When is the last time you really thought about what goes into your body? We often pop food into our mouths without a second thought about its impact on our overall health. Nutrition is a critical building block for your health. It can make the difference between a successful treatment and prolonged pain, particularly when it comes to chiropractic care. The foods you eat make a huge difference in how your body responds to medical care.
If you find yourself feeling chronic back or neck pain, you might need to reevaluate your diet. Eliminating processed foods and introducing more natural products can make a huge difference in your chiropractic care. Learning to embrace healthy eating can lead to a lifetime of benefits.
Nutrition counseling is growing in popularity among experienced chiropractors. More than eighty percent of chiropractors in one survey say that nutrition is a key component to their treatment plans. Take a closer look at just how important your nutrition is during chiropractic care.
Reduce Stress on Your Spine
Carrying around extra body weight adds a lot of stress to the muscular and skeletal systems of your body. Studies have shown that obesity is associated with higher levels of high-intensity low back pain. By paying attention to your diet, you can shed a few pounds and reduce the stress on your spine.
It’s possible to lose weight simply by changing how you fuel your body. Fad diets may help you lose weight in the short-term, but many people gain the weight back over time. Experts recommend that you simply learn to make healthier choices. Avoid artificial and processed foods, as well as items that have a high sugar content. Look more for plant-based options that are farm-fresh and all natural.
Reduce Inflammation
The health of your muscles plays a major role in how your back will feel throughout chiropractic care. Inflamed muscles contribute to your pain and prolong the healing time. Without even realizing it, you may be worsening your pain despite having spinal adjustments made by an experienced chiropractor.
You could take over-the-counter pain relievers to reduce your inflammation. However, it is preferred that you alter your diet to include anti-inflammatory foods. Your diet should consist of a healthy mixture of all-natural items like:
- Tomatoes
- Spinach, kale, or other green leafy vegetables
- Nuts
- Olive oil
- Berries
- Oranges
- Fatty fish
Avoid highly processed foods to reduce the amount of inflammation in your musculoskeletal system. Refined carbohydrates, fried foods, sweetened beverages, and even red meat can all cause irritation. This prolongs the pain you might be experiencing in your back and neck.
As an added benefit, eating a healthy plant-based diet can also reduce your risk of certain diseases. According to research, you can slow down cancer growth and reverse some conditions like diabetes. Nutrition is essential for every aspect of your wellbeing.
Reduce Free Radicals
Many of the plant-based foods that are good for reducing inflammation tend to be high in antioxidants. These key nutrients neutralize the free radicals that roam your body, resulting in better health at the cellular level. Free radicals form when the body is unable to process the food you eat. This is extremely common when you eat a diet that consists of processed foods and sugars.
Your chiropractic treatment is likely to be more successful when you are paying attention to your body’s health at the cellular level. Reducing inflammation and free radicals is key to making the most of your spinal adjustments and other chiropractic modalities.
Strengthen the Musculoskeletal System
Whenever you ingest something, your body does its best to break down the nutrients available. The brain determines where each of these vitamins and minerals will ultimately end up. Certain nutrients are more likely to end up in your musculoskeletal system, including:
- Calcium
- Protein
- Vitamin D
These top three nutrients play a significant role in the overall health of your bones and muscles, specifically those related to your spine. Your diet should be high in these nutrients, especially if you suffer from chronic back pain. Your chiropractic treatment will be more successful if you are supplying this system with everything it needs to heal.
A well-balanced diet high in vitamins and minerals can also help to prevent certain chiropractic complaints like osteoporosis. Eating the right foods is a great preventative measure to keep these conditions at bay.
Better Nervous System Health
The nervous system is essential to your daily functioning. When it comes to nutrition, the nervous system is the deciding factor for how the nutrients you consume get distributed. A good diet means that your food is broken down and properly stored throughout the body. However, you may experience disruptions to the nervous system if you are eating an unhealthy diet.
The entire goal of chiropractic care is to realign the spine and improve nervous system health. An experienced chiropractor physically manipulates the spine which causes the spinal cord to move around as well. Everything a chiropractor does relates back to your spinal health and nervous system health.
Improper nutrition can seriously interfere with your treatment plan. You need to work hard to eat a balanced plant-based diet that can contribute to your healing. This gives your nervous system the best chance of success when it comes to improving your health or healing from a spinal injury.
Changing How You Think About Nutrition
The chiropractors at Better Health Chiropractor Juneau AK and other chiropractic clinics know that nutrition is the building block to a successful treatment plan. When it comes to treating the spine and nervous system, you must take a holistic approach to health. Eating the right foods and learning to live with a plant-based diet is the first step toward healing. This one simple lifestyle change is capable of reducing stress on your spine, lowering inflammation, and improving your nervous system health.
With so many benefits to better nutrition during chiropractic care, don’t you owe it to yourself to eat a little healthier? Give yourself the best chance of success by following some of these diet tips to create a healthier lifestyle.
Author Bio:
Dr. Brent Wells is the founder of Better Health Chiropractic & Physical Rehab. Originally from California, he holds a doctorate from Western States Chiropractic College in Oregon. He has worked as a chiropractor for over 20 years and is a member of the American Chiropractic Association.
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