Healing Fast, Healing Strong
By Tina Marie Jones
As summertime activities draw us outdoors we engage in more fast-paced and intense activities and sports. Not to mention my age but suffice to say my body is not as limber as it once was and tends to feel the pains of frolicking far longer than I would prefer.
As a nutritional counselor I see my share of sports related injuries and am sharing the facts behind injury, rehabilitation and recovery.
In the past we were told to follow the ICE approach – Ice, Compression and Elevation. This protocol still holds true and if followed religiously after an injury will aid in the healing process but with today’s diets and lack of general nutrients in our foods our bodies tend to lack the very building blocks needed to stay healthy, let alone heal fast and strong.
Attention to nutrient intake is essential to healing as our bodies require more nutrients after an injury to provide the body with the materials needed for rebuilding and repairing tissues. When the body is nourished and well rested healing takes place faster and the immune system stays strong.
Factors that affect healing
Age
Type of injury
Severity of the injury
Prior health status
Rest
Medications
Mobility
Psychological influences
Blood supply
Nutritional status
Dietary intake
Time to heal
Although some injuries take more time to heal, it is not true that time heals all wounds, at least not to the point from where we started.
The ultimate goal in healing is to return the client to his/her health status before the injury occurred as quickly as possible. Keeping a positive mental attitude throughout the healing process and knowing that rest, adequate nutrition and structured rehabilitation are needed allows the client and the doctor to partner in the client’s healing.
Three stages of healing
Long before we had nsaids, pain relievers or corticosteroids the body knew how to heal itself efficiently.
1.Inflammation Phase – a natural protective response of the body which can be controlled with application of ice and use of elevation and rest. Using some pain relievers, mediations and steroids can delay and even offset healing. Lasts anywhere from 1 – 10 days depending on severity of the injury.
2.Repair Phase – in this phase cell growth in the form of tissue, blood cell, collagen and proteoglycans takes place. Starts approximately 2 days after injury and can last 6 – 8 weeks, longer if body is lacking in adequate nutrition.
3.Strengthening Phase – in this phase the body strengthens the injured area by aligning collagen fibers. Starts about 2 weeks after the injury and can last up to 2 years.
Proteolytic Enzymes and healing
Since the 1960’s proteolytic enzymes have been used in sports an dpostsurgical settings to aid healing. When NSAIDS hit the market, people turned to their quick and seemingly safe methods for reducing inflammation. Now with the sweeping request for more natural medicines, there has been a renewed interest in enzyme therapy, as they offer a safe option to reduce inflammation and enhance healing, a factor not generally encountered in NSAIDS.
By supporting the body’s natural inflammatory response, proteolytic enzymes may ease some of the normal symptoms such as heat, swelling and redness without completely inhibiting the natural healing processes, resulting in faster recovery times.
Vitamins and healing
For the healing and rehabilitation process to be successful, the body requires higher than normal nutrient intake. Adequate vitamin and mineral intake during the repair process promotes tissue formation, suppresses oxidation, inflammation and keeps the immune system strong.
Therapeutic Doses of Nutrients (2 days up to – 8 weeks: depending on severity of injury)
Vitamin A3000- 5000 IU
Vitamin C O – 20000 IU
Vitamin E 400 IU
Thiamin50 – 200 mg
Riboflavin10 – 50 mg
Niacin 20 – 100 mg
B625 – 100 mg
Folic Acid400 – 800 mcg
B12 100 – 500 mcg
Biotin 100 – 500 mcg
Pantothenate100 – 250 mg
Calcium 500 – 1200 mg
Magnesium 250 – 600 mg
Zinc 15 – 30 mg
Selenium50 – 100 mcg
Copper1 – 3 mg
Manganese10 – 15 mg
Potassium50 – 99 mg
Please visit our clinic for specific nutrient protocols for your injury. Through use of pharmaceutical grade supplements, enzyme blends and proper diet protocols you can speed healing and bring your body back to its optimal state.
Other Links -
http://www.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=8846&sidebar=574&category=wellness
http://www.nutraceutics.com/Article_Working.aspx
DeShay, Cherry, Perry, “Heal Fast, Heal Strong”, Infomedica, 2006, 10, 12, 14-15, 22, 40-42, 45, 47-50.
Optimal Health Consulting. All rights reserved. 2006
