Foods to Eat For a Healthy Recovery after Bone Injury

                Have you or someone you know recently gone through a bone injury? Maybe your kneecap just broke or perhaps you have even experienced a traumatic concussion in your skull. In any case, as you are faced with the often painful long period of bone regrowth, you are wondering what you can do to allow for a speedy rebuilding of a healthy bone and a quick relief of the pain associated with your injury. Diet is an easy and extremely effective way of accomplishing a healthy and speedy recovery from your bone injury. In this article we will go through the necessary dietary components that are essential for you!

                When thinking about what to eat to rebuild the bone, we should look at what the bone is comprised of ¹. The bone is actually comprised of a matrix. This matrix is made of the well-known bone star: calcium, as well as magnesium, and phosphorus ². Additionally a large percentage of the bone is made from collagen, a description for thick ropes of amino acid proteins. Vitamin C is highly involved in the formation of collagen ³. Bone cells are constantly being broken down and regenerated. This turn-over process is facilitated by Vitamin K ⁴. Thus you can already guess what you might need to eat, right?!?

Calcium

 As an essential element of the bone matrix, calcium needs are very high for the healing bone. Include low-fat dairy products such as low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese which contain around 30% of your daily recommended allowance of calcium. Calcium is also found in good amounts in leafy greens such as spinach and kale, as well as in other plants foods such as okra, broccoli, beans, legumes, squash and sweet potatoes. Canned wild salmon, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies which contain the soft edible bone are also an excellent sources of calcium. Finally look for calcium supplements or calcium fortification in soymilk, almond milk, etc.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus leads closely behind calcium as a leading element for bone regrowth. Phosphorus is found in animal products including milk, meat, cheese, and fish. Plant foods such as nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, and carbonated water are also excellent sources.

Magnesium

Magnesium is highly involved in bone metabolism and necessary for bone health and repair. Artichokes, whole grains, nuts, beans, lentils, pumpkin, soybean, spinach, and tomatoes are excellent sources of magnesium. Additionally fish is a good source of magnesium.

Vitamin C

The well-reputed O-J and oranges themselves are an excellent source of vitamin C, providing 200% and 100% respectively of the daily recommended allowance. Other fruits such as strawberries, kiwi, mangoes, grapefruit, and pineapple are also excellent sources. Vegetables such as squash, bell peppers, tomatoes, spinach, and broccoli contain appreciable amounts.

Vitamin K

Think Foliage! Leafy greens such as spinach, kale, collard greens, pea tips, and lettuce contain large quantities of Vitamin K. Other vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and spinach are very good sources. Meats and legumes are a good source as well.

Protein

 Though often forgotten, protein is essential for rebuilding the bone matrix and is the main component of collagen fibrils. Eat plenty of lean beef, venison, chicken breast, fish, eggs, lentils, and low-fat dairy products.

Double-Up!

As you have probably come to realize several foods meet several of these basic nutritional needs for bone regrowth. For example eating canned sardines will meet the calcium, phosphorus, and the protein requirement. And eating leafy greens will give you both Vitamin C and Vitamin K. Format your meals to include a variety of the whole foods mentioned without going above your daily calorie requirements, of course! Zinc, silica, and boron are also important elements for bone growth. Be sure to look for good sources of essential minerals and a good vitamin and mineral daily supplement.

Steer Away!

                Avoid foods containing artificial sweeteners and preservatives, as well as refined flour and sugar. Additionally keep in mind that aspirin has been shown to have a negative effect on bone growth ⁵. Leave out the alcohol, excessive caffeine intake, and smoking.

1. Cuthbertson D, Fell G, Smith CM, Tilstone W. Metabolism after injury. 1: Effects of severity, nutrition, and environmental temperature on protein potassium, zinc, and creatine. Br J Surg. 1972;59(12):925-931.

2. Liu SH, Panossian V, Al-Shaikh R, et al. Morphology and matrix composition during early tendon to bone healing. Clin Orthop. 1997;339:253.

3. Nusgens BV, Humbert P, Rougier A, et al. Topically applied vitamin C enhances the mRNA level of collagens I and III, their processing enzymes and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 1 in the human Dermis1. J Invest Dermatol. 2001;116(6):853-859.

4. Vermeer C, Jie KSG, Knapen M. Role of vitamin K in bone metabolism. Annu Rev Nutr. 1995;15(1):1-21.

5. Powles T, Dowsett M, Easty G, Easty D, Neville A. Breast-cancer osteolysis, bone metastases, and anti-osteolytic effect of aspirin. The Lancet. 1976;307(7960):608-610.

