Proper nutrition for osteochondrosis: the most important recommendations

Article publication date: 03.12.2014

Date of article update: 02.12.2018

In the treatment of almost any disease, a lot of attention is paid to nutrition. Osteochondrosis is no exception: proper nutrition for osteochondrosis helps to strengthen the structure of the spine, prevent exacerbation of the disease and alleviate its course.

A feature of therapeutic nutrition for osteochondrosis is that there is no need for a sharp change in diet, you do not have to give up most of your favorite foods, as with many other diets. In general, nutritional recommendations against the background of osteochondrosis are quite general and correspond to the principles of a healthy diet.

The main characteristics of the diet for osteochondrosis (links below are clickable menu items):

Let's analyze each point in more detail.

1. Low calorie content

Obesity is one of the risk factors for the development of osteochondrosis. And with an already formed disease, excess weight accelerates the destruction of intervertebral discs and contributes to the occurrence of complications (radicular syndrome, infringement of disc herniation, etc.). Therefore, if you have extra pounds, you must follow a low-calorie diet.

In order for the fight against excess weight to be successful, reduce the daily calorie content of the diet gradually:

• Gradually replace refined carbohydrates (sweets, pasta, baked goods) with carbohydrates from vegetables and fruits, preferably fresh.
• Set yourself achievable goals: first give up one definitely harmful product that you are used to using daily, but which you can easily do without. For example, completely exclude mayonnaise or sweet pastries from your menu. After a week, remove one more product from the diet, etc. Achieving reasonably set goals will not only help you lose weight, but also give you confidence in yourself, in your own abilities.
• And vice versa: if you cannot refuse some product or dish, even if it is very harmful, then leave it in your diet. But reduce the proportion of dishes that are similar in composition. For example, you can continue to eat chocolate, giving up sweets or sweet tea.

2. The predominance of fermented milk and vegetable products in the diet

A dairy-vegetarian diet is distinguished by a high content of precisely those vitamins, macro- and microelements that are required to improve the condition of bone and cartilage tissue.

Cheese, cottage cheese, kefir and other fermented milk products are rich in calcium and phosphorus, they contain a lot of easily digestible protein with essential amino acids. From fresh vegetables and fruits, we get various vitamins and fiber, which contributes, among other things, to weight loss. Nuts and vegetable oils (sunflower, corn, mustard, olive) serve as a source of polyunsaturated fatty acids that normalize fat metabolism and prevent the accumulation of cholesterol.

3. Balanced diet

Nutrition for osteochondrosis should be balanced and complete. In order to at least partially restore the strength and elasticity of cartilage tissue, strengthen bone structures, it is necessary to ensure the supply of a sufficient amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. In no case should one adhere to the so-called mono-diets (buckwheat, kefir, etc.) or diets with a sharp restriction of any food components (Kremlin diet, Atkins diet, etc.).

As a source of protein, it is better to choose lean meat, fish and dairy products; fats obtained from vegetable oils and fish; carbohydrates - from fresh vegetables, fruits and cereals.

4. Restriction of certain harmful foods and dishes

Products that should be excluded from your diet or significantly limited can be divided into two groups:

High-calorie foods and dishes - sugar, bakery products and pastries (especially sweets), sweets and chocolate (they can be replaced with jam, honey, marmalade), pasta, butter, lard, fatty meats and poultry.

Products that irritate tissues that can increase the inflammatory response and pain: coffee, strong tea, pickles, pickled and fried foods, smoked meats, alcohol. It is especially important to exclude them in the presence of a radicular spine.

Conclusion

Although the diet itself can in no way replace drugs and physical therapy, it perfectly complements these methods of treating osteochondrosis. In addition, if you start to eat right, it will most positively affect your overall health.

Owner and responsible for the site and content: Afinogenov Alexey.