Introduction
Sciatica – otherwise known as Sciatic Nerve Pain – is a common nerve affliction caused by the compression and/or irritation of the sciatic nerve – the longest and thickest nerve in your body.
If you’ve had sciatica, then you know the debilitating pain it can cause down the legs that can make walking and other activities of daily living difficult to perform.
The leg agony can be intolerable and what makes it so frustrating because pain relievers often don’t really work.
Symptoms of sciatic nerve pain
Common symptoms associated with sciatica include radiating pain and discomfort in the legs, tingling, numbness, and weakness in the affected leg.
The painful symptoms can range from mild, annoying pain to stabbing, sharp, burning pain, or can become excruciating.
When left untreated, sciatica can not only affect your daily lifestyle but also lead to serious health complications.
Here’s the good news – most people who suffer from sciatica do not realize is that the condition is treatable!
Clinical nutrition is one of the most powerful tools you have when treating and combating sciatica.
So, whenever you feel that your sciatica is flaring up again, take a break, relax and go to your kitchen for a quick pain-fighting snack from our list below.
Ready to start feeling better?
Good foods for sciatica
As mentioned at outset, there are a few foods that may help manage pain and inflammation, effectively giving your nerves room to breathe and lessen the pain of sciatica.
Tomatoes
If you have sciatica, tomatoes are a great anti-inflammatory food to incorporate throughout your daily meals.
Tomatoes are loaded with antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins which are essential for fighting this condition. They contain a healthy amount of phytofluene, phytoene, and heaps of anti-oxidants that help with inflammation.
Tomatoes are easy to include tomatoes in your diet, as it is versatile enough that you can eat it as a salad or add an extra freshly chopped tomato to cooking dishes.
Green leafy veggies
Leafy vegetables like kale, broccoli, or spinach are a good source of all the vital nutrients vital in the battle against sciatic nerve pain.
The nutrition from this food group restores cellular health and regenerates the irritated sciatic nerve.
Speaking of greens, you may be pleased to know that leafy greens are packed with phytonutrients, carotenoids and antioxidants needed to fight sciatic nerve pain.
Not to mention the great magnesium boost you’ll get from each portion. Therefore, they hold a significant addition to the list of foods that help sciatica.
Pineapple
Adding the oh-so-sweet pineapple is one of the fastest-acting ways to tackle the discomfort of sciatica flare-ups.
Apart from its delicious flavour, pineapples include an enzyme called bromelain, known for its anti-inflammatory properties.
Bromelain has been shown to reduce swelling around your sciatic nerve.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are another anti-sciatica food that you should include in your diet. It’s not only tasty, but it’s also high in B vitamins and potassium which aids in recuperation.
Mushrooms have high antimicrobial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties, which helps to relieve the discomfort of neurological disorders caused by sciatica.
Cherries
According to several pieces of research, cherries can be used to reduce pain.
People have been using sour cherries to relieve joint pain caused by arthritis for years.
This fruit has anti-inflammatory characteristics, which can aid to relieve irritations around the sciatic nerve.
Turmeric
Turmeric is a spice that has been connected to a variety of health benefits. It contains a lot of antioxidants that can aid with sciatic nerve swelling.
It will also protect surrounding organs and cells from additional injury. Adding turmeric into your meals when cooking has an excellent anti-inflammatory effect – the spice contains the active compound curcumin, a powerful inflammation-stimulating enzyme that can aid with both exterior and internal inflammation.
Final thoughts
A lot of your pain stems from inflammation. Certain foods can not only trigger inflammation but make inflammation worse.
So, if you can identify dietary sources that promote inflammation and eliminate them, it’s more likely that you’ll see significant progress on your road to recovery. These are beneficial not only to your sciatica but also to your general health.
As an add-on, make a habit of taking preventive health checkups as they can help you in getting a complete insight into your health. This will also help you with taking measures to promote your overall well-being.
