Nutrition rules for spinal hernia

Nutrition for intervertebral hernia is an important stage in the restoration of a damaged disc and the recovery of an organism weakened by a disease. The choice of diet is based on the need for various substances, the deficiency of which can become a factor in exacerbating the pathology and joining other disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, NS and other systems.

A sparing diet for a hernia of the spine is also important for getting rid of excess weight, which is not in last place among the causes of pathologies of the spinal column. For any problem with bone and cartilage tissue, the body needs to normalize the balance of vitamins and microelements, because their deficiency reduces the effectiveness of the therapy methods used.

Proper nutrition with hernias of the spine is the key to good health and a mandatory measure for the prevention of complications. Compliance with the diet prescribed by the doctor ensures a stable recovery of the body, which also applies to the postoperative period.

The importance of proper nutrition in hernia

With intervertebral hernias, which are more often diagnosed in the lumbar region, the nutrition of the spinal structures that form the vertebrae and intervertebral discs is disrupted. The pathological process deprives tissues of important elements that provide elasticity, mobility and self-healing. This is also due to the physiological aging of the body.

Careful selection of food in the pathology of the spine will normalize the supply of nutrients to diseased tissues, and this will already be the key to effective conservative treatment.

A herniated disc is the destruction of a disc that protrudes beyond the vertebrae. This process leads to compression of surrounding tissues, nerve roots and fibers are pinched, which gives a strong pain syndrome. The main cause of the pathology is degenerative-dystrophic processes, which begin with malnutrition of the cartilage. A provocative factor often becomes a harmful diet, the use of products that are not only useless for the body, but also harmful.

Improper nutrition with a hernia of the spine is one that does not provide the supply of all the necessary trace elements and vitamins.

Another important factor in the appearance and complications of disc herniation is excess weight. A diet for vertebral hernia should contribute to its normalization, because this will simultaneously reduce the load on the diseased back and will help strengthen muscle tissue, which has been replaced by fatty tissue.

About the general rules of nutrition for the pathology of the intervertebral disc:

1. Don't overeat . It is important to constantly control weight, and many surgeons recommend following a strict weight loss diet before surgery, as this will affect the condition in the postoperative period. Obesity will not contribute to normal rehabilitation, but complications in this case are a frequent occurrence.
2. To take in small portions, but at least 5 times a day . One serving of food should be no more than 250 mg, which will be enough to satisfy hunger and the right amount of substances enter the body. It is recommended to eat every 3-4 hours, but without quick snacks. Dinner should be 2-3 hours before bedtime, but in case of severe hunger, you can satisfy it with light dairy products and vegetables.
3. Give up harmful but favorite foods gradually . Any strict restriction will be stressful for the body, and it adversely affects physical health. It is necessary to come to a new diet gradually, with the exception of a diet after surgery. And in order not to break loose at one moment, it is better to sometimes allow yourself to eat a little sweet and fatty, but do not forget that everything should be in moderation.

A diet for intervertebral hernia is needed in order to improve well-being and remove the risk factor in the form of excess weight.

Strict restrictions, on the contrary, will negatively affect the effectiveness of complex therapy. Good health and harmony are in no way combined with constant stressful situations.

Vitamins for the spine

Nutrition should normalize the balance  necessary for the spine :

1.Vitamin A.

Provides normal regenerative processes, participates in tissue repair. It is found in large quantities in foods such as fish, eggs, and liver.

2.Vitamin D.

Stimulates the growth of bone tissue. It is well absorbed with simultaneous intake with calcium. Vitamin D does not directly affect bone structures, but it promotes tissue growth and normalizes blood supply. It can be obtained with milk, eggs, butter, fish oil.

3.Vitamins C and E.

These are natural antioxidants, they neutralize the negative effects of stressful situations. Vitamins C and E help fight inflammation. They do not accumulate in the body, so they must be consumed daily. These vitamins are rich in green vegetables, fruits, citrus fruits, berries.

4.Vitamins of group B.

