The spine or commonly called the backbone is one of the most important parts of our body as it controls all our movements like sitting down, walking, or running. The spine consists of bones, tissues, tendons, and muscles that start from the skull to our tailbone. Today we are going to see a few tips on how to keep our spine healthy and strong.
1) Diet and Healthy Weight
Being obese and overweight will directly impact the health of our spine. Having extra weight means we are putting extra pressure and stress on our spine and in long term, it will be harmful and can lead to slip disc. So having a good diet and a healthy weight is very important to a strong spine. Visit a Spine MD and they will advise you on the harmful effect to the spine if you are obese and how to overcome it with the correct diet.
2) Take food with high calcium
As we get older we are prone to bone problems like osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. To prevent this we can eat food that is rich in calcium like milk, green vegetables, soya bean, and nuts. These foods are healthy and can make your bones stronger.
3) Always have the right posture
when we sit down for a long time we tend to slouch and this is not a very good posture because it will give our nerves extra pressure which will affect our spine. To avoid this we need to sit down in a straight and correct position. Always stretch our body whenever it is possible if going to sit down for a long time as this will allow the normal blood flow and make sure our muscle is not too stiff.
4) Lift things in a proper way
The majority of the known spine injuries happen when we are lifting something from the floor. To avoid this always bend our knees and use our force on the hips rather than the back The more force we put in our spine the faster the tissues will wear and tear leading to a muscle and bone issue or worse a slipped disc. In case of slipped disc or spine problem, we need to immediately go to a spine MD to evaluate the seriousness of the spine injury.
5) Exercise daily
Walking and swimming is the best exercise for our spine. Swimming can reduce the stress in our spine and joints by supporting our body weight naturally. This exercise in the long term will make our spine very strong as we get older. Walking can give a stronger bone, muscle, and the correct nutrients to our tissues to make a stronger and healthier spine
6) Correct posture when sleeping
After a hard day’s work, we all need a good night’s sleep and a correct sleeping posture will give our spine the rest it needed. Place a pillow below our knee if we are sleeping on our back and place a pillow between our knees if we are sleeping on our side. This will reduce the stress in our spine. Having the correct pillow and bed is also important to a healthy spine.
Remember a healthy and strong spine is a foundation for a happy life. So follow the tips and have a better life.
