If you suffer from back or neck pain, a change in your diet can make a world of a difference. Anti-inflammatory foods will reduce backaches while improving your overall health. Let’s take a closer look at some specific foods that have this quality.
Inflammation occurs in the human body when one consumes an excess of processed foods containing omega-6 fatty acids and too few foods containing omega-3 fatty acids. One of the main culprits is fast food. If too much fast food and processed food is consumed and not counterbalanced with omega-3-rich foods, then your back will likely throb in pain. Eating in large quantities is also problematic as it increases short-term inflammatory markers. It is best to graze, meaning eat small portions throughout the day. You’ll have fewer aches and pains, and you’ll boost your metabolism at the same time.
Plants contain anti-inflammatory natural chemicals called phytochemicals. Be sure to mix in dark leafy greens with each lunch and dinner. You can also load up on Mediterranean-style foods like hummus, beans, extra virgin olive oil, and olives. These are known to reduce inflammation and boost longevity, as proven by the long life spans of the Greek population.
The best anti-inflammatory food on the market is cold water wild fish. You can also obtain anti-inflammatory omega-3 qualities from fish oil pills. When grocery shopping, select raw oysters, red wild sockeye, sardines, herring, wild salmon, and anchovies. In the spirit of the Mediterranean, use olive oil to cook the fish instead of butter. However, you should not overload your body with omega-3 foods as an overabundance will lead to other health problems.
While you are at the store pick up some pastured animal meat. Examples are pastured egg yolks, grass-fed beef, and grass-fed lamb. Pastured means that the animals that you are eating (or their by-products) ate high-quality grass over the course of their lives. Pastured meat and eggs have anti-inflammatory trans fatty acids. Add some red palm oil to your fish and meat just before serving it. It is full of antioxidants, and vitamins and has anti-inflammatory properties. Complete your meal with a vegetable like cauliflower, cabbage, or broccoli. Incorporate onions and garlic with your dinners for that extra bit of flavor. Each is considered a top-of-the-line anti-inflammatory food.
While making your lunch and dinner, incorporate the anti-inflammatory spice called turmeric. Aside from helping to ease your back pain, this tasty spice also fights oxidation stress. Ginger has similar properties and can be used in a wide variety of foods including cookies and oatmeal.
Instead of reaching for potato chips, cheese doodles, or other processed foods when snacking, opt for anti-inflammatory foods like walnuts, avocados, and peppers. Don’t pig out with a sugar and chocolate-laden dessert, opt for blueberries. They head most lists of the tastiest anti-inflammatory foods. Be sure to mix them in with your morning oatmeal, cereal, and grits. Berries also have antioxidants that fight cancer.
The overarching theme of an anti-inflammatory diet revolves around the DIY ethos: Do It Yourself. You must learn to grocery shop and cook in a healthy manner while avoiding processed foods. This is time-consuming, so you’ll have to invest in yourself and make a serious commitment to eating right. Would you rather spend a few more hours per week cooking in the kitchen in order to have a pain-free back? Or would you rather eat poorly, ruin your health, and live the rest of your life with a chronically painful back? The choice is obvious.
