Tag Archive for: nutrition

NUTRITION TO AID INJURY RECOVERY

Original Article By Carolyne Whelan

As a culture, we Americans tend to put a lot of focus on the external healing of a wound or injury. We bandage, splint, cast. Eventually, maybe, we venture into the realm of physical therapy and/or yoga. But our beautiful, complex bodies are doing so much work on the inside to heal what’s broken that it’s worth taking a look at how that’s done and what we can do to help ourselves help our cells.

First and foremost, keeping up with electrolytes is very important. Humans are living, breathing, electrically charged beings. All of life is, really. And the ions that, when dissolved in water, create that electric charge are called electrolytes. They are what keep us alive and what keep us working properly. This is a very simplistic description, of course, but electrolyte balance is crucial for healing so that your cells can do their wonderful things. There are 7 main electrolytes: sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphate, and bicarbonate, and we need to keep these all in balance. Remember, these are ions that are electrically charged in water, so be sure to be also drinking a ton of water in general and especially while recovering from an injury.

Second, even though you may be hanging out in bed binge-watching Absolutely Fabulous on Netflix while you wait for your new limb to grow, you still need to eat (and, realistically, even if you have a broken bone, your body will heal faster if you are energizing it with activity and moving around however you’re able). While you might be relaxing, your body is working long hours of overtime trying to regenerate what you broke, so make sure it has the fuel it needs to get that done. Plan to eat about 15-20 calories per pound of body weight (if you weigh 150 lbs., you should be consuming close to 3,000 calories a day). But don’t just eat a sleeve of cookies and call it a day; broken bones need vitamins and minerals! And protein! And antioxidant anti-inflammatory nutrients! You might as well double down on your calories and make them count.

Vitamins E and C and omega-3 fatty acids will help fight free radicals that break down bone collagen and cause inflammation, meanwhile Copper helps the formation of bone collagen, so consuming all of these at once is a double whammy for any fracture trying hard to heal. Zinc enhances bone protein production and therefore stimulates fracture healing. Calcium and Phosphorus are the main minerals in bones and regulate the strength and elastic stiffness of bones. In the first stages of healing, your broken bone will leech from your other bones to heal itself as efficiently as possible, so it’s important to make sure you are consuming lots of vitamins so that you can replenish your body and keep your fracture fed with the nutrients it needs to heal. Other vitamins that are essential for healing and recovery are D and K, which help you retain calcium, and B6 which is a general fracture-reducing vitamin that helps fractures heal faster and also keeps them from happening in the first place.

Now that you know the micros of what you need to eat, what foods will give you these nutrients? Multivitamins are great and all, but unless it is a whole foods vitamin and those foods are in your diet naturally, your body will not absorb the vitamin (that’s why your pee is weird when you take a vitamin). Protein powders are packed with nutrition, but who wants to drink 5 protein shakes a day (I’ve been there, it’s not great). Quinoa is often called a superfood, but that doesn’t mean a whole lot if you’re just in the grocery store wondering why you should pay extra for a simple grain. What makes it “super” is that quinoa’s a grain that provides complex carbohydrates and calories, it’s a complete protein, and it’s also a good source of magnesium. Kale, another “superfood,” is a fantastic source of vitamins A, C and K as well as omega 3 fatty acids; meanwhile spinach will provide you with a ton of Iron. Broccoli will also provide loads of Vitamins K and C, as well as B6 and a fair amount of protein. Tempeh is a great source of magnesium, protein, phosphorus, and calcium.

Finally, there are easy additions to your meal that pack a punch in both flavor and nutrients. Turmeric, ginger, garlic, flax meal and chia seeds all provide a ton of nutritional value in addition to making your healthy meal a bit tastier. Flax meal and chia seeds can be used as a binding element in baking and cooking, or tossed in a smoothie, and provide lots of omega-3s. Turmeric, garlic, and ginger are all anti-inflammatories. The salad pictured above fed 6 Dirt Raggers for about $23 and contains a complete nutritional profile of micros and macros. There’s a ton of stuff in there but drop a line if you’d like to know what we’re eating.

