Waking up with a backache might seem normal until it doesn’t go away. Even after trying all the balms and medicines to reduce the pain, you may find there is something else that can relieve your back pain — your diet.
Back pain can be caused by unhealthy lifestyle habits including stress, skipping meals, eating too much and not eating the right kinds of foods.
Food plays an important role in overall health and the tip to keep in mind is that you need to enjoy well-balanced meals in order to maintain your health and well-being. Simply eating a salad every day won’t cut it either.
Some foods have the tendency to cause inflammation in the body and aggravate your back pain. While we’re not saying to cut everything out of your diet, if your back pain seems to be getting worse rather than becoming better, it might be time to modify your diet and reduce consumption of certain foods.
Foods That Might Be Causing You Back Pain
Taking a break from certain foods (and drinks) might be the remedy you need to treat your back pain and help you prevent the pain from occurring in the future.
1. Sugars
Having too much sugar is simply not good for you, and it’s slowly causing your health to suffer by increasing your risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, tooth decay and contributing to your back pain.
Avoid giving in to your sweet tooth and opt for fruits instead of sugary treats. Add natural sweeteners such as raw honey or stevia in your tea and coffee if you really need to. The more you try to cut it out, the more you benefit your health.
Examples: soda, packaged foods and foods containing ingredients ending in -ose.
2. Refined Carbohydrates and Grains
Processed grains are not easily digested by the body and cause inflammation. These processed grains also contain sugars that further aggravate inflammation in the body.
A solution to continue eating your grains is to buy your grains in their whole, raw and dry form followed by a period of soaking them before you eat them. This will make them easily digestible for the body.
Examples: enriched white flour (bread, pasta, cookies, pastries).
3. Alcohol
Drinking excess alcohol causes inflammation and leaves you with a puffy face and further contributes to your backache.
While consuming alcohol in moderation is OK, be mindful of the number of drinks you have in a day and limit your consumption to just one glass.
Examples: red or white wine, beer.
4. Dairy
Dairy, which contains a high amount of casein, might be affecting your health in a negative way. If you feel your body cannot handle dairy, it might be time to cut it off completely.
If you really want some dairy, try to choose high-quality raw milk over other dairy products that might be more expensive but worth it when it comes to your health.
Examples: milk, butter, cheese, cream-based products.
5. Factory-Farmed Meat and Poultry
Meat and poultry raised in conventional factories and farms are often stuffed with steroids and other hormones that are not good for our health.
Since it is common for these types of meats to contain too much omega-6 fatty acids and not enough omega-3s, our bodies fall victim to inflammation.
Examples: conventionally raised chicken, beef.
Tips to Promote a Healthier Back
Making little changes in your day-to-day habits can go a long way in helping you live a healthier life. The following tips work to prevent and reduce back pain and improve your overall health.
- Drink lots of water and stay hydrated.
- Enjoy well-balanced meals.
- Read all the ingredients and know what’s going into your food.
The content of this Website is for informational purposes only, is general in nature and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and does not constitute professional advice. The information on this Website should not be considered as complete and does not cover all diseases, ailments, physical conditions, or their treatment. You should consult with your physician before beginning any exercise, weight loss, or health care program and/or any of the beauty treatments.
References:
Rodulfo, K. (2017, October 09). Can You Eat Your Back Pain Away? Retrieved from https://www.elle.com/beauty/health-fitness/a33556/nutrition-effect-on-back-pain/
Inflammatory Foods Making Your Chronic Back Pain Worse. (2016, October 12). Retrieved from https://backpainok.com/blog/inflammatory-foods-that-could-be-making-your-chronic-back-pain-worse/
Donahue, L. (n.d.). 4 Steps to a Back-Friendly Diet. Retrieved from https://www.spine-health.com/blog/4-steps-back-friendly-diet
