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Eliminate back pain with these nutritional strategies

12/29/2018 // Ellaine Castillo // Views

Tags: back health, back pain, balanced diet, calcium, goodfood, goodhealth, nutrients, nutritional tips, prevention, vitamin D, wellness

One of the biggest health problems that people in school or at work suffer from is back pain. This condition, which can result from injury or poor posture, can be very uncomfortable and could interfere with how a person lives their life. Painkillers are the most commonly used treatment for back pain. However, these are associated with adverse side effects so it's best to consider other options, such as improving your diet.

Diet and a healthy weight are crucial to back health. If you're suffering from back pain, take a good look at the food that you're eating since they might be contributing to your condition. Simple changes in nutrition, such as the following, can cause significant improvements in back pain.

• Stay hydrated -- Water is the key to maintaining overall health but it's especially important for the spine and back. This is because the spinal discs are composed mainly of water. You need to be well hydrated for it to perform its functions as a shock absorber between the spinal vertebrae. Problems with the spinal discs can lead to pain, which either originates from itself or due to pressure on nearby nerves.
• Follow a balanced diet -- Too much or too little of anything can cause health problems. You don't have to immediately eliminate everything that's unhealthy from your diet all at once, but you can start by eating more leafy vegetables, whole grains, fish, avocados, and seeds. These foods are great for relieving back pain since they are rich in magnesium, a crucial mineral for bone and muscle strength. Instead of focusing on just one of these foods, it is best if you eat all of them since their nutritional profiles aren't 100 percent identical.



• Increase your calcium and vitamin D intake -- The two most important nutrients for maintaining bone strength are calcium and vitamin D. Most people only pay attention to calcium since it is the mineral that's integral to bone structure but vitamin D is just as important because it is necessary for calcium absorption. No matter how much calcium-rich foods you eat, it will all be useless without vitamin D. You can get your daily dose of calcium from dairy products and dark green leafy vegetables. However, vitamin D is more difficult to get from food since it is primarily acquired through sun exposure. The few foods that have this vitamin are egg yolks and salmon so you might have to turn to supplements to achieve the recommended daily intake of 25 to 100 micrograms.
• Be careful of what you drink -- Soda and alcohol are not good for your body since they can interfere with your body's ability to absorb nutrients like calcium.

Other ways to remedy back pain

If you're already following these nutritional tips but you're still experiencing back pain, then you might need some extra help outside of diet. Other natural remedies for back pain include the following:

• Yoga -- A study published in the journal Clinical Rheumatology revealed that yoga significantly improves lower back pain. Its effects were even greater than conventional treatments and exercises prescribed by doctors. (Related: Yoga reduces pain in people with chronic non-specific lower back pain.)
• Acupuncture -- This practice, which originates from China, involves the insertion of fine needles at specific points in the body. It is effective against back pain since it triggers the release of endorphins, which serve as the body's natural painkillers, and stimulates nerves and muscles.
• Chiropractic care -- Chiropractic doctors apply force to joints to relieve pain and muscle tightness due to muscle injury, strain, and inflammation. Moreover, a study from the Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapeutics showed that chiropractic care also prevents future episodes of back pain.

See more articles on solutions for back pain at BackPain.news.

Sources include:

Spine-Health.com 1

Spine-Health.com 2

Healthline.com

VeryWellHealth.com

MedicalNewsToday.com

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