DOES MY DIET CONTRIBUTE TO MY BACK PAIN?

Yes, Your diets can play a role in your back pain. There are many things that can cause back pain but your diet is an important factor. Back pain is usually caused by a combination of things such as inflammation, degenerative discs, weak muscles, poor proprioception, and abnormal joint function know as subluxations. You can help reduce your pain naturally, without the use of drugs, by improving your diet.

The food we eat plays a role in how much inflammation is produced in our body and how our brain functions. Try to eat whole foods that are high in protein, fiber, good fats and nutrients. Junk food causes spikes and subsequent crashes in your blood sugar and this tends to stress your body with the resulting fluctuations of energy levels. Foods that have a high glycemic index cause a sudden increase in blood sugar and this increases inflammation. Some individual foods cause inflammation and this can result in increased back pain. Common foods that increase inflammation in the body include, fried foods, sugar, vegetable oils, refined flour, artificial sweeteners, artificial additives, saturated fats, processed meats, red meat, dairy products, excess alcohol, and trans fats. Some believe that night shade vegetables are pro-inflammatory vegetables. Nightshade vegetables include tomatoes, peppers, egg plant and potatoes. Some individuals report decrease arthritis pain by avoiding night shade vegetables  but more research is needed to evaluate the effects of solanine alkaloids found in these vegetables. Omega 3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory fats found in fish and flax seeds. Omega 6 fatty acids increase inflammation. Omega 6 fats are found in high concentrations in corn, some vegetable oils, nuts, mayonnaise, snack foods, cookies, chicken and pork. The typical American diet contains way too much Omega 6 fats and way too little Omega 3 fats. 

For more detailed information please review the links below.

http://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/glycemic-index-and-glycemic-load-for-100-foods
 http://www.eatthis.com/foods-that-cause-inflammation
http://www.activebeat.co/diet-nutrition/the-top-8-inflammatory-foods/8/
http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/omega-3-fatty-acids-fact-sheet#1. 
 http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/link-between-nightshades-chronic-pain-and-inflammation
http://www.healthline.com/health/nightshade-vegetables-and-inflammation#overview1
http://arthritisliving.today/arthritis-coping/10-great-foods-for-arthritis-management/?keywords=arthritis+diets&utm_medium=cpc&utm_subsource=Gemini-DB&utm_campaign=Aliv-SearchOnly-arthritisdiets-Open-US-SS&utm_adgroup=arthritis+diets&utm_term=%24&utm_content=32713704786
https://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/high-omega-6-foods.php
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/superfoods-everyone-needs#1
http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/can-good-diet-fight-back-pain/

If you have any questions about how your diet effects your back pain, make an appointment to see your chiropractor. You should never make major diet changes without first consulting your doctor of chiropractic.