Back Pain Diet

Backaches are some of the most common ailments, affecting people of all ages. Sometimes, the ache could be nothing more than a mild sensation but some people may experience backaches so severe that they may not even be able to lie down. It is very common for people to experience a backache after trauma, injury, a muscle pull or other such factors. In such cases, the pain lasts for a couple of days or weeks at the most, depending on the severity of the cause. However, there are many people who suffer from chronic backache problems, which could be caused by poor posture or serious underlying conditions.

People often take over the counter pain relievers to get rid of the pain in their back; however, not a lot of people are aware that the pain and discomfort can be alleviated considerably, with the help of a backache diet.

Diet for Backache

Many instances of backaches can be prevented just by following a few simple dietary changes. People who have chronic back problems are advised to follow a specific diet, which is referred to, as a backache diet. This diet plan is usually high in back pain foods; i.e., those food items that can strengthen the body, thereby minimizing backache problems. Some of the good back pain foods include:

Raw vegetables, especially onions, cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, radish and cabbage. Patients are advised to eat at least two varieties of these vegetables, either after steaming them or cooking them lightly
Eating a lot of fresh fruits, especially the colored ones, which are high in Vitamin C, as they boost the immunity, enabling the body to fight off backache causing problems.
Milk, which is high in calcium and Vitamin D can help strengthen the bones, as well as the back, which is why it should be included in high quantities in a backache diet.
Lemon is an excellent ingredient for back pain, which can be added to food, or can be consumed in the form of different back pain juices.

Foods to Avoid Backache

While certain foods help reduce back pain problems, there are others that can aggravate it. Hence, such foods should be avoided by those people who suffer from chronic back pain problems on a regular basis. Some of the common back pain foods to avoid include:

Condiments
Fatty foods
Fried food
Processed foods
Spicy food
Sugar and sweets
Alcohol
Caffeine

People who are sensitive to caffeine are also required to exclude tea and aerated drinks for their back pain diet as soda can aggravate bodily aches and pains. Since most of the people today lead hectic lifestyles, not everyone follows a healthy and nutritious diet. Hence, a lot of people check with doctors, if they can take back pain diet supplements, to get rid of their discomfort. However, instead of relying on back pain diet pills, it is best to get the required nutrients from the right foods. It is important for people to combine a back pain diet with exercise, in order to strengthen their backs and reduce the problem of aches. However, engaging in the wrong exercise can worsen backaches and therefore, it is best to consult a fitness expert before practicing any exercise.

Unfortunately, pregnant women are quite prone to back problems too, especially backache. The foods that are usually included in a backache diet plan are quite healthy and can be consumed by most pregnant women. However, it is also important to check with a medical health care provider and get an approval, before following a back pain diet in pregnancy. People who are elderly or are suffering from any pre-existing medical condition should also consult a doctor before making any dietary changes.

Submitted on January 16, 2014