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