Here Are 7 Best Foods For Injury Recovery

We are what we eat is an old but meaningful phrase. Our diet plays an important role in keeping us healthy. Diet also plays a major role in preventing injuries from sports, ageing, or other factors.

We push our body to do its best when we exercise or engage in sports activities. And hence we need the right fuel in the form of food. A balanced diet prevents sports injury and, infact, recovers faster from it.

This blog will discuss how a healthy diet helps in injury recovery and suggest the best foods for injury recovery.

How does a healthy diet help in sports injury recovery?

A healthy diet helps in sports injury recovery in the following ways:

• It boosts collagen production
• It helps fight inflammation
• It manages your calories
• It adds antioxidants to a diet that flushes toxins out of the body and maintains the body’s vitality.
• It fortifies proper muscle health
• It lowers the risk of stress fractures

So, are you looking for a healthy, fortified diet for sports injury recovery and prevention? Here they are.

7 best diet for injury recovery

1. Make fish an essential component of your diet

Fish contains omega-3, a polyunsaturated fatty acid that helps defend against muscle and connective tissue injury, builds strong muscles, recovers concussions, and prevents muscle loss and fatigue.

Unfortunately, it is not synthesised by the body, so you can get it by eating fatty fish like mackerel, salmon, and herring.

2. Consume ample calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium

These essential minerals are required in very less quantities, but their deficiency can lead to major health risks. Athletes should take them in optimum quantities through diverse foods to omit muscle loss, muscle debility, exhaustion, etc., eventually leading to sports injury.

3. Ensure the optimum intake of Vitamin D in the diet

Vitamin D helps store minerals in bones and ensures strong bones. They also help in absorbing calcium in the blood. You can consume fatty fish and dairy products like milk, cheese, clarified butter, and egg yolks to get your optimum intake, as they are great vitamin D sources.

4. Berries and nuts to accompany you during snack time

Nuts and berries are vital in supplying essential nutrients. Blueberries are anti-inflammatory and help in cellular healing, thus aiding faster injury recovery. Nuts and berries are healthy and delicious. You can add a handful of nuts and berries toppings to oats, porridge, pudding, smoothies, and salad, or you can munch them in mid-snack.

5. Proteins are must-haves

Proteins help to regenerate new cells, replace the old ones, build muscle and maintain energy levels. Proteins also help in boosting collagen. Collagen is important in the body’s composition, and 35% of our body structure is made of protein-built collagen. Athletes should add more protein to their diet to prevent sports injuries, as it provides flexibility, supports joints, and strengthens bones. You can get proteins in dairy products, egg whites, lean meat, and lentils.

6. Take supplements

Even though you are taking a good diet, you can show various symptoms of nutrition deficiency. It has two reasons: first, your body does not absorb the needed amount of nutrients, and second, your body needs extra nutrients as recharge fuel which the food is not supplying. Hence, athletes should take supplements to boost collagen and bridge protein, vitamin, and mineral deficiencies.

7. Add essential antioxidant foods to your diet

Antioxidants drain unnecessary toxins, purify the blood and keep our organs healthy. Raw fruits, leafy vegetables, turmeric, flax seeds, etc., are good antioxidant foods or “body cleansers” that cleanse our system, build resilience in tissues and muscles and help maintain a robust body.

Apart from food, hydration is equally important. Athletes should consume at least 5-6 litres of water daily, including beverages and soothing drinks. Avoid consumption of excess caffeine.

Dr Rik Kundra is an expert orthopaedic in Dubai who specialises in sports injury treatment. Sports injuries are common, but a good diet can reduce their occurance and impact. Dr Rik treats sports injuries and educates his patients about the best food for injury recovery.

Book an appointment with him to discuss your orthopaedic issues.