Nutrition Tips for a Healthy Back

We eat Omega-3’s for our heart and fiber for our digestive system, but don’t overlook your back when you plan for nutrition. Eating a balanced diet with the right vitamins and nutrients can help reduce back problems by nourishing the bones, muscles, discs, and other parts of the spine.
You are probably well aware of the important role calcium plays in keeping bones strong, but there are quite a few other key nutrients to include in your diet for optimum spine health. Here is a list of them to incorporate into your diet, as well as some of the foods you can find them in.
Vitamin A helps in the formation of bone, as well as helps to repair tissue. Find it in beef, dairy products, nectarines, carrots, and spinach.
Vitamin B12 helps the spine, as well as bone marrow, to grow and function normally. It can be found in fish, red meat, milk, eggs, kale, and broccoli.
Vitamin C helps your body develop collagen, which allows cells to form into tissue. If you have experienced injured tendons, ligaments, and vertebral discs, Vitamin C is especially important. Find it in citrus fruits, tomatoes, broccoli, green peppers, and sweet potatoes.
Vitamin D aids in calcium absorption, which is important for developing strong bones and preventing osteoporosis. You can spend time in the sunlight to get Vitamin D, and you can also eat fish oils, egg yolks, and most brands of fortified milk in the U.S.
Vitamin K also helps the bones to properly use calcium, keeping them strong and healthy. Find it in pork, kale, spinach, and dairy products.
Iron helps cells receive oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide, and it aids in the production of myoglobin, which contributes to healthy muscles to support the spine. You can get iron in pork, fish, red meat, lentils, soy, eggs, and kale.
Magnesium helps maintain muscle tone and bone density, and is important for the relaxing and contracting of muscles. It also assists in the use of protein. Find magnesium in whole grains, seeds, nuts, avocados, bananas, shrimp, and spinach.
Calcium, of course, keeps bones healthy and helps maintain bone mass throughout the lifespan. It helps prevent osteoporosis, which can result in painful vertebral fractures. You can find calcium in yogurt, cheese, milk, spinach, broccoli, peanuts, black beans, salmon, and almonds.
Just like other parts of your body, your back can be cared for with proper nutrition. Taking the time and effort to work these vitamins and minerals into your diet will go a long way to ensure your back stays healthy.