With a herniated disc, neurological symptoms are observed, pain is disturbing due to compression of the nerve roots. B vitamins have a positive effect on the nervous system, soothing pain. These substances can be obtained from foods such as the brain, liver, heart, fish, oranges, corn, barley. Another doctor may recommend complex vitamin preparations - Pyridoxine and Thiamine.

trace elements

To strengthen the damaged tissues of the spine, the following trace elements are needed:

1. Phosphorus.

This microelement is involved in the formation of bone tissue, and without a sufficient amount of it, this process is impossible. You can get phosphorus with fish, soy, cabbage, cheese, bran.

2. Manganese.

The substance normalizes nutrition at the cellular level. You can replenish its balance by eating legumes, celery, onions, potatoes, seaweed, walnuts.

3. Magnesium and calcium.

These substances largely determine the state of bone tissue, responsible for its strength. You can get calcium and magnesium along with liver, seafood, milk, bananas, grapes, sunflower seeds, dried fruits.

Getting rid of excess weight

The diet for intervertebral hernia is selected taking into account the detrimental effect of excess weight on the spine. When there are extra pounds, it will always aggravate an already serious condition. At the same time, the entire musculoskeletal system receives high loads, and the spine itself suffers from increased pressure on the discs and vertebrae. The higher the load, the stronger the compression.

Excess weight also affects the condition of cartilage tissue, accelerating its wear. Adipose tissue replaces muscle, and this already affects the maintenance of the spine. When there is no strong muscular corset, an even greater load is placed on the intervertebral structures, a curvature occurs, and the space between the vertebrae decreases.

For hernia treatment to be successful, you need to lose weight. For this purpose, a diet and moderate physical activity, which are provided by therapeutic exercises, are suitable.

Nutrition to strengthen cartilage

The destruction of the intervertebral cartilage during a hernia can be suspended by following a number of nutritional recommendations. They are relevant both during the period of conservative therapy and after surgical treatment.

For the restoration of cartilage, the following nutritional rules are important:

• protein intake , the daily requirement is about 70-110 g, but it is important to distribute consumption for breakfast, lunch and dinner, which will ensure a continuous regeneration process;
• you need to drink plenty of fluids to maintain the overall water balance and water content in diseased cartilage, it is recommended to drink at least 1.5 liters per day;
• for normal cartilage restoration, glycosaminoglycans , which can be obtained from food of animal origin, therefore vegetarianism will not contribute to recovery, but an excess of such food is undesirable.

General restrictions and recommendations are the basics of a diet for intervertebral disc pathology, but only a doctor after a comprehensive examination of the body can explain how to eat with maximum benefit for the health of the spine.

In each case, there will be other recommendations, because during the treatment period it is necessary to influence the causative factor, and there are many of them. If the patient eats according to the same regimen before and after the operation, this is not entirely true, because the needs of the body during different periods of treatment will be different.

Useful and harmful products

There is a list of harmful products common to all patients with a herniated disc:

• salt, sugar;
• spices, sweets;
• fried, smoked;
• fatty and spicy dishes;
• tomatoes, white risk;
• alcohol, coffee, energy drinks, strong tea;
• meat products with preservatives and dyes;
• ice cream, soft drinks.

Useful additions to the diet for hernia will be:

• herbal decoctions, infusions of chamomile, yarrow;
• vegetable juices;
• honey with radish;
• sesame milk.

Sample menu for the day:

1. The first breakfast is a hard-boiled chicken egg, cocoa or weak tea.
2. In the second breakfast - fat-free cottage cheese or oatmeal.
3. Oh trouble - low-fat vegetable soup.
4. Lunch potatoes or buckwheat porridge.
5. Zhin has boiled vegetables.

The last meal should be no later than 20:00 pm, but it depends on the daily routine. Between meals, you should drink plenty of pure water, but do not do this directly during meals. When compiling the menu, you should focus on the characteristics of the body. If there is no appetite in the morning, you do not need to force yourself to have breakfast, but it is also wrong to completely deprive the body of food. In this case, you can drink sweet tea or two glasses of warm water, which will stimulate the appetite.