It’s amazing how many of our health issues can be attributed to a poor diet. These days we find everyone has a diet that is highly inflammatory from the excess amounts of sugar and highly processed foods, it’s no wonder our bodies break down so easily. Recent research has shown that our dietary habits promote a state of chronic inflammation in your body. The food we eat is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to controlling inflammation, pain and healing.
Everyone would be better off focusing on a back healthy diet which focuses on decreasing inflammation in the body while also supplementing with some fish oil would be a fantastic way to help promote a more anti-inflammatory environment in the body.
Cut Down Processed Foods
You should try and cut out all processed foods especially wheat based products (white pasta, bread, white rice, potatoes), sugar and processed drinks.
Avoid:
ALL processed foods.
Fast foods.
Partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) found in margarine, deep fried foods (French fries, etc.)
Sugar, from any source.
Corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, and foods made with these oils- such as mayonnaise, tartar sauce and margarine
Protein, healthy fats and complex carbs every meal
Eat regularly throughout the day 5-6 small meals every 3-4 hours. Each meal should contain protein, some healthy low glycemic carbohydrates and healthy fats. Eating supportive foods every 3 to 4 hours burns more calories and creates a healthy, thriving metabolism.
Drink Plenty of Water
Have you ever noticed your pain, inflammation, fatigue and food cravings are increased and you’re not sure why? It could be as simple as needing more water.
This is very simple but very important. Healing really does start on the inside and getting adequate water is an easy place to find consistency.
A lack of water and dehydration can be attributed to a lot of pains and discomforts within the body. Make sure you drink plenty of water. 8 glasses a day is a good start but drink more if you can as even 1% dehydration can impact the hydration of our discs and lower back pain. Ideally Aim to drink 3 litres of purified water daily. The Best way to do this is to carry a 1 litre bottle of water around with you and aim to finish it 3 times a day.
Decrease Caffeine (Tea & Coffee)
If you are going to be drinking all that water then you’ll have to decrease the amount of tea and coffee you drink throughout the day. No it doesn’t count towards your water consumption. Beverages contain caffeine actually count against your water intake as they have a diuretic effect and dehydrate you. I’m not saying to stop drinking them but rather cut it down or switch to green tea instead. I tend to drink 1 cup of coffee a day in the morning and then depending on how well i’m doing with my water target i may have another cup of coffee later in the day.
Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s)
The body uses EFAs to make chemicals that control inflammation. “Essential” means that the body cannot make these substances on its own, and therefore must get them from food or food supplements.
There are two main groups of EFAs:
Omega-3 fatty acids: These fatty acids are found mostly in oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and herring, and sea algae. All members of this class of essential fatty acids have been shown to reduce inflammation.
Omega-6 fatty acids: These fatty acids are found in common cooking oils such as corn and safflower, from plant seed oils, such as evening primrose oil, and black currant.
If you feel you may not be getting enough essential fatty acids then it is highly recommended to supplement these, but first speak to a health professional who can recommend whether they are suitable for you and a recommended brand.
Stop Smoking
Smokers are almost three times more likely to develop low back pain than non-smokers.
According to the University of Michigan Health System, the nicotine in cigarette smoke thickens the walls of the blood vessels. This restricts blood flow through the large and small blood vessels of the lower back and increases the amount of time for healing and recovery if you have a back injury.
Moderation is Best
Too much of a good thing can be bad for you. Too much of anything can be bad for you, especially back pain. Too much exercises, too much rest, too much stress, too much sunbathing, too much sitting, too much food and so on. Aim for moderation in everything you do. Look at this list of do’s and don’ts and figure out which ones your doing too much of or too little of and get changing your daily habits.
Back pain is very common, but we can help you with fast, effective pain relief. Each patient is assessed and a tailor made programme is designed around your lifestyle and commitments. Our Liverpool Chiropractor will provide you with nutrition advice and an exercise programme to help return you to peak performance. To book your first appointment, please contact our Liverpool Chiropractor here.
