Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is a condition affecting a significant portion of the population, with disc degeneration impacting roughly 27.3 percent of Americans to some degree. While some individuals with DDD may be asymptomatic, others experience severe and persistent back or neck pain. This article explores the role of an anti-inflammatory diet in managing DDD, offering insights into which foods to include and avoid to alleviate pain and support spine health.
Understanding Degenerative Disc Disease
The word “disease” is deceiving. Degenerative disc disease isn’t a disease but a condition where discs in the back, typically in the cervical or lumbar region, break down. Spinal discs allow our backs to bend and twist. Whenever you do an upward dog in a yoga class or lift heavy boxes, your spinal discs are to thank. As we age, some wear and tear on spinal discs is normal. This deterioration may cause pain ranging from moderate to severe. Pain is often experienced in the neck, butt, thighs, and arms. The pain caused by degenerating discs can limit your range of motion and the ability to lift heavy objects. Degenerative disc disease can be connected to osteoarthritis, a condition that can wear down discs in the back, but tears from sports or everyday life can cause it as well.
The Role of Inflammation in Degenerative Disc Disease
When you have an injury or infection, your immune system sends white blood cells to the site. The blood flow to the area increases in response, causing the warmth and redness we recognize as inflammation. This process should stop once the infection or injury heals. However, with chronic conditions like DDD, inflammation can persist, exacerbating pain and hindering healing. Some foods can impact your inflammatory response and immune system, increasing or reducing your pain.
The Anti-Inflammatory Diet: A Foundation for Spine Health
Our bodies use the nutrients in the food we eat for maintenance and repair, so it’s essential we give them the best materials to work with. An anti-inflammatory diet focuses on choosing foods that won’t exacerbate inflammation, reducing levels of inflammation in the body. This diet is focused on choosing foods that won’t exacerbate inflammation. Since inflammation is a part of the healing process, it is inevitable that you will have some inflammation when you experience back pain. The inflammation you feel occurs because the body is trying to repair its injuries and prevent future illness. If you have a back injury, a herniated disc, or strain, the inflammation can last much longer. This is called chronic inflammation, and it occurs when the body is not able to heal the root cause of the pain. With chronic inflammation, you feel inflammation and pain for an extended period of time.
Recent research emphasizes the role of lifestyle interventions in treating degenerative disc disease. Good spine health starts at home, and developing a delicious anti-inflammatory diet can help you keep your back pain in check.
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Key Nutrients and Foods to Include
The key to the anti-inflammatory diet is getting as many vitamins and minerals as you can. These nutrients fuel the body so it can function properly. Your body will begin healing itself and the nutrients will help reduce the levels of inflammation.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Several studies have found that eating omega-3s helps to fight inflammation in the body. Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats that your body cannot make on its own. They offer a variety of health benefits including fighting inflammation and promoting bone health- two key things to increase spinal wellness. They can be found in the following foods: Salmon, Sardines, Anchovies, Flaxseeds. Omega-3 can also be obtained through fish oil supplements if sufficient amounts cannot be consumed through a regular diet.
Omega-9 Fatty Acids: Unlike Omega-3 fatty acids, Omega-9 fats can be produced by the body. In fact, they are the most abundant fats found in most body cells. However, consuming foods high in Omega-9 fats over other types of fat lead to decreased levels of inflammation. Omega-9 fatty acids can be found in the following types of oils: Olive, Almond, Avocado. Other acceptable oils include: Algae, Coconut, Macadamia, Walnut, Red palm, Sesame.
Dark, Leafy Greens: Everyone knows vegetables are good for you, but dark, leafy greens, in particular, have numerous health benefits for bones, eyes, heart, and more. They include Vitamins A, C, E, and K, many of the B-vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, iron, magnesium, and calcium. The following leafy greens are capable of reducing inflammation in the spinal column thus reducing back pain: Spinach, Kale, Broccoli, Bok choy, Chard, Arugula.
Calcium: Calcium is the most essential nutrient for bone health. Children are told that calcium makes their bones grow big and strong, but did you know the same rings true through adulthood? Consuming an adequate amount of calcium can prevent the development of osteoporosis (weak and brittle bones) as you age. Avoid dairy products from cows such as milk, yogurt, and cheese since they contain lectin. Instead, opt for the following sources of calcium: Goat dairy products: goat milk, goat cheese, Coconut yogurt, Swiss cheese, French/Italian cheese, Vegetables (preferably dark, leafy greens), Fish that you eat the bones of (sardines and pilchards).
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Fruits and Vegetables: Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of vitamins and minerals. However, you shouldn’t just stick with a few fruits and vegetables that you like. You need to be eating a variety. As you prepare your food, try to eat a colorful assortment of fresh foods. Include plenty of dark, leafy greens. Try a few new foods of varying colors.
Healthy Fats: Your body needs fats in order to function well and to decrease inflammation. Therefore, you need to make sure you are giving your body healthy fats. Foods with healthy fats may be higher in calories, but they provide your body with needed nutrients. One of the most popular healthy fats is found in avocados. Avocados are tasty and easy to find. You can include avocados in many meals, preparing them differently each time: added in sandwiches, topped on toast, pureed in smoothies, mashed for a veggie dip, or even thrown into brownies (you won’t know they are there)!