The next time you fracture your collarbone, break a rib or, as I did a few weeks ago, chip off a piece of bone from your wrist, drink lots of water, take plenty of naps, and be sure to keep up with your electrolytes, carbohydrates, and micronutrients and you’ll be back on your bike in no time.

 


New Mexico Orthopaedics is a multi-disciplinary orthopaedic clinic located in Albuquerque New Mexico. We have multiple physical therapy clinics located throughout the Albuquerque metro area.

New Mexico Orthopaedics offers a full spectrum of services related to orthopaedic care and our expertise ranges from acute conditions such as sports injuries and fractures to prolonged, chronic care diagnoses, including total joint replacement and spinal disorders.

Because our team of highly-trained physicians specialize in various aspects of the musculoskeletal system, our practice has the capacity to treat any orthopaedic condition, and offer related support services, such as physical therapy, WorkLink and much more.

If you need orthopedic care in Albuquerque New Mexico contact New Mexico Orthopaedics at 505-724-4300.

6 Everyday Habits That Could Hurt Your Bone Health

Original Article By Carina Wolff

Most of us don’t spend too much time fretting about our bones. Not only can we not directly see them, but thinking about your bones seems like something you only have to deal with when you’re older. However, you might not realize it, but there are a number of everyday habits that could hurt your bone health. Although you might not feel the repercussions now, you won’t want to suffer the consequences later.

“It is important to protect your bone health at all ages to reduce the risk for osteoporosis and possible fractures or broken bones, which can be life-altering,” Dr. Andrea Singer, clinical director at the National Oste oporosis Foundation, tells Bustle. “Osteoporosis is a condition where too much bone is lost, not enough bone is made or both; this can result in more fragile bones which may be more likely to break. A fracture or broken bone can affect a person’s mobility, ability to live independently and impact their quality of life and ability to do the things they want or need to do.”

To make sure you reduce your risk of osteoporosis as well as injury, you’ll want to make sure you are aware of these six everyday habits that can hurt your bone health, according to experts.

1.) Not Getting Enough Sunlight
Many people know that spending time outside gives you a boost of Vitamin D, which is a critical nutrient when it comes to your bone health. “Vitamin D plays an important role in protecting your bones, both by helping your body absorb calcium and by supporting muscles needed to avoid falls,” says Singer. “If you aren’t getting enough vitamin D from sunlight and food, talk to your doctor about taking a supplement to make sure you get the recommended amount to support bone health.”

2.) Sitting On The Couch For Too Long
If you’re too sedentary, your bones can take a hit, as exercise can strengthen bones in the same way that it can strengthen muscles. “To build strong bones, you need weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercise,” says Singer. “Weight-bearing means ‘on your feet’ exercises, so walking, running, dancing, aerobics, are all examples. Muscle-strengthening means resistance exercises, such as light weights, using exercise bands, yoga and pilates.”

3.) Smoking
That cigarette habit is doing more than just hurting your lungs. “Several studies have linked smoking with an increased risk for osteoporosis and bone fractures,” says Singer. “Smoking is linked to an increase in production of the stress hormone cortisol, which weakens bone and it impedes production of the hormone calcitonin, which helps build bone.”

4.) Drinking Alcohol
“Drinking too much alcohol interferes with the balance of calcium in the body,” Singer says. “It also affects the production of hormones, which have a protective effect on bone and of the vitamins we need to absorb calcium. Excessive alcohol consumption can also lead to more falls and related fractures.” Singer suggests limiting your drinking to no more than two drinks per day to avoid harming your bones.

5.) Drinking Soda
Most of us know that soda isn’t exactly the healthiest of beverages, but in addition to its sugar content, it can also block absorption of important nutrients. “The phosphate in the soda-pop binds with calcium so that your body doesn’t absorb it,” orthopedic surgeon Dr. Victor Romano tells Bustle. Research is mixed — as there’s no good evidence that a high phosphate intake affects bone metabolism or bone density, according to Harvard Health. However, carbonated beverages have long been associated with low bone density and fractures in adolescent girls, so it’s best to go easy on the soda.

