If you are suffering from an aching back, a back pain diet must be the last thing on your mind. You must be grabbing at pills to kill the pain or rushing to exotic alternative healers, all this while munching on some zero nutrition fast food. Now that’s a mistake and you need to rectify it. The right diet is important for maintaining good health and a good back. An erratic diet could have caused the problem in the first place. That makes more sense if you are overweight. And a proper diet is certainly essential for the healing process, in repairing injured tissues and strengthening weak muscles and bones.
Diet Pattern
Eat several small meals a day instead of three large ones. Drink plenty of water. Gorge on more green vegetables, coloured fruits, whole grain cereals, nuts, seeds, dairy products and less of fries, fast food and red meat. Take in enough of the proteins, vitamins and minerals essential for proper functioning of muscles, bones and nerves. Add supplements if necessary. Also keep in mind diet isn’t a magic pill. It takes time to regain health. Practise patience.
Proteins
Proteins are essential for tissue building and repairing. If meat is your main source of protein, be warned. Red meat can worsen back pain. Also, animal fat contains an acid that aggravates inflammation. So go veggie on the back pain diet. Soy beans, pulses, nuts, seeds are good sources of protein. So is fish.
Vitamins
Vitamin A is important for repair and regeneration of tissue. It also increases immunity. Dark green vegetables, orange and yellow fruits, fish oil, liver and eggs are excellent sources of this vitamin. Remember not to take it in excess as that may be harmful for your bones.
B Vitamins are important in maintaining healthy tissues and nerves. Natural sources are green vegetables, whole grains, Brewers yeast, oatmeal, Soybeans, fish, liver, dairy products, chicken, eggs, spinach, broccoli etc.
Vitamin C heals injured tissues and ligaments. Eat plenty of citrus fruits like oranges and lemons.
Vitamin D keeps your bones strong. The simple answer to this vitamin is plenty of sunshine.
Vitamin E is anti inflammatory. It also regulates immunity. So a back pain diet must have green leafy vegetables, wheat germ, vegetable oils, nuts and seeds.
Minerals
Calcium and magnesium are the key to healthy bones and muscles. They also reduce muscle spasms. Milk, milk products and fishes like shellfish, salmon and sardines are the best sources.
Iron is another mineral that may help with back ache. Muscles need myoglobin for proper functioning. Iron helps produce this component. Munch on dates and include iron rich vegetables in your diet. Meat is rich in iron, but as mentioned before, its best avoided.
Essential Fatty Acids
They reduce inflammation and musculoskeletal pain. They are present in flaxseed oil, primrose oil, cod liver oil and fishes like salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel and trout. Include these in your back pain diet and you will get not just a healthy back but also anti aging benefits as bonus.