Nutrition for Injury Recovery | San Diego Informer

By Dr. Donald A. Ozello DC

Las Vegas Informer

Eat right to promote healing. Sound nutrition strategies aid in the injury recovery process.

Injury healing is a complicated physiological process. Good nutrition is one of several significant tools we have at our disposal in the injury recovery phase. Incorporate simple dietary strategies to provide your body the means to heal.

Several important nutritional factors exist.

Before an Injury: Eat healthy before an injury. Unfortunately nutrition is often overlooked before and after an injury. No one wants to suffer an injury but the healthier you are before an injury helps during the recovery phase. Utilize proven healthy dietary strategies year round.

Inflammation: Nutrition is our foremost tool to combat inflammation. Eat foods that decrease inflammation. Reducing inflammation assists healing.

Utilize nutrition as a catalyst against unnecessary inflammation. The body produces anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory chemicals called prostaglandins in response to our foods. An imbalance between pro-inflammatory producing foods and anti-inflammatory foods leads to chronic inflammation. Implement nutritional strategies that balance the intake of anti-inflammatory foods and pro-inflammatory foods to better control inflammation.

Anti-inflammatory chemicals are released following the consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids. Foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids include wild caught salmon, albacore tuna, trout, mackerel, herring, mullet, anchovy, bluefish and sturgeon. Walnuts and pumpkin seeds are snack foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids. Olive oil, flaxseed oil, fish oil, black current oil, evening primrose oil and borage oil contain Omega-3 fatty acids.

The body releases inflammation promoting chemicals following the consumption of Omega-6 fatty acids, saturated fats, hydrogenated fats and partial-hydrogenated fats. These foods include domestic beef, pork, chicken, lamb, butter, vegetable oil and highly processed foods.

Eat cold water fish two to four times a week to reduce inflammation. Replace Omega-6 foods with the Omega-3 foods whenever possible. Cook with olive oil instead of vegetable oil, butter and margarine to lower your intake of pro-inflammatory foods.

Stay clear of highly processed foods. Processed foods contain numerous chemical additives. These additives are difficult to breakdown and digest. If these partially digested particles enter the blood stream an inflammatory response occurs, hence inflammation is increased.

Avoid hydrogenated fats and partially hydrogenated fats, also known as trans-fats. Hydrogenation is man-made chemical process that turns unsaturated fats into saturated fats.

Hydration: Stay hydrated. Consuming adequate amounts of water and healthy fluids throughout the day flushes toxins and promotes health.

The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies recommends the following guidelines for fluid consumption. A healthy adult male living in a temperate climate should drink about 13 cups of fluids a day. A healthy adult female living in a temperate climate should consume about nine cups of fluids daily.

Caloric Intake: Adjust your total caloric intake to your activity level. Do not increase your caloric intake when you are inactive. Consuming extra calories leads to weight gain. Modify your caloric intake to prevent weight gain during your injury recovery phases.

Sound nutritional strategies are vital in all aspects of health and fitness. Implement these general nutritional guidelines to feed your body properly while you recover from an injury.

Dr.?Donald A. Ozello DC

Dr. Donald A Ozello DC is the owner and treating doctor at Championship Chiropractic located at 2595 S. Cimarron Rd, Suite #100, Las Vegas, NV 89117. ?His web address is?www.ChampionshipChiropractic.com?and he can be contacted at (702) 286-9040 and??DrO@ChampionshipChiropractic.com?.

Dr. Donald A. Ozello DC writes a weekly health, fitness, exercise and nutrition column for The Las Vegas Informer. His is also published in OnFitness magazine, LiveStrong.com, SpineUniverse.com, MyHealthZine.com and EHow.com.

Dr. Donald A. Ozello DC is an award-winning public speaker. He has spoken to various groups on health, fitness, exercise and nutrition topics. His mission is to educate and inspire others to live healthier, fitter, more functional lives.

Dr. Donald A. Ozello DC loves to exercise. Bike riding and kettlebell training are his current favorite forms of exercises. He credits ?The Godfather of Fitness? Mr. Jack LaLanne as an early influence on his life.

Before pursuing his career in Chiropractic, Dr. Donald A. Ozello DC served in the United States Navy aboard the USS Bremerton, SSN 698.

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