6.) Eating An Imbalanced Diet
The foods that you eat can affect your bones. “Getting enough calcium is essential to building strong, dense bones when you’re young and keeping them strong and healthy as you age,” Singer says. “Not eating a well-balanced diet that includes the recommended amount of calcium can have a negative effect on your bone development and remodeling. Too much salt in the diet can also be detrimental to bone.”

While bone health may not be top of mind now, it’s important to remember that these habits could lead to bone issues down the line.


New Mexico Orthopaedics is a multi-disciplinary orthopaedic clinic located in Albuquerque New Mexico. We have multiple physical therapy clinics located throughout the Albuquerque metro area.

New Mexico Orthopaedics offers a full spectrum of services related to orthopaedic care and our expertise ranges from acute conditions such as sports injuries and fractures to prolonged, chronic care diagnoses, including total joint replacement and spinal disorders.

Because our team of highly-trained physicians specialize in various aspects of the musculoskeletal system, our practice has the capacity to treat any orthopaedic condition, and offer related support services, such as physical therapy, WorkLink and much more.

If you need orthopedic care in Albuquerque New Mexico contact New Mexico Orthopaedics at 505-724-4300.

Black Friday Weekend Health & Fitness Tips: Recover From The Food Coma & Shop Healthfully

We found these great tips from the Beauty Bean and wanted to share. These are great for ANY marathon day of Holiday shopping!

By Liz DiAlto

This holiday weekend, cure your Thanksgiving hangover (whether it’s food induced, alcohol induced or a combo of the two!) with these bounce back tips:

Start out your day with a large, room temperature glass of water with lemon. Stick with room temperature so the body doesn’t have to expend extra energy to heat cold water to body temperature and add some lemon because, although it tastes acidic, once it interacts with the body it turns alkaline. (Without boring you with the exact science, the gist is that disease cannot live in a high alkaline-low acid body, so starting off your day by nudging your pH back in the alkaline direction is a smart move!)

Need a little detoxifying? Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to that water.

Eat a healthy, balanced breakfast. We recommend an egg white omelette with some green veggies in there, green juice, oatmeal with almonds or walnuts or an apple with almond or natural peanut butter.

Wear sneakers. We’re all about fashion and style, but this is the Olympics of shopping days and you need to get your priorities straight. To maximize your ability to bob and weave in and out of aisles, sale racks and precarious line situations and to minimize the aches, pains and blisters at the end of the day, sneakers are the pick.

Park as far away from the entrance as possible. Not only do you waste precious shopping minutes and risk unnecessary parking lot confrontations (we believe you, you signaled first!) by trying to find a great parking spot, but also you miss out on the opportunity to get in a bit more fitness (perfect for countering that extra helping of Thanksgiving pie!).

Don’t you dare stand still on that escalator, miss! And while you’re at it, take the stairs if that’s an option.  Since you’re probably not waking up early for a pre-shopping workout, (if you are: high five to you and we apologize for underestimating you!) be efficient and get fit while shopping (even more so when you’re carrying bags!).

Stay hydrated and beware of the food court. We know it would be asking a lot to suggest packing a healthy lunch, but you should definitely keep a bottle of water on hand.  If you find yourself in the food court, steer clear of fast foods, fried foods and super high sodium foods. We know, food court chinese food is so good, but the day for overindulging was yesterday, so make better choices today.

Healthy foods that travel well!

Squat over the toilet. Use good form, squeeze your glutes, abs in nice and tight and feel that burn (you think we’re kidding, but this may be your only chance at toning that booty today!)

Make the most out of your time in line. Again, this may be your only time for toning today so think about contracting your core muscles as if you were holding a plank (without holding your breath) for 30-60 seconds at a time, squeeze your glutes for counts of five, alternating between contracting and relaxing and, if you don’t mind looking a little silly, do some calf raises.

Happy Holidays and Happy Shopping!

How to stick to your fitness goals throughout the holidays!

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