Beat Back Pain—and Stop Snacking, Too!

 

Beware a spinal trap: New research from Yale School of Medicine suggests that an achy back may make you overeat.

In a small study, people with chronic low-back pain enjoyed pudding less than pain-free people did. The study results also suggested that the participants in pain didn’t feel full after snacking on the dessert—meaning that instead of eating a food, savoring it, and moving on, back-pain sufferers might eat extra in order to seek the pleasure they don’t receive from chowing down.

It’s still a hypothesis, the researchers stress. But the weird link may occur because brain circuits that process pain overlap with those that register food’s appeal, says study author Paul Geha, M.D.

Of course, a sore back doesn’t just spur snacking. It also makes you miserable—and you’ll do anything to find relief. Luckily, there’s a way to prevent the pain: Watch the video below to learn 3 easy exercises that will strengthen your core, save your back, and dispel your discomfort for good.