If you have an injury and you’re going to A Body In Motion Rehabilitation for physiotherapy and resting and following your home exercise program then there’s nothing more you can do to help speed up the healing process, right???
Actually, there is something more you can do. Fortunately, certain foods can help reduce the amount of time your body needs to recover from an injury. Take a look at the following list and try to incorporate these foods into your daily diet to help your body heal:
1. Protein Rich Foods
Protein is important for many reasons. Protein is a building block for tissues including muscle. Oftentimes an injury prevents you from moving optimally and immobilization of the injured body part leads to decline in strength and muscle mass. Protein in your diet will help rebuild any lost muscle and therefore help you regain your strength.
Eating protein rich foods throughout the day like meat, fish, poultry, tofu, beans, peas, nuts and seeds is a great way to promote healing.
2. Antioxidant Rich Foods
Antioxidant rich foods are those that have Vitamin A, C and E. These foods help control oxidative stress caused by injury. Oxidative stress is caused when there is cell damage within the body. Foods rich in antioxidants can help speed up your recovery by preventing excessive levels of inflammation. Vitamin A rich foods include carrots, sweet potatoes, leafy greens and broccoli. Vitamin C rich foods play an important role in helping make collagen and maintaining strength in bones and muscles. Some great options include peppers, citrus, strawberries, kiwi and pineapple. Foods high in Vitamin E include almonds, spinach, sunflower seeds and squash.
3. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
When we injure ourselves our body’s protective response is to create inflammation. This is beneficial for proper healing however, if inflammation is too high for too long it can mean a slower recovery. Omega-3 fatty acids are a great way to help limit prolonged inflammation and can be found in fish, algae, walnuts, flaxseeds and chia seeds.
4. Zinc-Rich Foods
Zinc is very important in the process of tissue repair and growth and can be found in meat, fish, pulses, seeds, nuts and whole grains.
5. Vitamin D and calcium rich foods
Calcium rich foods include dairy products, leafy greens, sardines, broccoli, okra, almonds and seaweed and are important for healthy bones and teeth and also for proper muscle contraction and nerve signaling. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and helps reduce inflammation in the body. Foods rich in Vitamin D include fatty fish, eggs, and cheese. Getting sufficient amounts of Vitamin D from foods is challenging so be sure to get outside to absorb the sunshine and talk to your healthcare provider to see if a Vitamin D supplement would be beneficial for you.
Eating a variety of these foods on a regular basis is ideal to help protect your body and keep you strong and healthy, adding some extra to your diet when you are injured can help speed up the healing process and get you back to feeling great!
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