Diet Plan for Back Pain Patients

Back pain is a very common condition increasing day by day among the people irrespective to the age. Constant pain is felt in the back due to some activity, injury or other medical conditions. It is also known as Backache. The reasons behind this back pain varies person to person. Consuming a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D and avoiding the food that causes inflammation provides major relief from back pain. A balanced and nutritional diet is really very important to prevent and treat this majorly rising health problem.

DIET CHART FOR BACK PAIN

EARLY-MORNING

Herbal tea / Green tea/ Soaked Almonds -5/ Walnuts -2

BREAKFAST

Veg dalia/ Veg poha (Rice flakes) / Moong dal cheela / Ragi roti/ Chapatti with veg or Dal / 1 - Egg white portion only

MID-MORNING

Fruit / Coconut water / Herbal tea / Green tea / Salad

LUNCH

Chapatti /Brown Rice /Sabudana khichdi/ Vegetable + Dal / Salad/ Non- veg (once in a week)

EVENING

Sprouts / Green tea / lentil Soup (Home-made) / Herbal tea / Salad/ Fox nut( Makhane)/ Ginger tea

DINNER

Chapatti / Brown Rice / Vegetable + Dal

BED TIME

Milk + Pinch of turmeric.

DIET INSTRUCTIONS

CEREALS

Cereals to be consumed

Wheat, White rice, Brown rice, Sorghum, Amaranth, Finger millet, Foxtail millet, Pearl millet, Buckwheat, Little millet

Flour Ratio - Wheat Atta (50%) + Soybean Atta (20%) + Ragi flour (30%)

Cereals to be avoided

Refined flour and its products

FRUITS

Fruits to be consumed

Apple, Banana, Water melon, Muskmelon, Avocado, Peaches, Pear, Coconut, Pomegranate, All types of berries , Figs, Mango, Litchi, Custard apple, Orange, Sweet lime, Sapodilla, Pineapple, Grapes

Fruits to be avoided

Canned fruits and juices

VEGETABLES

Vegetables to be consumed

Zucchini, Sweet potato, Pumpkin, Ginger, Celery, Red onion, Coriander, Radish, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Kale, Mushrooms, Spinach, Carrot, Peas, Fenugreek leaves, Potato, Yam, Okra, Bottle gourd, Bitter gourd.

Vegetables to be avoided

Tomatoes, Eggplant, Peppers, Canned vegetables and frozen vegetables

PULSES

Pulses to be consumed

All pulses and legumes.

Pulses to be avoided

Nil

DAIRY PRODUCTS

Dairy Products to be consumed

Low-fat milk, Tofu, Curd, Yogurt, Buttermilk, Cottage cheese, Butter

Dairy Products to be avoided

Whole milk and cream, Full-fat yoghurt, Cream cheese, Condensed milk, Unpasteurized Cheese

OILS

Oils to be consumed

Cow ghee, Sunflower oil, Canola oil, Olive oil, Mustard oil, Coconut oil

Oils to be avoided

Palm oil

SPICES

Spices to be consumed

Cumin, Coriander, Turmeric, Ginger, Fennel, Cinnamon, Carom

Spices to be avoided

Red chilies

DRINKS

Drinks to be consumed

Coconut water, Clear soups, Sugarcane juice, Home-made soups, Home-made juices

Drinks to be avoided

Whole milk drinks, Cream based liqueurs, canned soup and packaged soup, Alcohol, Sweetened drinks, Squashes, Carbonated drinks

FLESH FOODS

Flesh Foods to be consumed

Egg white, Roasted chicken, Grilled Fish, Lean meat, Skinless chicken

Flesh Foods to be avoided

Processed and fried meat, Red meat- (Beef, Lamb, Pork)

DRY-FRUITS / SEEDS

Dry Fruits to be consumed

Almond, Raisins, Ground Nuts, Walnut, Hazel nuts Peanuts, Pistachio, Cashew, Pumpkin Seeds, Chia Seeds, Flax Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Sesame Seeds.

Dry Fruits to be avoided

Nil

PREPARED FOODS

Prepared Foods to be consumed

Jaggery

Prepared Foods to be avoided

Bakery and Processed Foods, Fried Food, Junk Food, Pickles, Artificial Sweeteners, Packed Soups, Refined Sugar

SWEETENERS

Sweeteners to be consumed

Honey

Sweeteners to be avoided

Sugar

HOME REMEDIES

• Basil leaves – Boil 10-12 basil leaves in 1 cup of water until it reduces to half cup. Salt can be added and drink this mixture 2 times in a day.
• Ginger - It can be consumed in different ways you can chew a slice of fresh ginger, drink juice of ginger2-3 times in a day.
• Potato - Slice potato and soak it overnight in water. Drink this water early morning. This will give relief from back ache
• Herbal tea – Boil 1 tsp of fennel, coriander, cumin in 3 cups of water till it’s reduced to 1 cup.
• Turmeric - Mix ¼ tsp of turmeric in 1 glass milk. Consume it every night.Strain the solution and drink it.
• Coconut oil – heat the coconut oil with camphor and massage it on back.

LIFESTYLE INSTRUCTIONS

• Maintain good posture
• Get enough sleep
• Daily Exercise
• Quit smoking
• Maintain healthy body weight
• Avoid prolonged hours of sitting
• Avoid wearing high heels
• Healthy diet- rich in calcium and vitamin D
• Yoga postures like- garudasana, ustrasana and bitilasana(cow pose) is very helpful in back pain.