Did you know that the foods we eat affect sciatica or the healing process in general? See, food is much more than just the energy we need. Proper food can speed up the recovery while bad food can make a recovery worse. Yes, this also means that there are foods to avoid with sciatica and you should start today. All of the foods affect sciatica in a bad way and we will explain why.
How Can Food Affect Sciatica?
For most of you, these are two completely irrelevant things. But, there is a clear link. First and foremost, some foods are known to fight off inflammation. Others will promote inflammation. Although inflammation is needed in the human body and is a part of the healing process, it should be well-managed and be sorted quickly. Foods to avoid with sciatica are therefore a mandatory topic. They will do precisely the opposite and prolong the inflammation process.
Good foods will speed up the recovery process and therefore decrease the pain duration. They can also affect other conditions and disorders you may have. There is no need in adding that a person needs to recover from sciatica as quickly as he can and to relieve pain in the same manner.
Bad foods have another side effect. They can make you gain more weight. This is a common problem for all people but it is even worse in people with sciatica. You will become less active, you will sit more and your body will have to carry more weight. All of this means that you are at a higher risk of developing sciatica. Add the fact that overweight people are at a higher risk of chronic inflammation and you can see why certain foods should be avoided.
These were just the most common issues with certain foods that will be featured on the list. In a nutshell, they are bad options to add to a diet due to numerous reasons. Some can cause severe disorders, while others can help you gain weight. The third can even cause diseases if consumed in large amounts.
Main Foods You Need To Avoid If You Suffer From Sciatica
Here we will list foods to avoid with sciatica. All of these affect the condition in a bad way and they are usually linked to other issues and complications. This also means that you should avoid all the foods from the list, not just a few of them. You will need some time to get used to a new diet but it is worthy of your time.
Foods to avoid with sciatica
1. Vegetable oil
Vegetable oil may sound like a strange section on the list here, but it is actually something all people suffering from inflammation conditions must avoid. All vegetable oils will make inflammation worse and last longer. During the sciatica attack, you can see this as more pain for a longer period of time.
Just eliminating vegetable oil while cooking is the first thing to do. But, remember that BBQ sauce and mayonnaise also contain this oil. Many other foods and ingredients come with vegetable oil as well! Always check the ingredients on the label.
The alternative would be to use virgin oil. You can also use virgin coconut oil. These are known for anti-inflammatory properties and have been used by people with sciatica for years. In addition, these oils are much healthier and more beneficial to our health.
2. Sugar
Sugar is one of the first and main foods you need to avoid! It is commonly found in sweets and desserts but we can see it in sugary beverages as well. Sugar will promote inflammation throughout the body and also can cause type 2 diabetes when consumed in high amounts. All of these will affect sciatica and make symptoms much worse.
It is important to add that fruit juices do come with sugar as well. Here it is called fructose and it is a bit healthier option. But, it is still bad for your inflammation when consumed in high amounts. An interesting fact is that dark chocolate can be consumed.
3. All types of fried food that was processed
Here we can see French fries, chips and so much more. Sadly, any food that is processed and fried is bad for sciatica. First, these foods are fried in vegetable oil, and if you remember we have mentioned the bad effects of this oil on sciatica. Secondly, these foods can promote inflammation due to so many reasons. Third, they are rich in fat which is another thing you need to avoid.
An alternative would be kale chips. You can make these at home and they are extremely easy to make. They are healthy, delicious, and don’t have negative effects like any other fried food you can get today.
4. Processed meats
All processed meats are bad for sciatica due to the same reasons. They are rich in sodium, come with mystery and unspecified ingredients, and also include preservatives. All of these affect inflammation. These can cause and make inflammation worse, so you can see why they are bad foods.
The alternative would be to make your meat meals at home. The best recommendations are grilled chicken, roast beef, and also pork tenderloin. You should cook these, let them chill, and enjoy. These meats can be added to salads or sandwiches as well.
5. Dough
Sadly, bread, pizza, and similar products must be avoided. They are bad for sciatica patients due to gluten. Also, these foods will make you feel hungry again in no time and they are loaded with carbohydrates. Carbs are used as fast fuel and will be used within minutes. But, most of them will be stored as fat. You should know that gaining weight if you suffer from sciatica is a huge problem.
Gluten can cause inflammation in some people. Although rare, this does happen. For most other people, it is extremely hard to digest which means problems with the digestive tract. We should add that gluten isn’t a huge deal for sciatica patients but can significantly contribute to problems if consumed frequently and in large amounts.
