Last night I was reading an interesting article written by a physiatrist, a doctor in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation. Julie K. Silver, M.D., a Harvard doc and former cancer patient, specializes in healing. Since there's no link to the story, I'll attempt to give you the highlights. I sincerely hope Julie approves. If you are interested in finding a physiatrist, go to www.aapmr.org So here goes:
Your body will work hard on it's own to help you recover, even if you do little to help the process along. Thousands of chemical and biological reactions occur during the day and night to help you heal. When you're injured, white blood cells called neutrophils rush to the site to ward off infection. Other blood cells called monocytes transform themselves into scavengers (macrophages), to engulf and devour dead tissue and help to control inflammation. If you break a bone, bone cells called osteoblasts kick into action to knit the rough edges back together. And cell damage caused by illness or by harsh therapies, in the case of cancer, hepatitis, and other diseases-gets mended by the same hoardes of miracle workers.
But even though these processes are involuntary and automatic, there are things that smart patients can do to speed and strengthen their recovery. The best healing occurs when you are able to optimize your immune system to avoid infections; encourage the healing of skin, bones, muscles, nerves and tendons; and build strength and endurance. Ya, that last one is very important in my book !
Although physiatrists have a saying: "Good health is a temporary condition", Dr. Silver was not quite prepared to find that she had breast cancer at the age of 38. However, she did experience first hand what it was like to struggle with a serious illness and the issues related to healing. In her own case, Dr. Silver found that inadequate nutrition, lousy sleep patterns and physical deconditioning were what she called the Triple Threat to optimal healing. To combat the Triple Threat, she found the answer to be simple: eat better, sleep better and exercise. She admitted that these goals are not so simple when you are weakened, depressed and isolated by the million worries on your mind. However, when she acted on this knowledge, she got results and we will too !
DON'T NEGLECT NUTRITION
Under this heading she gave examples of foods that will help us get better: Skin and bones need vitamin A to repair themselves; Vitamin C is crucial to the formation of collagen, the main protein of our connective tissue; Bromelain, a mixture of enzymes found in fresh pineapple, reduces swelling, bruising and pain, and it improves healing time following trauma or surgery. Where was my fresh pineapple after I had my surgery in August? Also, adequate protein is absolutely essential for optimal healing.
When people are healthy, they may get away with bad dietary habits. Skipping breakfast and using coffee as a pick-me-up might have worked fine for you in the past, but if you're ill or injured, these shortcuts will actually lengthen your recovery time.
So what are the best eating habits for optimal healing? Carbohydrates such as nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains. Avoid carbs that spike your blood sugar, since these spikes spark inflammation and lead to damage on a cellular level. Protein is the building block of cell repair and gives you energy as well. You should try to get about 15 to 20 percent of your caleries from protein (and maybe more). She recommends plant-based proteins such as beans and nuts, but I imagine a thick, juicy steak would be okay too, on occasion. I apologize to all the vegetarians out there. I'm doing my best to follow your lead. Fruits and vegetables are naturally high on her list, and she recommends five servings per day, as they are some of the best things that you can do for your body for healing. Vitamin C helps heal wounds, strengthen blood vessels and ward off infection. Lycopenes, particularly powerful antioxidants that can boost immune function, are plentiful in tomatoes, apricots, guava, watermelon, papaya and pink grapefruit. She follows up with supplements, such as Vitamins C and E and mentions that beef, peanuts and lentils are rich in zinc.
MAKE SLEEP A PRIORITY
This was pretty obvious. For example, the hormone melatonin is produced during sleep and it's believed to boost your immune system and to help repair corrupted DNA. It just stands to reason that your body needs sleep to repair itself.
GET YOURSELF MOVING
It may seem inconsistent to say that people who desperately need rest also desperately need to move their bodies around, but it's the truth. If the benefits of exercise could be packaged as a pill, it would be the most popular prescription drug available. Physical activity has a positive effect on what is called hemostasis: how the chemicals in the blood interrelate and work together. Exercise also improves the healing of muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments. For example, it spurs the formation of collagen, helping injured tissues heal properly. It also seems to decrease the formation of excessive scar tissue. Exercise helps us heal better ! Exercise also helps us heal faster. The good doctor gave several case study examples, but just trust me...exercise helps us heal faster. After serious illness or surgery, it's always a good practice to consult your doctor befor starting an exercise program.
I want to thank Dr. Julie K. Silver for the wonderful article which was published in the November/December 2008 issue of AARP magazine. I hope you all get to read the article in full. Don
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