We are now in the middle of August 2024 and we are delighted to post the second of two guest blogs for the month ahead from Fiona Hayers from Nourish from Within.
Personal injury or surgery may be unexpected, or indeed surgery may be planned ahead. Being ready for the aftereffects can be important in speeding recovery and returning to your prior health position, if achievable. Thinking through your nutritional needs can form part of your recovery and we have looked at two parts of this process over two blogs. Part two is detailed below.
Part two: What you can eat to help rehabilitation
During this phase your mobility will be increasing as your muscles strengthen and tendons regain flexibility. You are probably seeing a physiotherapist or chiropractor to work on specific exercises. Your goal at the end of this phase is to return to your previous level of activity and limit recurrent injuries. Warning – there is often a natural tendency to ‘do too much too quickly’ in an effort to get back to doing what you enjoy without pain or restriction but remember to give your body the time and nutrients needed to keep up with the repair work and to supply sufficient energy as you increase exercise levels.
To reach this goal it is key to focus on good quality foods which provide sufficient energy, protein and nutrients to continue the repair process and rebuild the joint or bone stronger than pre-injury.
Key points
Repair and rebuild process produces lots of waste products
In the same way we breath out the waste product carbon dioxide, each of our cells also produces waste products which need to be removed. During repair our cells are working overtime and produce huge amounts of waste products which, if left to hang around, can cause more damage to the joint and slow down repair.
Foods which contain high levels of antioxidants are used by the body to remove this waste, together with sufficient water. Think colourful fruit and vegetables, seeds and whole grains.
Inflammation will slow down rehabilitation
There are many foods we can eat to help lower inflammation and there are many foods we can eat which can cause inflammation! To help support the repair function it is beneficial to increase foods such as fish which are rich in omega-3 fats (salmon, sardines, anchovies, mackerel), walnuts, whole grains and vegetables to name just a few.
Key vitamins
It is important to get a balanced diet during recovery – this should include good quality protein, whole grains and plenty of variety of coloured vegetables and fruit. These foods should contain all the nutrients required for health; however, there are a few nutrients which are needed in higher quantities whilst the body is healing.
Vitamin C is absolutely essential not just for your immune system but also to make collagen – the protein which is used to repair tendons, ligaments, bones and skin. You can find high amounts in citrus fruits, kiwi fruit, broccoli and bell peppers.
Zinc is quickly used up by the body when making new cells or repairing damaged ones. Try to include meat, fish, poultry, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds – especially pumpkin seeds.
Calcium is one of the main minerals crucial to strengthening bones. So, if you are recovering from a broken bone, stress fracture or have had a joint replacement make sure you are getting plenty of calcium in your diet. High amounts can be found in dairy, dark green leafy vegetables, bony fish and sesame seeds.
Vitamin D is another nutrient required for a healthy immune system but is also required for strengthening bones. It is hard to obtain from food but can be found in some fortified foods such as eggs and cereal. You should also aim to spend at least 30 minutes outdoors each day to help increase your own natural production of vitamin D.
Summary & contact
You should now have a better idea of how your food, together with rehabilitation therapies noted in this second blog, can help to support faster, high quality injury recovery across our two blogs. In addition to food there are supplements which may also, on a case-by-case basis, be very useful to help you reach your recovery goals sooner.
If you would like more advice or a nutritional plan tailored to your specific recovery needs incorporating supplements, please ring me on 07734111347 or send an email to Fiona@nourishfromwithin.co.uk.
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