by If you are prone to back pain, consider these dietary tips:
Eat your vegetables to combat back pain
A mostly plant-based diet that includes things like flax and chia seeds is probably your best bet for avoiding inflammation, especially when you eat it in conjunction with omega-3 rich cold-water fish like with salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, black cod, tuna, and trout.
“Colorful fruits and vegetables are a key part of an anti-inflammatory diet,” says Dana Greene, MS, RD, LDN, a nutritionist in Brookline, Massachusetts. If you’re looking for foods that reduce back pain and are loaded with nutrition, try carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, cherries, berries, grapes and red wine, pomegranate, and watermelon, she says. Herbs and spices, including basil, cinnamon, ginger, rosemary, garlic, curcumin, onions, oregano, and turmeric tend to be particularly rich in anti-inflammatory agents, so season generously. Also, drink healthy herbal teas and real teas (green, oolong, and white).
Dr. Perry says that olive oil, green tea, and brightly colored fruits and vegetables have been shown to reduce inflammation in cartilage in the spinal column, which helps control back pain and stiffness. When you’re eating vegetables, think green the best, he says. Kale, spinach, and broccoli are all list-toppers for an anti-inflammatory diet with back-fighting properties.
Other good food choices for an anti-pain diet: avocados; nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, and Brazil nuts); lean proteins, such as chicken and turkey; peas; and cocoa.
Avoid These Foods to Reduce Pain
Robin Barrie Kaiden, RD, CDN, a registered dietitian at Robin Barrie Nutrition in New York City, says that some people avoid nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, eggplant, white potatoes and peppers) as part of an anti-inflammatory diet. “However, no research supports this,” she says. “To find out if these vegetables contribute to inflammation in your body, don’t eat them for two weeks and see if your symptoms go away – just as you should with any other food that you may be sensitive to.” Always talk to your doctor or registered dietitian when making changes to your diet.
Other foods to avoid? Processed foods, fast foods, and saturated fats. All of the fuel inflammation. This includes white bread, pasta, rice, sugary drinks and snacks, fried foods, and anything with partially hydrogenated oil in the ingredients, often found in preservative products with a long shelf life, such as chips, crackers, and pastries . (Opt for polyunsaturated or monounsaturated oils, such as canola or olive oil, when cooking.). Stay away from caffeine and alcohol as well, says Perry.
The Calcium Factor
Another way to keep back pain at bay is to make sure you are getting enough of the right nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D. Bone is the body’s calcium storage reservoir. “As you get older, it’s hard to maintain bone mass, which can lead to conditions like osteopenia or osteoporosis,” says Perry. “These diseases can weaken the vertebrae in your spine. Calcium contributes to bone mass, helping you avoid these conditions.”
A 2010 report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) provided new guidelines for daily calcium supplementation. These definitions are commonly referred to as the recommended daily allowance. According to the IOM, you shouldn’t consume more than 2,000 milligrams of calcium per day (through foods or supplements), says Kenneth Hansraj, MD, chief of spine surgery at New York Spine Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine in Poughkeepsie, New York. – York.
“Gone are the days when bigger is better,” says Dr Hansraj. Studies show that if you take a high dose of calcium supplements, you will increase your risk of heart problems and atherosclerosis, which is related to the formation of plaque in your arteries. Consuming too much calcium can also break bones.
Calcium should come from natural sources, says Hansraj. Natural food sources of calcium include yogurt, milk and cheese, as well as green leafy vegetables. If you can’t get enough calcium from your diet, talk to your doctor about whether supplements are right for you. Teenagers, for example, require 1,300 mg of calcium per day and the elderly about 1,000 mg per day, he says, but “do not supplement with more than 500 mg per day.” Instead, Hansraj recommends trying to get more calcium from your diet.
Nick Shamie, MD, associate professor of spine surgery at UCLA in Los Angeles and spokesperson for the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, cautions: When fractures occur, using calcium supplements is not enough. “Consult with an orthopedic surgeon and musculoskeletal specialist to devise a complete medical plan to treat your condition,” says Dr. Shamie. “This regimen may include medications, such as bisphosphonates that help build bone, and regular exercise.”
Additional reporting by Denise Mann.
