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Q I broke my finger when I fell while running. Are there any supplement or dietary recommendations I can incorporate into my routine to aid the healing? — GL, Greenville
A What a great question. Catherine Romaine, a third-year Brody medical student, jumped at the chance to again answer a sports-related question. Here is what she wants you to know.
Sometimes recovering from an injury doesn’t just involve a brace or a Band-Aid — nutrition can play a big role in helping your body heal after a fall, sprain or fracture. Whether you’ve suffered a broken bone, a torn ligament, a pulled muscle or a concussion eating the right nutrients can be an important step in helping your body control inflammation, rebuild muscle or connective tissue and heal wounds.
After an injury, it is common for the injured part of your body to get inflamed and become swollen and painful. To help get the inflammation under control, try swapping out your fried and greasy foods for healthier sources of fat such as avocado, fish, lean meats, nuts and seeds. Fresh fruits and vegetables also are great options as they contain antioxidants which help your body recycle byproducts of the healing process. Making a delicious smoothie full of whole fruits and vegetables is a great way to get several important nutrients at once. Even something as simple as a cup of green tea can have great benefits.
Getting enough protein in your diet is also an important concern during the healing process, especially if you are placed in a brace, cast or are using crutches. Immobilizers like these can make it harder for your muscles to rebuild and recover. Protein serves as one of the most important macronutrients to help your body build and maintain muscle.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends the average person to eat 0.8 grams of protein for each kilogram of body weight each day. You may need more if you are a more active person or are trying to build muscle mass. Amino acids like leucine, which is commonly found in cheeses, lean meats, fish, nuts, and seeds, is known for being great at stimulating quick protein production and muscle growth. Alternatively, you can try to eat foods such as cottage cheese or yogurt that are rich in casein, a type of protein that helps build muscles slowly over time. All of these options are a great source of protein and will help give your body nutrients to maintain your muscle while you recover.
This might be a time to take a dietary supplement if you can’t get the needed nutrients in food or beverage. Talk with your doctor first, but you might find a daily fish oil supplement helpful for inflammation. You can get a few side effects from fish oil, but they are usually mild: unpleasant taste in the mouth, bad breath, heartburn, nausea, stomach discomfort, diarrhea and headache. These supplements may also interact with certain medications, especially anticoagulation medicines such as warfarin (Coumadin). Talk with your health care provider about possible interactions.
It is also important to make sure you are getting enough calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and Vitamin D to help your bones heal properly. Aim for 1,500 milligrams of calcium each day by drinking milk or eating yogurt, cheese, salmon, or any of the dark green vegetables (kale, spinach, broccoli). Phosphorus is another common building block of bone that can be found in dairy products, nuts and oats. It is recommended that adults consume 700mg of phosphorus each day. Magnesium is found in seeds, tofu, broccoli, and spinach.
Adult women should aim for 310-320mg of magnesium per day and adult men should try to eat 400-420 mg daily. It may also be beneficial to talk to your doctor about vitamin D as your body’s levels of this vitamin can be low after a bone fracture. You can also get a good dietary source of vitamin D in foods such as fish and dairy products. Maintaining a good amount of these essential nutrients in your body can play a key role in improving the speed and strength in which your bones heal.
Having an injury is never fun but taking the time to fuel your body with the right nutrients can be just as important as rest and ice packs. By making sure you are giving your body a good source of protein, calcium, fatty acids, and antioxidants, you will set your body up to make a full and speedy recovery.
