Category: nutrition, food, eating

Simple Ways to Recover from Injury or Surgery

This information is current as of the date of original publication or update. It may have changed by the time you read this. I invite you to fact-check what you read here.

Please do not use this information for diagnosis or treatment purposes. Before making health decisions, discuss with your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.

update November 22, 2025

Another physician blogger, Kristin Prentiss Ott, M.D., asked her physical therapist friend Dr. Carolyn Dolan to write a guest post on her blog. In this post I summarized the information. Unfortunately, neither the post nor the blog are still online. However I found this podcast by Dr. Dolan.

 

The post offers advice to aid recovery after orthopedic injuries and surgery, but I think you can apply it to any illness, injury, or surgery. As always, you should check with the doctor managing your care before trying anything.

Move often and safely.

Good advice for everyone, injured or not. Many health experts believe that lack of physical activity is as much a health risk as poor diet or even smoking.

jogging-trail

 

 

Ask for help.

This one is hard for me, as I tend to think I can manage on my own and don’t want to inconvenience someone else. When I fell and broke my foot, I  learned to ask for help. And people were happy to do so.

 

Drinking bone broth.

That’s a new concept for me, although I’ve cooked soups and stews with chicken and beef on the bone, so it’s not really as strange as it sounds at first.

 

Eat real food.

  • To me, that means fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and moderate amounts of lean meats, poultry and fish.
  • Limit sugar.
  • Using healthy oils like olive.
  • Save the junk food for an occasional “treat” if you really want it.
well balanced meal
Eat a variety of fresh foods every day

 

Get out in the sun.

This doesn’t mean to lay out for hours getting tanned or burned. But the sun helps our bodies make Vitamin D. Also, natural light can help with mood and sleep regulation.

 

 

Get enough rest and sleep.

Too many of us treat sleep like a luxury instead of a necessity. Most chronic tiredness is due to sleep deprivation,  not anemia, low thyroid or adrenal fatigue.

 

 

 

 

 

Exploring the HEART of Health

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Dr. Aletha

 

Less red meat + more vegetables = less cancer

The World Health Organization has officially classified red meat and processed meat as carcinogens-that is, likely to cause cancer if eaten regularly and recommends

“reducing consumption of these products (red and processed meats) to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer” .

WHO

Benefits of eating vegetables

In another post I shared some related information about diet and the risk of colon cancer – what is the risk of cancer in people who do not eat meat, or who eat very little?

cows in a field
American beef is popular

NEJM Journal Watch (New England Journal of Medicine) published this report in 2015.

“Vegetarian Diets Are Associated with Lower Risk for Colorectal Cancer”

In this North American prospective study, researchers identified the eating habits of 78,000 adults  for 7 years,   A prospective study means the people studied are followed or observed over a continuing period of time, usually years.

Participants followed one of five diets:

  1. Vegans: No eggs, dairy, fish, or meat
  2. Lacto-ovo vegetarians: Eggs and dairy, but no fish or meat
  3. Pescovegetarians: Eggs, dairy, and limited fish, but no meat
  4. Semivegetarians: eggs, dairy, and limited fish plus meat (≤1 time per week)
  5. Nonvegetarians: eggs, dairy, and fish plus meat (>1 time per week)
plate of vegetables
a meat free appetizer-hummus, cucumbers, crackers, and pita bread

results of the study

In that 7 years, 490  people developed colon cancer.

After adjusting for certain personal and clinical factors, they reported that all four vegetarian groups had a 22% lower risk of colon cancer than non vegetarians.

Most impressive was a 43% lower risk for the pescovegetarians.

They concluded that any diet in which fruit and vegetable intake is emphasized has health benefits, including lower risk for colon cancer.  And that eating fish in particular may be even more beneficial in regard to colon cancer.

Vegetarian diets are popular for various reasons, some related to health, some related to concern for animals or the environment.

 Besides cancer prevention, diets high in fruits and vegetables help to prevent and control

  • diabetes,
  • heart disease,
  • obesity, and
  • high blood pressure.

.

other resources

What the American Cancer Society says about diet and cancer.

More detail about the World Health Organization’s report on the link between red meat and cancer.

green leafy vegetables
Watercress and other greens are among the most nutritious vegetables.

Learn about Powerhouse Vegetables

sharing the HEART of staying healthy by eating

Dr. Aletha