While you may not be able to see the pain that someone’s in when it’s affecting their back, this doesn’t mean that it can severely hinder their quality of life.
Popular back pain blog, Free Your Spine says that while there are prescription medications that can help with back pain, these will only serve to mask the problem temporarily. What you need is a long-term solution that can help to manage your discomfort on a daily basis.
Let’s take a look at five foods that actively help to reduce back pain – and taste good, too.
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1. Kale
While there are a hoard of vegetables out there that have anti-inflammatory properties, there is a general rule of thumb. The greener the vegetable, the more effective it will be for helping with your back pain.
This is why kale is touted as one of the best ways to deal with your back issues through food. Adding kale to your salad is an easy way to make the most of this vegetable, or you could even try mixing it in with a smoothie. Either way, it’s a trusted food source for back pain.
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2. Olive Oil
Olive oil is known for a number of different health benefits. One of these is being anti-inflammatory. Additionally, it’s also filled to the brim with antioxidants. One of these antioxidants is called oleocanthal, which has been proven to be almost as effective as ibuprofen when dealing with pain in your body.
While you don’t have to drink a couple of cups of the stuff a day to get the nutrients, it is good to remember to add a drizzle to your salad or cook your eggs with it in the morning. It’s another excellent back pain remedy that’s easy to implement into your diet.
3. Ginger
The humble ginger has a big secret: it’s actually one of the biggest superfoods money can buy. While you may be used to just adding it to a stir-fry every now and then, it actually has health benefits which could see you saying goodbye to your back pain.
This is because it contains anti-inflammatories that are incredibly powerful. One of these is called gingerol, and it’s been known to have a positive effect on pain in patients who have arthritis. If you’re not too sure how to implement more ginger into your diet, try adding a little to your smoothie next time.
It’s also a great excuse to increase the weekly sushi intake, too.
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4. Turmeric
While turmeric may be a spice that you reserve for your curries, it’s grown so popular over the last decade or so for its health benefits that it’s almost worthy of cult status.
So, what’s so great about turmeric, then? It has an ingredient called curcumin. This is both an anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant, so it’s a powerhouse for helping with pain.
If you don’t cook curries too much, try adding a teaspoon to your rice. You won’t even be able to taste it, but it’s in there – and so are the health benefits.
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5. Coffee
If you’re someone who can’t get through the morning without a couple of cups of coffee, then you’re going to be delighted to know that coffee is excellent for reducing back pain.
This is because, like the rest of the foods on our list, it contains anti-inflammatories. One of these is called polyphenol, which is particularly beneficial for discomfort in the body.
Because coffee gives you energy and zing, it will also help to distract you from the stiffness you experience in the mornings. This may make you want to increase your coffee intake – after all, what’s wrong with three cups before noon anyway?
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Final Thoughts
When thinking about back pain and nutrition, there’s one main thing to focus on: anti-inflammatories. If you do a little bit of research, you’ll soon find that there are countless foods out there that come chock full of anti-inflammatory properties.
Because anti-inflammatories can help to reduce swelling and – you guessed it – inflammation, there’s a good chance that our list can be a great start to your back pain-free diet.
The best part is, even if you don’t like some of the foods on the list, there’s always the option of disguising them with other foods you like more. We don’t think you’ll have an issue with coffee, though.
