Protein and Patient Recovery – Can Protein Help You Heal Faster?

By Causenta Wellness

Most people are aware that protein is part of a healthy and balanced diet, but do you know why?

Your body needs protein to help build and repair various body tissues, including muscle and skin. Protein is also a key player in immune system functions, helping to fight infection. Additionally, protein also plays a part in balancing body fluids and carrying oxygen through your body.

If you are recovering from an injury, surgery, or illness, remember that protein helps in healing. In this regard, you can think of food – with protein in it – as medicine. I am not recommending you eat whatever you want; you should maintain a balanced diet full of colorful fruits and vegetables and plenty of protein.

How Much Protein Helps in Healing?

How much protein you need each day to boost recovery depends on your age, your gender, how active you are, and what you are trying to heal. And, you have to consider your own body’s metabolism; everyone digests things at a different pace and in slightly different ways.

For instance, if you eat 100 grams of protein, it can all be digested. However, it will not be used immediately by the body; some of it will be broken down and stored.

Based on the various types of testing we can perform at Causenta, we can tell you how much protein helps in healing your body. This will save you time and money because you’ll know you are eating the right food for healing deep wounds. 

H2: Recommended Food for Healing Deep Wounds

You should know what microbiomes are in your gut when deciding what foods to avoid during wound healing. A microbiome is the community of microorganisms — such as bacteria, archaea, fungi, as well as viruses — that live in your body (and the ecosystem).

Testing the microbiome allows us to see unique things that can help people stay healthier and get the most energy and additional benefits from the food they are eating.

You have to do a stool sample to test the microbiome if you want to get the most benefit from how protein helps with healing. This can be a crucial first step.

Types of Food with Protein

Generally speaking, foods that are high in protein include lean meat, poultry, and fish. An appropriate serving of these foods is about 3 ounces, which is approximately the size and thickness of a deck of cards.

For those who are vegetarian or vegan, don’t worry. Protein isn’t only found in meat. You can also get the amount of protein that helps with healing from eggs, dairy, soy products, beans, nuts, and seeds.

If you want more protein in your diet, here are some additional suggestions:

• Add powdered milk to other foods.
• Add powdered protein to fruit smoothies and cooked cereal like oatmeal.
• Add beans to soup and chili.
• Add nuts, seeds, or wheat germ to yogurt.

• Spread peanut butter onto a banana.
• Mix cottage cheese into noodle dishes or casseroles.
• Sprinkle hard-boiled eggs on a salad.
• Grate cheese over vegetables and soups.

Foods to Avoid During Wound Healing

If you are in the recovery process, foods to avoid during wound healing are those low in nutrients and high in fat, sugar, and salt. Examples include doughnuts, cookies, fried foods, candy, and regular soda. 

Protein aids in the recovery, as do other foods rich in vitamins A and C. Examples include tomatoes, citrus fruits, carrots, peppers, spinach, and broccoli. When you pair these foods with protein, you are helping your healing process in more ways than one.

What Type of Protein Would the Body Make to Heal a Wound?

Consuming protein helps with healing and so does the production of proteins in the body. For instance, collagen – a type of protein – is crucial to an injured area’s strength making it a key player in the early stages of recovery and wound healing. Nutrition plays a key role in the body being able to make this essential protein needed for recovery.

Proteins also play structural roles in the body, being found in cardiac, skeletal, and smooth muscle tissues. Fibrous proteins collagen, elastin, and keratin are found in the skin, hair, and nails. Forty percent of the body’s protein lives in skeletal muscle, which makes up the majority of lean body mass. These are also the metabolically active tissues of the body.

How to Speed Wound Healing?

When you follow the guidelines I’ve laid out in this article, you can speed up wound healing and recovery from illness. This includes eating protein two to three times a day, along with fruits and vegetables that contain important vitamins. 

You can also use heat – wet or dry – to increase blood flow to an area and boost the production of human growth hormone (HGH). A naturally occurring hormone, HGH also assists in healing. It is important for growth, cell regeneration, and cell reproduction. HGH helps to maintain, build, and repair healthy tissue.

If you are interested in learning more about how protein helps in healing, contact us today for a 30-minute consultation. We can help patients who are undergoing cancer treatment, those recovering from surgery or illness, or those who had an accident.

We can help you understand what foods to avoid during wound healing and which ones to concentrate on based on your body makeup and genes. We can also work with you to develop an individualized exercise plan that will complement the work you are doing with your nutrition to achieve maximum results and boost mobility.