Easing Chronic Back Pain With Your Diet

While you may need serious intervention to deal with your chronic back pain, that does not mean you cannot do a little something at home to take the edge off. Making changes to your diet can complement other methods of pain relief that you may be receiving. With a little forethought, you can start easing chronic back pain with your diet.

You have heard it a million times: Drink your eight glasses of water a day. This is not just some trick the bottled water companies came up with to increase sales. Hydrating your body is actually beneficial to your muscles and the padding surrounding your joints. Having adequate water in your system is also necessary to promote muscular healing.

Most foods you put into your mouth are either helping or hindering the healing process. Choose anti-inflammatory foods, which reduce the inflammation associated with chronic back pain and allow the area to begin healing instead. Ginger is one such food and can be taken in its raw form, cooked, or in a tincture, or “tea.” Other anti-inflammatory foods include whole grains, dark leafy veggies, nuts, foods high in omega-3s such as fatty fish, tomatoes, garlic, soy, avocados and green tea. Try to eat foods in as close to their whole form if possible to maintain the highest level of nutrients.

You may consider taking supplements but if you increase the power packed foods you eat, there is a good chance you will also be increasing your vitamin D, calcium and magnesium intake. These three have been linked to relaxed muscles, decreased spasms and decreased pain. Consider increasing your capsaicin intake as well. Capsaicin is the ingredient that gives chili peppers their heat and has antioxidant properties, which has been shown to ease chronic pain.

Do your best to eliminate junk foods from your diet as they not only decrease the nutrients you could be receiving from power packed foods but can also increase inflammation. Focus instead on eating a diet filled with whole, power packed foods and plenty of fluids to help reduce your chronic back pain. The first place to start when you have pain is with your lifestyle, and you can effectively start easing chronic back pain with your diet.

By Dr. James  Lin
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