We are continuing our celebration of National Spine Health Awareness Month here on the Bonati Blog!

This article on how to eat to strengthen your bones, ligaments, cartilage, & muscles is excerpted from the National Spine Health Foundation.

As we age, if we’re not taking measures to prevent it, our bones and connective tissue can start to degenerate and weaken, leaving us prone to injury. Sitting all day at work can expedite this process. Aside from taking more walking breaks or getting a standing desk, you can also eat to keep your structure strong. Most people now know that they need calcium and vitamin D for strong bones, but two other vital nutrients are magnesium and potassium. Magnesium is needed to activate all the enzymes that metabolize vitamin D in the body, so in supplement form, they should always be taken together. Potassium helps neutralize acid in the body so that calcium is not leached out of the bones.

Some food sources for bone health include:

  • Calcium: raw dairy, green vegetables, cooked kale, yogurt, kefir, cooked broccoli, bok choy, cheese, okra, almonds*
  • Vitamin D: cod liver oil, sardines, salmon, mackerel, tuna, raw milk, eggs, mushrooms
  • Vitamin K: leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, cucumber, scallions, cabbage
  • Magnesium: spinach, sweet potato, chard, pumpkin seeds, almonds*, black beans*, avocado, figs, dark chocolate, banana
  • Potassium: avocado, squash, spinach, sweet potato, salmon, beans*, banana, beets, swiss chard

*Note: Though beans and nuts are nutrient-rich and beneficial, they contain phytic acid, which blocks absorption of other minerals. To reduce this “anti-nutrient” effect, you can “sprout” these foods by soaking them overnight, or pressure-cook them.

To support your other connective tissues, you want to eat collagen-boosting foods. These nutrients have all been shown to support and repair ligaments, tendons, and discs.

  • Manganese – nuts, legumes, seeds, whole grains, leafy green veggies
  • Omega-3 – as listed above, salmon, mackerel, etc
  • Vitamin A – liver, carrots, sweet potato, kale, spinach, apricots, broccoli, winter squash
  • Vitamin C – guava, black currant, red pepper, kiwi, green peppers, orange, lemon, strawberries, papaya, brussel sprouts, kale, pineapple, grapefruit
  • Sulfur – cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, turnips, brussel sprouts, bok choy), allium veggies (garlic, onion, leeks, chives), eggs, fish, poultry

Trust the Inventor of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

If the diet tips above have not eased your back pain and your spine health has become a worry, look no further for world renowned treatment. Dr. Bonati of the Bonati Spine Institute invented and patented what we now know as “minimally invasive spine surgery.” However, the Bonati Spine Procedures go beyond “minimally invasive,”  providing targeted, precision results unavailable at any other spine facility in the world. Our procedures have received FDA approval for the use of laser and other patented tools & techniques, developed by Dr. Bonati. We’ve been able to eradicate pain for thousands of guests who were told by other physicians nothing could be done for them, and we can review your condition, as well. If you would like to speak to a Bonati patient advocate about your case, simply call 844-663-0310 or complete our contact form here and we will be happy to reach out to you directly to discuss.

To read more from the National Spine Health Foundation read more here: https://spinehealth.org/eat-to-strengthen-your-bones-ligaments-cartilage-muscles/