Millions of people suffer from back pain. If you’re one of them, inflammation could be the culprit, and an anti-inflammatory lifestyle could reduce your pain and bring joy back into your daily routine. Make the following changes to your diet and exercise routine to cut down inflammation and, hopefully, get rid of back pain.
Get Moving
Photo by RelaxingMusic via Flickr
It’s natural to not want to move when we’re in pain. However, a sedentary lifestyle will not help your back, and it may hurt it in the long run. ScienceDaily.com reports that in almost all spinal and back pain cases, therapeutic exercise reduces inflammation and pain. Try tai chi, yoga or gentle stretching. You don’t need to hire a personal trainer or join a gym — there are a number of excellent resources and tutorials online. Laser Spine Institute, for example, features several videos demonstrating suitable exercises for all levels of spinal and back pain.
Watch Your Diet
Photo by NatalieMaynor via Flickr
Greasy, fatty foods, refined sugars and processed carbohydrates are not only difficult to digest, they have been shown to increase levels of harmful inflammatory particles that can cause pain and trauma to tissue. A recent study published by the Journal of Environmental and Public Health reports that an alkaline diet can raise internal pH levels to a therapeutic level, resulting in decreased back pain. An anti-inflammatory diet should focus on nutrient-dense, whole foods that are primarily alkalizing. These include:
- Fruit: Avocados, lemons, watermelon, berries, currants, apples, pears, apricots, dates, grapes, passionfruit, cantaloupe and kiwi.
- Spices and herbs: Garlic, parsley, cayenne, turmeric, oregano, sorrel
- Vegetables: Celery, carrots, asparagus, watercress, seaweed, beets, radish, spinach and broccoli.
Recipe: Carrot Kiwi Cooler
Photo by acrookston via Flickr
Packed with beta-carotene, vitamin C and anti-inflammatory minerals, enjoy this drink any time of day.
- 2 carrots
- 1/4 cup parsley
- 4 oz apple juice
- half-lemon, squeezed
- 1 dash turmeric
- 1 kiwi
- 1/2 tbsp hemp oil
1. Pour apple juice in blender or juicer
2. Next, add turmeric and hemp oil
3. Add remaining ingredients, pulse and enjoy
For more recipes, visit The Alkaline Sisters.
Need help figuring out what foods at the grocery store are alkaline? Food pH Love is a handy iOS app ($1.99) that scores foods on their pH scale, making it easy to bring home the most alkaline foods that help reduce inflammation. Google Play has a similar app (free) simply called Food pH.
Add Supplements
Photo by Healing and Eating via Flickr
Add these supplements to your anti-inflammatory diet:
- Omega-3 fats: These fats, which are found in fish, krill, eggs, nuts and seeds, help the body produce helpful anti-inflammatory substances. If your diet doesn’t boast enough of these, get them in supplemental form.
- Vitamin C: Known to repair and replenish tissue, vitamin C also helps eliminate inflammatory particles from the body.