Whole Grains: Grains are key sources of vitamins and minerals, high in fiber and studies show they are linked to lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and many other issues, including spine health! Try whole oats, whole grain bread, quinoa and more next time you go shopping.
Lean Protein: Turkey, chicken breast, beans - these are all good sources of lean protein, which help build muscle and regulate blood sugar.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D is calcium’s partner in maintaining bone health.
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Magnesium: Magnesium plays several roles in body chemistry, one of the most important of which is helping activate Vitamin D. This mineral is a necessary ingredient for regulating the calcium needed to maintain healthy bones. Along with building bone density, magnesium helps relax contracting muscles.
Vitamin K: Like Vitamin D, Vitamin K helps the body deal with calcium, guiding its distribution into bones and soft tissues. Vitamin K occurs naturally in two forms.
Vitamin C: You probably already know Vitamin C is good for your immune system. It encourages antibody formation and white blood cell production.
Collagen: Collagen builds cartilage, bones, ligaments, and tendons and helps keep them elastic.
Proteins: Proteins are essential building blocks for bone, soft tissue, and cartilage.
B Vitamins: Loading up on B vitamins helps improve bone health and fight inflammation.
Iron: Iron helps produce collagen and activate Vitamin D.
Foods to Limit or Avoid
Just as some foods can help reduce inflammation, others can increase it. One 2023 study linked inflammatory foods, like baked goods and processed meat, to a 40 percent higher risk of joint pain and stiffness.
Refined Carbohydrates: Refined sugars can cause spikes in blood sugar levels and lead to a release of inflammatory chemicals in the body. Reducing carbohydrates is an essential part of an anti-inflammatory diet. However, think twice before choosing the keto diet for back pain.
Processed, Red Meat: Processed, red meat is typically what comes to mind when people hear the word “protein,” but these animal-based proteins cause a high inflammatory response in the body. It is always best to limit the amount of animal protein you consume.
Fried Foods:
Shortening:
Starchy foods: pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, diet drinks.
The following nuts: pumpkin, sunflower, chia, peanuts, cashers.
The following fruits and vegetables: cucumber, zucchini, squashes, melons, tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant.
Avoid these lectin-containing vegetables: Peas, Sugar snaps, Legumes, Green beans, Chickpeas, Soy, Tofu, Edamame, Beans, Lentils (unless cooked in a pressure cooker).
Avoid these lectin-containing oils: Soy, Grape Seed, Corn, Cashew nut, Peanut, Safflower, Canola, Cottonseed, Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable.
Additional Lifestyle Considerations
Maintain a Healthy Weight: Weight loss is a great lifestyle intervention to reduce the symptoms of degenerative disc disease. Plus, an inflammatory diet has been linked to a higher body mass index (BMI), a measure of your height against your weight.
Stay Hydrated: Water plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy back. Dehydration can exacerbate low back pain, and keeping hydrated can help manage it effectively. When you are dehydrated, your spinal discs lose their elasticity and height. This can lead to increased pressure on your spine and surrounding structures, causing discomfort and pain. To prevent dehydration and support your back health, aim to drink at least 64 ounces of water daily.
Exercise Regularly: Patients with degenerative discs receive recommendations to exercise, but they shouldn’t exercise too hard. The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommends moderate aerobic exercise, like brisk walking, swimming, or biking, on a daily basis. Bryan Wright, DPT, a physical therapist and owner of Wright Physical Therapy in Twin Falls, Idaho recommends child’s pose, cat/cow pose, and bridge pose for those with degenerative disc disease.
Maintain Good Posture: A 2021 study in the journal Open Medicine found poor posture increases the risk of disc degeneration. More specifically, this study analyzed the relationship between posture and degenerative disc disease in 113 patients. Dr. Bhamb explains, “Imagine that your spine is attached with a little string in your head and try to stand as tall as possible, as if you can pull that string. Another general posture rule? Avoid sitting for long periods of time.
Avoid Physical Strains: Physical strains are the most important thing to avoid to prevent disc degeneration. Assess how heavy something is before lifting.
Seeking Professional Guidance
Knowing what things to avoid with degenerative disc disease may be tricky. Patients with degenerative discs receive recommendations to exercise, but they shouldn’t exercise too hard. They should avoid certain foods, but not others. Maintaining a healthy posture is important, but what does that even mean?
One thing you shouldn’t avoid if you have degenerative discs? The physical therapist. In fact, pain from disc degeneration can improve in as little as six weeks of physical therapy. Typically, physical therapy for disc degeneration will focus on stretches and ways to strengthen the core and relieve back pain.
If pain persists after making lifestyle changes or if confused on what changes are right for you, contact a physician for a consultation. Joshua Abrams is a fellowship-trained and board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon, specializing in minimally invasive surgery, artificial disc replacement, and cervical and lumbar spine surgery. Orthopedic surgeons and pain management specialists are often the referring doctors.
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