopause, pain often flares up. Oestrogen levels drop, affecting the body’s ability to manage inflammation and maintain joint and muscle health. Many women notice increased aches, stiffness, and even conditions like frozen shoulder or joint pain creeping in midlife (I’m a proud member of the frozen shoulder bandwagon myself).

Food becomes even more powerful here. Not as a magic fix – but as a gentle, daily support system to ease the inflammatory load your body is carrying during these hormonal shifts.

Beyond biology, there’s something deeper

You won't be surprised if I mention the deeper layers here, right? Our eating habits reveal so much about ourselves:

• Do we let ourselves eat when we're hungry?

• Do we feel guilty for eating what we enjoy?

• Do we use food to soothe emotions – eating our feelings instead of feeling them?

• Do we know what hunger feels like in our body – and what emotional hunger feels like?

Our food choices mirror the lunch boxes and dinner plates of our childhood, as well as the emotional connections we had with our caregivers. Food isn’t just fuel. It’s memory, comfort, safety, and sometimes – control.

When we feed ourselves well, we send a message to our nervous system: “I’m safe. I’m cared for. I am worth this effort.”

And that message matters. Pain isn’t just physical. It’s emotional, too. For the women I work with – mothers in overwhelm, women rebuilding after heartbreak, or entrepreneurs stuck in burnout – pain often reflects deeper patterns of self-neglect, depletion, and survival mode living.

So, where do we start with relieving pain?

Pain is complex, but food is one of the simplest ways to support yourself through it. If you find yourself see-sawing between nourishing meals and unhealthy ‘rewards’, it might be time for a deeper habit check.

If you’re ready to go deeper – to shift your habits in a way that supports your hormonal transitions, eating patterns, and pain levels – feel free to reach out. This is the work I love most.

If this is a little to overwhelming for you, here are smaller steps to get the ball rolling:

Find an accountability buddy who is interested in healthier food options, or join a group where they share easy and healthy recipes.

And if that feels like too much right now, here are some smaller steps to get the ball rolling:

• Find an accountability buddy who’s also interested in healthier food choices

• Join a group where people share easy, nourishing recipes

• Choose one meal today to make more colourful and fresh

Small steps matter. They build trust with your body and remind you – change doesn’t have to be dramatic to be meaningful.