It’s practically a job in itself to have to alter your diet for every little thing. Whether it’s fighting allergies, losing weight, or helping relieve pain, there seems to always be something.
With spine health, there’s always the reaction of “I think I’ll need surgery,” but truth be told, you might not. In fact, sometimes it just takes some minor adjustments to your diet to make sure you have the health of your bones in mind. After all, your spine is a pretty important part of your body! Here are a few things for you to keep in mind.
Find Calcium In All The Right Places
Vitamin D and B12 are important to bone health, so calcium should be a large focus. You probably already see commercials about milk making strong bones, and they’re certainly not untrue! However, if you’re someone who deals with an intolerance to dairy, that removes cheese, milk, and yogurt from your diet, so where else can you find calcium?
Legumes such as black beans, tofu, and peanuts can be an easy way to make up for lost calcium. In fact, recipes like black bean burgers are easy ways to fill the void left behind! Broccoli, kale, and spinach are also good calcium sources, as well as salmon. So, even though you may miss out on delicious cheeses, your diet certainly won’t be without flavor.
Repair Tissue with Vitamin A
Something many don’t know is the importance of Vitamin A, which can be helpful in repairing damaged tissue and forming stronger bones. Orange fruits like cantaloupe, nectarines, and, of course, oranges are great ways to get your intake up. In addition, add some savory flavor with carrots and sweet potatoes. Combining that with salmon and spinach sounds like a win for dinner!
Make Magnesium a Top Choice
Maintaining muscle mass is crucial to the development of healthy bones and a healthy spine. Though magnesium is often overlooked due to its availability in high carb sources, it’s certainly something you should add into your diet! Beans such as pinto, black, and chickpeas are all fantastic sources of magnesium. Or, for a sweeter route try kiwi, avocado, and bananas. If you’re someone who likes carbs (and really, who doesn’t), then try brown rice, whole grain pasta, and wheat bread!
Keep Your Spine at the Top Of Mind!
With or without a change in diet, you should always be listening to what your spine tells you. Make sure to focus on regular checkups, and absolutely contact your doctor for any pain. Give us a call today at (336) 333-6306 or request your appointment online!