Eating For Back Health
The vast majority of adults in the US and around the world will experience some form of back pain in their lives. An estimated 80% will suffer from lower back pain, making it one of the most pressing health issues facing us today. When most folks think about back pain, and ways to alleviate the problem, they usually consider stretching, physical exercise and proper posture. While all of those are great areas to consider, there is one that often goes overlooked…your diet.
When it comes to preventing back pain, simply adjusting your diet a little bit can go a long way toward reducing the likelihood of you experiencing back pain. Pain, in general, often comes from inflammation, which is your body’s natural defense against infection. Often, there isn't any infection though, but our bodies have become programmed to trigger the inflammation process in other situations. One example comes from fatty foods. Food that is high in saturated fats, simple sugars and trans fats can lead to biochemical reactions throughout the body that sets off the body’s inflammation process. When not treated, that inflammation can cause all sorts of physical problems, including – yes, you guessed it – lower back pain.
The solution, as you might have already intuited, is to consciously reduce the types of foods that cause inflammation. A few of those foods are:
- Red Meat
- Foods with a high amount of added sugar
- White Bread
- White Pasta
- White Rice
- Sugary Soft Drinks and Snacks
- Fired Foods
As a response, try adjusting your diet just a little to cut out some of those items and include more of the following items:
- Whole grains
- Antioxidant rich foods
- Fish (Omega 3 is our friend)
- Poultry (skinned, preferably)
- Red Wine
Additionally, you should maintain a diet that is high in calcium to help keep your bones strong. Fat-free dairy items, calcium-fortified foods and juices, even soy milk…these are foods that are healthy for the bones. You should also try to keep yourself hydrated. Your spine contains discs that hold fluid, and by maintaining a steady flow of water or other healthy liquids coming in, you help keep those discs, as well as your overall back health, in the best shape possible.