However, some organic products that should be purchased when possible include strawberries, apples, nectarines, grapes, celery, spinach, and tomatoes. These items are often grown using the most pesticides, which can easily be absorbed through the thin skins of these products.

Organic farms typically use fewer pesticides, so purchasing these items will reduce your risk of putting harmful materials into your body when trying to heal.

When you eat sugar, your body must borrow vital nutrients from healthy cells to break down the food. Calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium are taken from various parts of the body to make use of sugar. When recovering from injury, you need these vital minerals and nutrients to expedite the healing process and shorten your recovery, rather than wasting them on digesting unhealthy foods.

Nutrition and injury recovery go hand in hand. Your body uses everything you put into it — for good or bad. Next time you eat, think about how your body will use it as fuel and its impact on you. Keeping this in mind will help you make healthier choices, and it will help you to recover from illness or injury as quickly as possible.

With the proper diet and recovery plan, you can get back to your life and reclaim your health. In addition to diet, you can benefit from physical therapy to help you regain movement and combat muscle loss.

To learn more or make an appointment, give us a call to find a location near you. Schedule an appointment with one of our expert physical therapists today. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email. By Michelle Bogert, PT, DPT Paradise Valley Location Many people think about injury recovery and immediately imagine physical therapy sessions and rehabilitation routines.

Best Foods and Nutrients for Injury Recovery Plenty of different foods can help you recover from an injury, and these are some of the most beneficial. Anti-Inflammatory Foods When you are injured, it will trigger several responses, including an overall inflammation of the body.

Protein foods to focus on are eggs, chicken, turkey, fish, and steak. Dairy foods such as yogurt, cheese, and milk are also good sources of protein. If you want more plant-based protein sources look to tofu, beans, nuts, tempeh, edamame, and soy milk.

According to research, omega-3 fatty acids from food and supplements may be beneficial for sports injuries due to their anti-inflammatory properties. Animal models show that omega-3 fatty acids can alter muscle metabolism and affect the way it responds to exercise. The research shows that a muscle already nourished with omega-3 fatty acids may respond differently to a trajectory of humans diseases, including injury.

It is important to note that animal research does not necessarily translate to human conditions. While it is important to consume foods high in omega-3 fatty acids following injury to decrease inflammation, there is further evidence to suggest they are important to eat on a regular basis as well to improve outcomes.

Food sources rich in omega-3 fatty acids include fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, and cod liver oil, flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and soybeans.

Although not as high in omega-3s, pasture-raised eggs, some meats and dairy products, hemp seeds, and spinach contain smaller amounts.

One study highlights the consumption of a Mediterranean diet high in omega-3s and monounsaturated fats can help decrease inflammation in the cartilage after injury, preventing osteoarthritis.

Vitamin D is best known for its role in bone health, but research also shows it plays a role in skeletal muscle growth, immune and cardiopulmonary functions, and inflammatory modulation. All of these factors are important for athletic performance and injury recovery.

Additionally, vitamin D deficiency is common in the general population as well as in athletes, which can lead to complications such as depression and osteoporosis.

Meanwhile, high serum levels of vitamin D are associated with reduced injury rates and better sports performance due its role in increasing muscle strength. If you are an athlete or engage in sports activities, it is a good idea to get your vitamin D levels tested by your healthcare provider. Food sources of vitamin D include cod liver oil, salmon, swordfish, tuna, orange juice, milk, and plant milks fortified with vitamin D, egg yolks, and fortified breakfast cereals.

UVB light from the sun can also form vitamin D through a chemical reaction in the skin. But, it is best to balance your exposure by using sunscreen when spending large blocks of time outdoors.

Vitamin C plays a major role in many phases of wound and injury healing. In the beginning phases, it is responsible for clearing the neutrophils from the inflamed site.

Vitamin C also contributes to synthesis, maturation, and secretion of collagen. The body works to maintain high levels of vitamin C to ensure availability for collagen synthesis. When a wound or injury occurs, vitamin C can become depleted and supplements may be needed.

One review studies looked at studies that studied vitamin C supplementation on musculoskeletal injuries. The studies showed that vitamin C supplementation may be beneficial to accelerate bone healing after a fracture, increase collagen synthesis, and reduce oxidative stress.

Food sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, bell pepper, tomatoes, broccoli, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, and white potatoes. If you are considering taking vitamin C supplements, talk to a healthcare provider to determine if your current medications may be impacted and to determine the best dose for you.

Along with vitamin D, calcium works to maintain bone health in athletes. There are many known benefits to weight-bearing exercise on bone health, but without adequate calories and nutrients, bone health may suffer and put the athlete at risk for osteopenia and osteoporosis.

Bone stress injuries are a concern in athletes and modifiable risk factors include physical activity, energy availability, and calcium and vitamin D status. Foods rich in calcium include dairy and fortified plant-milks, cheese, yogurt, fortified orange juice, tofu, edamame, canned sardines and salmon with bones, and almonds.

