The Best Spinal Cord Injury Recovery Diet

During spinal cord injury recovery, the primary thing that people focus on is physical therapy and rehabilitation. However, you need to keep in mind that your entire lifestyle will play a role in your recovery. That is why we are going to focus on your diet today. Here are some tips to help you enjoy the best diet for your spinal cord injury recovery journey. 

Caloric Intake Considerations 

The temptation may be to continue eating just as much as you did before your injury. However, you need to consider the amount of activity that you are performing each day. A less active lifestyle while taking in the same number of calories is a sure way to put on weight. However, if you are working very hard with your recovery therapy, you may maintain your caloric intake. Thus, this is something you should discuss with your doctor, physical therapist, or nutritionist. 

Increased Water Intake Is Essential 

Water flushes toxins from the body and helps to fight inflammation. Plus, sometimes food cravings are actually just an indicator of dehydration. Therefore, staying hydrated can help to maintain a healthy weight. Replacing sugary carbonated drinks with water can help you avoid weight gain and reduce some inflammation, leading to less pain. 

Additionally, water is a must when it comes to the absorption of specific crucial vitamins like B and C. It can also help your bowel movements stay regular, as dehydration is a significant contributing factor to constipation. 

Plan Your Meals in Advance 

It is common to slip into unhealthy eating habits because it is easier to grab a bag of chips when you are hungry than to prepare a salad. Meal planning will help you to have healthy options available for both meals and snacks. Of course, you have to plan the right meals, so let’s take a closer look at foods to eat and avoid while recovering from a spinal cord injury. 

The Top Foods to Add to Your Spinal Cord Injury Recovery Diet 

To promote the best health in the wake of an SCI, here are some foods that can provide the right nutrients for healing and relief from inflammation. 

• Dark leafy greens – From kale to spinach to collard greens, there are all sorts of dark green leafy veggies that can provide you with the necessary nutrients. One of the essential components of leafy greens is magnesium. Magnesium plays a crucial role in the regulation of nerve and muscle function. There are also many vitamins like A, B, C, E, and K to help your nervous system. 
• Fish rich in omega-3s – Omega 3 fatty acids are a must during the recovery process. Research reveals that omega-3s help prevent nerve damage but also may help to treat it.  
• Veggies high in vitamin A – It is usually easy to spot vegetables that are high in vitamin A. They tend to be orange. For example, carrots, sweet potatoes, and pumpkins are all foods that can help you increase the amount of vitamin A in your body. The orange color comes from beta-carotene, a substance that your body converts into vitamin A. Why is this vital during your recovery? Vitamin A is a must for skin health, and you want to avoid pressure sores at all costs. 
• Berries – Several factors make berries particularly useful when it comes to spinal cord injury recovery. For one thing, berries are full of antioxidants. These can help to limit further CNS damage by the way that they protect cell walls. Berries are also mostly water, so it is an excellent way to improve hydration, the benefits of which we have already discussed. Finally, berries help to reduce oxidative stress because they contain resveratrol. 

These are just a few helpful foods you can add to your diet. 

Foods to Avoid While Recovering from an SCI

Besides adding some healthy foods to your diet, you also want to avoid foods that can dehydrate you, cause constipation, and increase swelling in the body. Some of the foods and drinks that are notorious for these issues include fast food, highly processed foods, high refined sugars, and foods that contain artificial sweeteners. 

Again, it may be a good idea to replace some of these foods with the beneficial foods and drinks noted above. For example, you can replace sugary desserts with berries. For a little more substance, you can add them to yogurt. That is also good for your gut health. Try replacing sweetened drinks with water. You can add a squeeze of citrus to your water to enhance the flavor and get even more helpful vitamins (particularly vitamin C). 

Getting the Help You Need for Your Spinal Cord Injury Recovery Journey 

When you are recovering from an SCI, you need all the assistance you can get. From physical therapy to dietary adjustments to the right mental attitude, everything can make a difference in the final outcome. That is why iAM ABLE has developed the eBook 7 Unbelievably Important Steps to Take to Thrive after Paralysis. 

A positive outlook on your recovery will help you stay focused and make all the little changes that add up to significant accomplishments. Your life may never be the same, but if you embrace your new circumstances, you can enjoy a satisfying and meaningful life.  

Grab our free e-book 7 Unbelievably Important Steps to Take to THRIVE after Paralysis by clicking the image below.