The solution is to go for foods that are gluten-free. Yes, there are many options. Be free to find the one you like the most.
6. Saturated fats
If you like burgers, this will be bad news for you. They should be kept away. All types of foods with high levels of saturated fats should be eliminated from your diet. The best examples are butter, fatty meat (lamb chops especially), milk, and also white chocolate. Saturated fat found in red meat is even worse. It can contribute to inflammation and make the recovery time much longer.
Some people must eat red meat. This is the main protein source for them and as such simple recommendation won’t be enough for them. If you are one of those people, you do have an alternative. Always choose a grass-fed variety of meat products. They are much healthier and they do contain omega 3 fatty acids which fight inflammation. Don’t forget that all foods that are bad for sciatica have alternatives that are not bad at all or even beneficial.
7. All artificial sweeteners
All artificial sweeteners are bad not only for sciatica but for human health in general. Sadly, there are many of them and they are known to cause various health-related issues almost on a daily basis. According to one research, artificial sweeteners will also increase sugar cravings a person has therefore you will need more sugar. Both, sugar and artificial sweeteners are bad and should be avoided.
Instead of artificial sweeteners, you can use honey. Add one tablespoon of this wonderful food to any beverage or any food you want to eat and enjoy. Honey is extremely beneficial, healthy, and comes without any side effects.
8. Food dye
Artificial color, preservatives, and all the rest that can prolong the shelf life of a product is bad, really bad. All products that contain these ingredients are not healthy in general. They will make sciatica feel much worse and cause unbearable pain. Add the issue that there are countless products of this kind on the market and you can see why we had to mention this. The foods with these ingredients come in various shapes and sizes so we cannot generalize them.
Artificial colors are even more severe than you may think. For instance, Brilliant Blue can cause kidney tumors. Indigo carmine causes brain cancer while fast green causes bladder cancers. These are just some of the examples. In reality, all of these colors are bad and shouldn’t be available at all.
You need to be an expert in order to find products with one or more of these colors. This makes avoiding the related products a nightmare. Luckily, there is a simple trick. You can use products that have a short life span such as one day or two. They do not contain preservatives and are less likely to contain artificial colors.
9. Artificial trans fats
Yes, foods that contain artificial trans fats are bad. Here we can see one trend. Almost all foods with artificial chemicals of any kind are bad and don’t deserve your attention. Artificial trans fats can be found in cookies and pies (usually commercially produced), microwave popcorn, frozen pizza, fried foods, and shortening. They are common these days. There is no need in telling you that artificial trans fats will promote and even cause inflammation. These are bad if consumed for a long period of time.
Read labels on the foods you consume and make sure artificial trans fats are not included on the label. Besides the aforementioned issues, these do come with other risks and complications so they are best to avoid.
10. Dairy
Not all and not in small amounts, but dairy products can be bad for people with sciatica. This especially refers to ice cream products and fruit-flavored yogurts. They are rich in sugar, which is another thing you need to avoid. Try to remember that in small amounts, all of these treats are safe and they can have anti-inflammatory properties. But, in large amounts, they can cause inflammation or make it even worse if you already have it. Yes, you already have inflammation if you have sciatica.
Fermented milk is the best and the most appealing option in this case scenario. It contains bone-building ingredients and is loaded with proteins. At the same time, it doesn’t have any side effects like other types of dairy products. This type of dairy product can also be consumed in large amounts.
11. Alcohol
Technically this isn’t food, but it is commonly featured in all diets and it is consumed as a part of a meal. That’s why we had to include it on the list. Alcohol beverages can be beneficial for sciatica. This only refers when a person consumes red white thanks to its antioxidant properties. Drinking alcoholic beverages in large amounts is a huge problem.
They will affect inflammation and make the pain unbearable in the lack of a better word. These are considered as toxins for the human body so they will need to be removed. This makes other processes wait and also means that inflammation will last longer. The only thing you can do is to avoid all beverages with alcohol. Drink red white occasionally and in small amounts!
The Final Word
These were 11 foods to avoid with sciatica. Each type of food you can see on the list affects sciatica in a bad way and can cause more pain than you actually must suffer. Most of the foods promote inflammation. Sciatica is caused by inflammation and all the things and foods that promote it are bad and should be avoided. Some foods you saw on the list can also promote pain which is the last thing you will want. Even worse, when these foods are mixed, they can cause even severe issues and problems with sciatica and make your life unbearable.
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