Zinc is an important mineral involved in immunity, metabolism, and anti-oxidative processes. One study reviewed zinc status in athletes compared to the control population. The study found that despite high zinc intake, serum zinc concentrations were lower in athletes. This data suggests that athletes have a higher zinc requirement compared to those are not physically active.

Another study looked at the role minerals play in age-related muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance. Zinc status was positively associated with physical performance in older adults. Zinc is important nutrient to prevent injuries as one ages.

Food sources of zinc include whole grains, dairy products, oysters, red meat, poultry, chickpeas, and nuts. Magnesium is involved in hundreds of biological processes making it essential for preventing and healing sports injuries. It is required to maintain normal nerve and muscle function, heart rhythm, blood pressure, the immune system, bone integrity, blood glucose levels, and promotes calcium absorption.

Studies show magnesium to be a significant predictor of bone mineral density in athletes, even after adjusting for calories, vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus.

Foods rich in magnesium include nuts and seeds. black beans, edamame, lima beans, quinoa, yogurt, spinach. and dark chocolate. If your injury leads you to a healthcare provider always follow their recommendations.

You may need a series of imaging scans, such as MRIs, and you may need to work with a physical therapist. Listen to their guidance before returning to your sport. For example, they may want you to limit your mileage running or the amount of time playing in the beginning and work up slowly.

Going back too intensely too fast can result in a re-injury and sidelining you even longer. In addition to nutrition, adequate sleep and stress reduction plays a critical a role in speeding up recovery. One study examined the effect of sleep deprivation on muscle injury recovery due to high-intensity exercise in mice.

The study found that sleep deprivation reduces muscle protein synthesis, which slows the repair of muscle, slowing the healing process. You also may want to employ stress-reduction techniques to improve stress management in order to speed up the healing process.

After all, an injury is both physically painful as well as mentally taxing, especially if the injury is keeping you from achieving your goals. One study used a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction intervention to reduce the perception of pain, decrease stress and anxiety, and increase the positive mood in injured athletes.

Consequently, the researchers recommend mindfulness be used as part of the rehabilitation process. While sports injuries are certainly discouraging, with the right nutrition, sleep, and stress reduction regimen in place, you are more likely to be back on your feet in no time.

Be sure to include lots of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and many micronutrients in your diet to help fuel your body during the healing process. You also should prioritize sleep and stress management during your rehabilitation period and always listen to the recommendations of your healthcare provider or physical therapist before returning to your sport.

By adhering to their guidance and caring for your body you will be back doing what you love in no time. Foods that help to heal wounds include foods high in protein, vitamin C, and zinc. Focus on beef, chicken, seafood, and beans, strawberries, citrus fruits, and broccoli, and fortified grains.

Eating well, sleeping, and stress management can help your body heal faster. Focus on healing foods rich in protein, omega-3s, vitamin C, and zinc and be sure to prioritize sleep and stress reduction techniques. Food can certainly be medicine when it comes to injury recovery.

Good nutrition decreases inflammation, provides key nutrients to tissue-building cells, and minimizes muscle atrophy to preserve strength. Papadopoulou SK.

Rehabilitation nutrition for injury recovery of athletes: The role of macronutrient intake. Haltmeier T, Inaba K, Schnüriger B, et al. Factors affecting the caloric and protein intake over time in critically ill trauma patients. J Surg Res. Reidy P. Role of ingested amino acids and protein in the promotion of resistance exercise—induced muscle protein anabolism.

Chen L, Deng H, Cui H, et al. Inflammatory responses and inflammation-associated diseases in organs. Published Dec Tipton KD. Eating a balanced diet of healing foods can help your body heal more quickly and effectively.

A healthy diet is a necessary piece of the puzzle for wound healing and maintaining your overall health and well-being. That means you should be balancing your diet and including all dietary essentials, especially:. Protein is arguably one of the most important aspects of any diet because it is used in nearly every function of your body.

When it comes to wound healing, protein is used to repair tissues, help carry oxygen throughout the body and help fight off infections. The amount of protein needed per day is dependent upon the individual, but generally, the average non-active male needs 56 grams per day. The average non-active female needs to eat 46 grams of protein per day.

People with wounds and other illnesses need to eat more protein each day to help in wound healing. You may consider finding a wound care specialist to help determine the optimal amount needed for you to heal.

Amino acids help build protein and are used in every cell of our bodies. Many amino acids have a role in building and repairing tissues, which is very important in wound healing. Arginine is an amino acid that helps increase blood flow and oxygen to the wound.

This results in increased collagen formation and reduced inflammation. Foods high in arginine include pumpkin seeds, milk, yogurt, and cheese.

Another important amino acid in healing is glutamine which stimulates collagen production, regulates nitrogen metabolism, and supports the immune system.

Healing foods high in glutamine include chicken, fish, cabbage, spinach, dairy foods, tofu, lentils, and beans. Wound care clinics can prescribe a wound care supplement that includes these amino acids to ensure you are receiving enough.

The micronutrients needed for a healthy diet include vitamins and minerals. While your body needs a wide range of micronutrients, research shows that zinc and vitamins A and C are among some of the most vital for wound healing.