Therapeutic Diet after a Bone Fracture

Information is out of date

After a fracture, any bone needs to be restored. A healthy, balanced diet rich in key nutrients can help speed this process up.

You should not resort to dietary supplements, especially if your doctor does not recommend it. They don't always work well. It is much better to get the necessary nutrition for the body from ordinary food as an important part of fracture rehab.

Protein

Protein makes up about half of the structure of a bone. When a person has a fracture, the body needs it to build new bone, and heal faster. Protein also helps the body take in and use calcium, another key nutrient for healthy bones.

Excellent sources of plant-based protein include nuts, beans, avocados, spinach, cauliflower, kale, broccoli, soy products, and fortified cereals.

Sources of animal protein include: meat, fish, gelatin, milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, and sour cream.

Calcium

This mineral also helps build strong bones, so foods and drinks rich in it can help heal broken bones and prevent diseases like osteoporosis and diabetes. Adults should get 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium each day.

Foods containing calcium include: eggshells, milk, cottage cheese, cheese, yogurt, broccoli, turnips, cabbage, soybeans, beans, sesame seeds, almonds, green parsley, garlic, and hazelnuts.

Vitamin D

This vitamin should be part of your diet to help you heal. Vitamin D helps the blood take in and use calcium and store minerals in the bones.

A person receives vitamin D when sunlight hits the skin, so you should spend a small amount of time outdoors every day –– 15 minutes may be enough for a person with open skin.

Vitamin D occurs naturally in only a few foods, such as egg yolks and oily fish, but manufacturers can add it to other foods, such as orange juice. The older a person is, the more vitamin D they need.

Foods containing vitamin D incldue: fish (especially salmon), cod liver oil, sardines, liver, peas, egg yolks, red caviar, mushrooms, milk, and cheese.

What can vitamin D deficiency lead to? There are a bunch of disorders that may occur. These are:

- Tooth decay.

- Decreased immunity.

- Allergies.

- Type 2 diabetes.

- Hypertension.

- Rheumatoid arthritis.

- Bowel disease.

- Cancer.

Vitamin C

Collagen is a protein that is an important building block for bone. Vitamin C helps the body make collagen, which helps bones heal. Vitamin C is found in many delicious, fresh fruits and vegetables. Processed foods can lose some of their vitamin C, so they should be eaten fresh or frozen.

Sources of vitamin C: include oranges, kiwi, various berries (currants, strawberries), tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and green vegetables.

Iron

Iron-deficiency anemia occurs  when a person does not have enough healthy red blood cells, so recovery from a fracture is slower. Iron helps the body make collagen for bone repair. It also plays a role in getting oxygen to the bones to help them recover.

Sources of iron include: red meat (beef, nutria, turkey), fatty fish, eggs, dried fruits, leafy green vegetables, whole grain breads, and fortified cereals.

Potassium

Potassium in the body is necessary so it won’t lose a lot of calcium during urination. Plenty of fresh fruits are rich in potassium.

Sources of potassium include: bananas, orange juice, potatoes, walnuts, pine nuts, hazelnuts, dried apricots, mushrooms, spinach, soybeans, lentils, peanuts, beans, raisins, fish, meat, and milk.

What Is Not Recommended to Eat and Drink with Fractures?

- Salt

Too much salt in the diet can cause the loss of calcium during urination.

- Alcohol

Alcoholic beverages are contraindicated as they slow down bone healing. Also, drinking alcohol can make a person unsteady on their feet, which can lead to a fall and the risk of injury to the same bone.

- Coffee

A lot of caffeine, more than four cups of strong coffee a day, may slow down bone healing a bit. However, a small amount of coffee or tea will not harm the body.