Many people, including celebrities like Vidya Balan, have experienced unexpected weight gain despite eating well and exercising. She realized that inflammation in her body, caused by certain foods, was the real problem, not fat. Changing her diet to include anti-inflammatory foods helped her control her weight quickly.
This article discusses how what you eat affects your spine and joint health. There are two main topics:
- Inflammatory vs. Anti-Inflammatory Foods
- Foods That Strengthen Your Spine and Joints
Understanding Inflammation and Its Impact
What is chronic inflammation?
Chronic inflammation is a slow, hidden process inside your body that damages your joints and spine over time. It can cause back pain, joint pain, and degeneration of spinal discs and knee cartilage much earlier than normal.
Role of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory foods
- Pro-inflammatory foods increase this harmful inflammation.
- Anti-inflammatory foods help reduce it and protect your body.
Pro-Inflammatory Foods to Limit
Here are the main types of foods that cause inflammation:
- Excessive sweets: Indian sweets like गुलाब जामुन, रसभरी, barfi, and other sugary treats.
- Packaged and processed items: Breads, chips, biscuits that come in packets.
- Refined carbohydrates: White flour (maida) and very finely ground wheat.
- Deep-fried foods: Samosas, bread pakoras, chole bhature, and similar fried snacks.
- Excessive spices: While spices are essential in Indian cooking, overuse can promote inflammation.
Important note: You don’t have to stop eating these completely, but avoid frequent daily consumption. Eating them occasionally, like once a week or in 10 days, is fine because your body can handle some inflammation and recover.
Anti-Inflammatory Foods to Include
These foods help fight inflammation and support your spine and joints:
- All fruits and vegetables: Blueberries, strawberries, spinach, cauliflower, fenugreek, carrots, tomatoes—all seasonal produce available in India.
- Whole grains: Brown rice, oats, coarsely ground wheat.
- Healthy oils and nuts: Olive oil, walnuts, almonds.
- Certain spices: Turmeric, ginger, and black pepper are known for their anti-inflammatory benefits.
- Probiotic foods: Yogurt, buttermilk (mattha), and other fermented dairy.
The key is to balance your diet by including plenty of anti-inflammatory foods and minimizing pro-inflammatory ones.
Nutrients That Strengthen Your Spine and Joints
To keep your spine and joints healthy and strong, your body needs specific nutrients:
- Protein:
- Vegetarians get protein from paneer, lentils, rajma, chickpeas.
- Non-vegetarians can get protein from meat, fish, eggs.
- Vitamins and Minerals:
- Calcium: Milk, curd, paneer.
- Vitamin D: The best natural source is sunlight. If sunlight is limited, take fortified foods or supplements.
- Magnesium: Nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables, bananas.
- Collagen supporters: Vitamin C (from amla, citrus fruits), zinc (found in nuts).
- Iron and Vitamin B12: Spinach, jaggery (गुड़), beetroot.
- Potassium: Bananas, sweet potatoes.
- Antioxidants: Found in berries, amla, turmeric, and ginger.
- Hydration:Drinking 2 to 3 liters of water daily is crucial for bone, disc, and joint health since about 70% of your body is water.
Final Advice on Nutrition for Spine Health
Dr. Dhruv emphasizes that he is not prescribing a strict diet plan but wants you to understand these concepts and include anti-inflammatory and strength-building nutrients in your meals.
Medicines and exercises are important but not enough—nutrition plays an equally vital role in preventing spine and joint problems.
Holistic Spine Care Approach
Dr. Dhruv’s program, SSCP (Stepwise Spine Care Protocol), combines medicines, therapies, good sleep, proper nutrition, and when necessary, minimal interventions including advanced endoscopic spine surgery. This holistic approach targets overall health alongside spine care.
