the benefits to your back of losing just 10 pounds.  Studies show that losing 10 pounds cuts your risk of back pain in half, plus it helps you heal 50% faster if you’re already hurting.  One way to drop pounds – eat a bowl of soup before meals.  According to Penn State studies, “Soup fills you up and shuts off hunger pangs, yet it has very few calories per cup compared to solid foods.”

you could relieve back pain by eating circulation-boosting grapes.  “Your back’s shock-absorbing disks depend on nearby blood vessels to bring healing nutrients and oxygen, so improving blood flow is a great way to speed healing of damaged tissue,” says Dr. Sinel.  And a recent study published in the journal Vascular Pharmacology suggests just eating a heaping cup of grapes daily can relax blood vessels, significantly increasing blood flow to damages back tissue.

Another proven circulation booster – avoid cigarette smoke which tightens arteries.

that standing up often helps to ease the pressure on your back.  Standing up often, even if it’s just for a moment, reduces your risk of back pain by as much as 67%, according to research done at the University of Pennsylvania.  By contrast, sitting for long periods of time at your desk or even in your favorite chair puts 40% more pressure on your spine, which can eventually compress nerves and result in pain.  If you have a hard time remembering to get up, just set your cell phone alarm or times to go off once every hour as a reminder.

A University of Massachusetts study  recently found that folks who regularly work overtime have a 61% higher risk of on-the-job injuries compared with those who punch out after eight hours – and back pain is their number one problem.  “Long hours mean little relief from stress hormone overloads, which trigger chronic inflammation and tension in back muscles, doubling your risk of painful spasms,” says clinical researcher Shawn Talbott, Ph.D., author of Natural Solutions for Pain-Free Living.”

If you can’t get away on time, try listening to soothing music while you work, or use it to decompress as you travel home to relieve the stress which causes back pain.

this simple wake-up trick that soothes your nerves.  For most people, back pain is worse in the morning than at night.  Why?  Extra fluid seeps between your disks while you sleep, and if you twist or bend suddenly upon waking, that fluid puts pressure on the spine’s delicate nerves – almost ensuring that you’ll flinch with pain.

Here’s the solution…Rise slowly and gently.  “First, move to the edge of the bed, roll onto your side and hang your feet off the mattress,” advises back surgeon Neil Kahanovits, M.D., of the Center for Orthopedics in  West Orange, New Jersey.  “Then, use your arms to gently push yourself upright, keeping your back as straight as possible.”  Start today and you could reduce your back pain by 23%, say experts at the Harvard University School of Public Health.