Healing Foods for Joint Sprains

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beta carotene, bromalain, healing foods, joint damage, natural supplements, omega 3, omega 3 fatty acids, pineapple, sprains, vitamin A, vitamin c, wound healing, zinc

When you have an injury, the hardest thing to do is sit tight and let your body recover. Unfortunately, modern medicine doesn’t have much to speed up bone formation and remodeling. While physical therapy and exercise is the key to recovery and minimizing pain, there are certain foods that can help decrease inflammatory pain and improve recovery:

1. Beta-carotene: important for collagen formation. Beta carotene is an important component in the process of ligament re-growth.
2. Zinc: topical wound healing formulations often include zinc oxide. An important mineral, zinc is key for growth and wound healing . Foods rich in zinc include sesame seeds and raw pumpkin seeds
3. Pineapples: this delicious fruit contains bromalain, the enzyme key for wound healing and to reduce swelling. Pineapples are also high in Vitamin C which is anti-inflammatory and supports collagen formation.
4. Omega-3 fatty acids: researchers found that when a person consumes a high ratio of omega 6-to-omega 3, there is over-activation of COX-2, the inflammatory enzyme responsible for joint pain.

While studies on food that can affect pain and sprains are still very limiting, those who are chronic pain sufferers can often attest to consuming foods that affect pain and inflammation level. If you have had these experiences, we would love to hear about them!

-NZ

References:

Bromalain http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/895.html

Zinc http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/

 

 

Minimize Allergies with Your Diet

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allergy, allergy relief, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, diet, fermented foods, foods, healthy eating, herbal, omega 3 fatty acids, probiotic, vitamin c, vitamin D

Spring time is not always a welcome time for those who are suffering from seasonal allergies. With allergy season now in full bloom, I want to take this opportunity to talk about how foods can help to relieve some of the allergy symptoms.

Below are 3 key food components that can help to make this allergy season more tolerable.

1. Studies have shown that probiotics can help to control allergy symptoms by regulating the immune system within the gut. This helps to control inflammation and lessen allergy symptoms. Probiotics can come from eating fermented foods and natural yogurt. Check out my fermented food entry for food suggestions.
2. Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and have shown to fight against the immune aggravation associated with allergies. Research shows omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the production of inflammatory cytokines in your body, responsible for causing allergy symptoms. Foods rich in omega-3s include fish, egg yolk and krill oil.
3. Antioxidants, especially vitamin C, can help to minimize many seasonal allergy symptoms. Try to incorporate kale, tomatoes, berries and other foods high in vitamin C to help against congestion and inflammation. It is important to note that some allergy sufferers might have cross-sensitivity to foods as well. Be cautious of food allergies, especially if you have pollen and/or grass sensitivity.

Getting adequate vitamin D is also crucial for managing allergy symptoms, especially for those who have asthma. The best way to get vitamin D is through the sun, but vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) supplements might be necessary depending on where you live.

-NZ