Diet Tips To Introduce Today For A Healthy Spine Part 1
Healthy food options aren't just for keeping weight under control and looking our best. The food we put into our body can also impact back and spine health. Knowing that everyone has their food preferences and dietary restrictions, we found the top vitamins and minerals essential to a healthy spine.
So, the next time the doctor offers a new pill or says that surgery may be the only route for alleviation, see if they recommend some of the following tweaks you can make to your food intake first.
Calcium
Calcium makes your bones grow stronger, and it is not just found in milk, cheese, and yogurt. For those that may have an intolerance to dairy, try introducing more legumes into your diet, such as black beans or lentils—or possibly upping your dark leafy greens. The great thing about most healthful calcium-rich foods, they are also high in other great nutrients sources like iron, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, and more.
Take, for example, canned sardines or salmon: a 3.75 oz can pack roughly 30% of your daily calcium requirement. They also provide high-quality and lean protein along with omega-3 fatty acids, which do wonders for your skin, brain, and heart. Other non-dairy sources of calcium for stronger bones and a healthy spine include chia or poppy seeds, almonds, dark, leafy greens (kale and collard greens), fortified foods, drinks, and figs.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that maintains vision, repairs damaged tissue, promotes body growth, and supports reproductive health and immune function. Without this mighty vitamin, we wouldn't be able to see. Vitamin A1, or retinol, most commonly found in animal-sourced food and provitamin A, is located in many vegetables and some fruits.
Most people living in developed countries get enough vitamin A in their diets, but it's worth adding a few extra servings of vitamin-A rich foods to aid tissue regeneration.
Magnesium
A crucial mineral for the body, magnesium is responsible for more than 300 enzyme reactions in the body. Its essential functions include assisting nerve and muscle function, boosting the immune system, and regulating blood pressure. With its involvement with muscles and the immune system, magnesium also plays a vital part in back and spine health as it helps maintain muscle mass. Magnesium is wealthily available in the everyday foods we love to eat. Here's to name a few: avocados, dark chocolate, bananas, whole grains, legumes, nut, and some fatty fish.
With an RDI or (reference daily intake) of 400mg per day, most people don't get as much magnesium as they should be getting. We recommend trying to add to your meals throughout the day so you can get everything you need. Try a banana on whole-grain toast with peanut butter in the morning, and brown rice and mackerel or halibut for dinner and some dark chocolate for dessert. Honestly, you don't have to twist an arm to get us to eat chocolate after dinner!
With most healthy diets consisting of super back-friendly cuisines, we'll chat a bit more about essential vitamins and minerals for ultimate back health in Part 2 next month!
