Have you ever considered that what you eat affects more than your waistline? In fact, a healthy diet can help your body overall, including your spine. Whether you have suffered a spinal injury or have spinal concerns, you can help your spine out by eating the right kinds of foods. Here are some of the best foods for your spine.
- Berries: The first food that you should integrate into your diet more is berries. Berries are rich in antioxidants and nutrients, both of which can help your spinal health. Berries can be easily added to your breakfasts, snacks, lunches, and even dinners. They are easy to throw onto a salad or yogurt. And, as a bonus, they do taste delicious.
- Spices: We had not considered spices when we began our research, but the team at Flex Sports Physiotherapy gave us this tip. Turmeric is a spice commonly found in Indian cuisine. Beyond adding flavour, it can naturally help your body repair damaged tissue. It is a savoury spice, so it will not taste good on everything. They also make it in pill form so you can take it like a supplement as well.
- Herbs: Herbs are another food group that you should be eating more of for your spinal health. Herbs like rosemary, cinnamon, basil, and ginger all have anti-inflammatory properties to help strengthen your immune system while reducing your overall pain level. These herbs can be easily found in tea, but are also found in a wide variety of foods. They are also fairly simple to grow if you would like to have a supply handy at all times.
- Avocados: Avocados are good for more than just guacamole. They also can help your spinal health. Avocados are rich in healthy fats that your body needs. They also have a high amount of both fibre and potassium, all of which are beneficially to your body. They are still a fatty food, so you should eat them with a reasonable amount of caution, but they are versatile. Even if you think that you don’t like avocados, there are quite a few different ways to try eating them. Avocado toast has been popular in recent years, and they can easily be added to a smoothie. Since their natural flavour is not strong, they easily mix in with a myriad of recipes.
- Salmon: Salmon is without a doubt one of the healthiest types of fish that you can eat. It is rich in lean protein as well as omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are good at promoting both bone and tissue health, ultimately benefiting your spine in the process. Salmon also helps reduce inflammation naturally, helping your body ease up.
- Leafy Greens: Leafy green vegetables are incredibly good for your overall health and even your oral health. As a result, they are also good for your spine. Spinach, kale, and broccoli all work to fight inflammation naturally. The nutrients within the leafy greens can help your spine straighten and become a little big strong. Leafy greens that have the darkest greens are generally the most effective in this department. Kale can be a hard flavour to swallow, so if you are adverse to it, try it out in a smoothie mixed with some berries to calm the bitter taste.
- Plant-Based Proteins: Finally, we are going to recommend that you help your spinal health by consuming plant-based proteins. We are not saying that you need to go off a meat diet if that is what you prefer, but you should consider integrating some other protein options within your diet as well. This includes chia seeds, lentils, almonds, and even beans. Plant-based proteins are full of healthy fats as well as fibre and antioxidants. There are also vitamins and minerals present as well. For anyone who still prefers to get their proteins from meat alone, you can help your spine by steering clear of high-fat meats, staying with salmon and chicken.
Another benefit that eating healthy will have on your spine is that it can help you lose any excess weight that you might be working off. Your back health will improve when unnecessary weight is lifted off of it, giving it a chance to recover as well as possible. In addition, eating these kinds of foods can help your body in many different ways, all preventing disease and other medical conditions while keeping your immune system healthy.