I had a bone fracture recently. That is why I didn’t write anything on my blog for a while. Instead, I’ve devoted all my time to healing the foot fracture. It was challenging to say the least, as my injury turned out to be the Lisfranc fracture. It’s probably the worst foot injury one can get as it’s often missed at the initial diagnosis and it may take up to a year or more to heal. It can also involve several base metatarsal bones fractured and dislocated in the worst case scenario.
How I healed my bone fracture?
Thankfully, regardless the complexity of my injury (I fractured 4 metatarsals), I was able to start weight bearing pretty fast. My foot is still healing but being able to start walking makes the world of a difference! I am also grateful not to have any dislocations, so I can concentrate on healing and recovery. For the first two months I kept my foot elevated and frequently iced. I’ve also made sure to eat healing diet and used targeted supplements. I give the credit for the diet to my dear husband, who helped me to stay on track with the right nutrition: simple yet nutrient dense, paleo and AIP compliant!
I would like to mention several healing foods that contributed to my recovery. To heal fast, make sure to have enough protein and collagen as these are building blocks and crucial for healing broken bones and torn ligaments. Consume meat and shellfish as they are rich in many nutrients, including zinc, thus aiding in callus formation. Enjoy sardines, cod liver and egg yolks (if well tolerated, omit for AIP) as they are rich in vitamin D. Make sure to consume dark leafy vegetables as they are a great source of calcium and alkalizing to the body. Cruciferous and allium vegetables contain an abundance of nutrients that help to speed up healing. Citrus fruits, berries, kiwis are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants so eat them regularly.
In addition to the nutrients from foods, I took a number of supplements to ensure that my body was getting everything it needed to speed up the healing process. Here are some of the widely used supplements that helped me to repair my fracture.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is my favorite vitamin and it’s crucial to the bone collagen protein matrix. It is also one of the main antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. Due to its major role in the formation of collagen it is essential to the bone fracture healing process. Studies have shown that adequate vitamin C levels also contribute to a stronger callus over the fracture. This allows the fracture to remain stable and increases the speed of the final healing stage, in which your body remodels and adds bone to completely close the fracture. This zesty vitamin also helps to prevent complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), associated with certain fractures, including Lisfranc.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a key player in your body’s ability to absorb and make use of calcium. Low levels of this vitamin lead to a low calcium content in the blood, overall lowering the amount of calcium available to the body for healing fractured bones. Therefore, deficiencies in vitamin D have been linked to delayed or nonunion of fractures. Vitamin D also works with Vitamin K to stimulate the fracture site stem cells to transform into bone building osteoblasts. These osteoblasts are necessary, for not only the formation of a bony callus to stabilize the fracture, but also to complete the final stage of healing.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is required for the process that binds calcium to bone and it is essential to the proper formation of osteocalcin bone protein. When a bone is fractured, vitamin K is sent to the fracture site and rapidly used. Many fracture patients show depleted vitamin K levels, so supplementing with vitamin K is suggested. The amount of time that vitamin K stores remain depleted often relates directly to the severity of the fracture.
Calcium
Calcium makes up the majority of the bone and is responsible for the elastic stiffness and strength of our bones. The building and healing of bone requires adequate supplies of calcium.
Magnesium
Magnesium is another mineral that is essential to your body’s ability to absorb and efficiently use calcium. Specifically it plays a major role in the ability for bones to utilize calcium during healing periods, such as after a bone fracture. It also helps you to feel more relaxed.
Curcumin
Curcumin, the primary component of turmeric is a powerful antioxidant, as well as an anti-inflammatory. Adding this as a supplement( or as a spice to the diet) can aid in bone healing and benefit overall health.
Fish Oil
Fish Oil is another key supplement to to keep in mind if you have a bone fracture. It contains omega 3 fatty acids, which are essential nutrients. Omega 3 fights inflammation and has positive effects on mitochondrial structure and function, thus allowing your body to heal faster.
Adding these foods and supplements into your diet can help your body heal. By giving your body what it needs to repair an injury, your fracture will complete the healing process faster and the bone will be stronger and less prone to re-injury.
N.B.: If you take prescribed medications, make sure that your doctor knows about all the supplements you take.
Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your health care provider with any questions you may have.
Photo credit:
image1_Hessam Hojati
image2_James Day
image3_Michele Blackwell
Maria is the blogger behind the Zesty Paleo website. As a Hashimoto's patient for more than a decade, Maria has constantly been taking steps to improve her quality of life, including nutrition and lifestyle choices.
Great post. All your tips are informative and helpful for everyone. I have also heart about curcumin which is found in turmeric, has the power to heal bone fracture and acne too. I remember when I was a kid, my brother got his leg bone fractured in an accident. At that time my mother used to give him turmeric powder in milk and that proved to be very helpful in healing his bone fracture fast. That time I got to know about various benefits of turmeric. Keep sharing such informative post. Loved it.