Spine - food

[New-disc]

Hello,

Does anyone have food suggestions that may help spine disc's stay healthy?

Todd

[mmglobal]

Cadillac Margaritas are proven to improve my disposition. I'm sure it helps my discs too!

[Maria]

I second the motion on the CMs

If DDD is thought to have a highly genetic component to it what type of direct disc nutrient deliverence system could possibly avert this process?

And from just a nutritional intake process is one diet rich in various nutrients more helpful than any other diet? Wheat grass? Red wine? Plain ol' H2O?

[Justin]

In my humble opinion, I would say a lifestyle that is full of lean meats (lean turkey, chicken, etc.), fresh fruits and veggies, unprocessed foods, low in saturated fat... stay away from fast food, junk food, trans / saturated fats, etc.

I eat a lot of "organic" foods and try to eat "healthy." If you can believe it, I used to play Left Tackle/Defensive Tackle in high school football. I was a fatty then---I weighed 210 lbs (I'm 6 feet tall).

I went into surgery at 17 and they said my cholesterol was high (and 210)...I made a decision right there on the surgical table to change my lifestyle post-op. I initially lost 70 lbs (down to 140lbs--too thin). Now I hover around 175-180 with about 6% BF (I used to be down to 4% when I was lifting weights a few months ago ).

Anyway, I am blabbing again. Your best bet: you can't control your genetics, but you can control what you put in your body. I think a lifestyle (not a diet) with the healthy food examples above is best--those of us with a genetic predisposition for spine issues--do yourself a favor, and eat well to limit the comorbidities that can contribute to DDD (obesity, high cholesterol, inactivity, etc.). OK, stepping down from the soapbox...

[treefrog]

And to expand on this topic, because I do feel it is a "healthy lifestyle" and not just diet, that is important.

Is there any kind of exercise that I can do that will benefit me, before going into surgery? I know that walking is the best exercise after surgery. But is walking before surgery good, can it make recovery easier? Will it help to stretch my hamstrings to keep them from being tight (which they are)? Is it good to strengthen my abs before surgery?

With my back pain, I think strengthening my abs will be difficult, if not impossible. But walking and stretching should be possible. Unfortunately I am a couch potato, much to my embarrassment . I do go to work, and I can walk some - though I do notice that if I walk too much it hurts my back later on. I think you all can probably understand where I am coming from.

My boyfriend laughed when the first surgeon I saw said that I was fit. But that is because he is a gym rat, lifting weights nearly every day. I am trim, in that I am not over weight, though I do carry some extra fat. Luckily that fat is on my hips and thighs, much healthier than on my belly. But I am not what I would call "fit".