6. www.nutritiondata.com

A Cholesterol Question from Michelle!

Michelle's Question:

Hi Preethi!!!

How are you and your family??  I know that by His grace you are well.  Preethi, I have had a nutrition question, that I cannot find an answer to, and wonder if you can help.  I was sitting here praying asking God about this, and I thought of you!  So here goes:

I have always heard that fish is good to include in the diet, because of (omega 3-fatty acids whatever those are;)).  I "knew" on the other hand, that shrimp was not so good, because of it being a food that is high in cholesterol.  Yet, just a few days ago, I looked carefully at the label on some frozen tilapia fillet fish, that I was preparing and was disappointed to see that it contained about 40 mg/4oz serving.   

1) if shrimp has cholesterol and fish also does, then why is fish "good" and shrimp "bad"? 

2)I think I read that fish (esp fatty fish) in a diet can help lower  blood cholesterol, but how can this be so if it (fish) contains cholesterol?

3) So if I am trying to lower cholesterol in our diet should  eliminate fish, because of it's cholesterol content? or is some fish better than others?

Thanks to God for any knowledge that He may haven given you that you might share with us.

In Christ with you,

Michelle (please send my very warm greetings to your mother).

My Answer to Michelle: 

Dear Michelle, 

Thank you so much for your email! It is a blessing to hear from you after we have not met in so long. Here is what I would say about the cholesterol and fish/shrimp issue:

1. Cholesterol is a necessary nutrient and is the component of the central nervous system and bile acids.

2. All natural foods consumed in moderation are well-tolerated; the problem with the high-cholesterol state in people is mainly due to an excess consumption of calories, sugar, refined carbohydrates, or exorbitant amounts of meat.

3. Yes, some fish is better than others. Fish highest in omega 3 fatty acids are the best with regard to prevention of heart disease and improvement of blood lipid parameters. These fish include salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, and albacore tuna. In general nutritionists ask clients to limit consumption of fish to 3 times per week to avoid potential mercury poisoning issues.

4. The problem with cholesterol/saturated fat intake with regard to heart disease is that fatty acids become oxidized. To prevent this process, eat foods containing antioxidants. These foods would be the colorful fruits and vegetables like blueberries, tomatoes, carrots, cherries, etc.

5. High cholesterol can be better treated through diet by eliminating white bread, white sugar, refined foods, eating out, excess calories etc. Eliminating fish is likely not going to help. In fact including the types of fish mentioned above would probably help greatly.

May God bless you as you seek His will to show His physical love to your family!

Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. I Cor 10:17

Love in Christ,

Preethi

Mayo Clinic: Foods for Reducing Cholesterol Levels

Proverbs 31:15 She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants.

A Way to Prepare Healthy Meals for your Family out of the Real Food that God Provides

I. Sign up for a free account at the Nutrition Data Website 

Things you can do on this website:
1. look at the content and percentage of recommended daily intake of all reported vitamins, minerals, fat, carbohydrate, protein, fiber, water, and calories
2. see the composition of fat, protein, carbohydrate as percentage of total calories
3. create recipes (or meals) and analyze the nutritional value
4. includes a very comprehensive data base that includes almost any food, spice, drink, etc. that you can think of, portion sizes may be designated as well
5. includes an essential amino acid score. you can look at lists of foods which complement the amino acid composition of your food, recipe, or meal of interest
6. a nutrient balance score and nutritional target score are included
7. contains helpful instructions for you if you do not know how to use a feature

II. look at the health benefits of the world's healthiest foods at the World's Healthiest Food Website

III. These Websites have Good Wholefood Recipes

* Heavenly Homemakers
* Clean and Delicious
* Healthy Indulgences
* Nourished Kitchen 
* Nourishing Days
* All Creatures 
* Keeper of the Home
* The Healthy Advocate
* Whole Foods 
* Mayo Clinic
* Natural Moms
* Epicurious 
* Good Housekeeping
* Kath Eats Real Food
* 100 Days of Real Food Living
* Kalyn's Kitchen 
* Happy Herbivore
* Real Food Living

IV. Christina Swigart (M.S.) is an excellent certified nutritionist from our church. From her Practical Nutrition Website, you can see that she is well-researched and delivers up-to-date information to all her clients.