7 Vitamins, Minerals That Help Build Healthy Spines

Your Food Choices Can Bolster Your Back

Most people know that sitting up straight, exercising and using proper lifting techniques are important ways to protect your spine. But did you know that proper nutrition is another way to keep your backbone healthy? It’s true!

Our team of outstanding pain management specialists in Westwood and nearby want you to do everything within your power to keep your spinal column pain-free and in the best shape possible. One way you can do that is to pay closer attention to what fuel you’re putting in your body. Foods rich in calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, vitamin K, iron, vitamin C and more are all great for your spine.

Here’s why:

• Calcium: This mineral helps keep your bones, including your spine, strong. As you age, calcium becomes even more important because your bones can become brittle and you can develop osteoporosis, a condition that weakens bones and can lead to fractures.

Foods to choose: milk, cheese, yogurt, peanuts, black beans, tofu, baked beans, broccoli, spinach, kale, collard greens, bok choy, sardines, salmon, oranges, almonds and blackstrap molasses

• Vitamin D: Your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium. When you spend time in the sun, your body makes vitamin D from cholesterol.

Foods to choose: eggs (including yolks) and vitamin D-enriched milk

• Magnesium: Your muscles need magnesium to contract and relax properly. This mineral helps maintain muscle mass and bone density. It allows your body to use protein effectively and plays a role in more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body.

Foods to choose: brown rice, whole wheat bread, whole-grain pasta, flax seeds, sesame seeds, black beans, chickpeas, pinto beans, broccoli, spinach, kale, bananas, avocado, kiwi, yogurt and dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa)

• Vitamin K2: Vitamin K2 is like a traffic cop that helps direct calcium out of your soft tissues and into your bones.

Foods to choose: meats, cheeses, egg yolks, kale, broccoli and spinach

• Vitamin C: This vitamin is essential in the formation of collagen, an important substance in bones, muscles, skin and tendons. Vitamin C plays a key role in healing injured muscles, tendons, ligaments and discs. It also helps cells develop into tissue and serves as an antioxidant.

Foods to choose: oranges, grapefruits, guava, strawberries, kiwi, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, sweet potatoes and red/green peppers

• Vitamin B12: This vitamin helps create bone-building cells and plays a vital role in the formation of red blood cells in bone marrow.

Foods to choose: fish, eggs, poultry, meat, yogurt, milk and cheese

• Iron: Iron helps produce collagen and helps convert vitamin D to its active form. It also is part of two proteins—hemoglobin and myoglobin—that deliver oxygen throughout your body.

Foods to choose: liver, pork, fish, shellfish, red meat, poultry, spinach, broccoli, kale, lentils, beans, eggs, whole grains and soy

Eating smart nourishes the muscles, bones, discs and other parts of your spine, helping to prevent back pain and serious spine-related problems. We are the exceptional spine specialists in Westwood and nearby that encourage our patients to make the smart choices that allow them to enjoy pain-free, healthy lives.

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When you need our exceptional services, call us at 844.777.0910 or contact us on the web.