Natural Remedies for Sports Injuries

Naturally Savvy
Naturally Savvy

Tennis elbow, knee ligament strains, ankle sprains, and different forms of tendonitis can be a real nuisance to athletes at any level. If you are one of those people who suffer from frequent or recurrent musculoskeletal injuries, consider using some natural remedies for both prevention and to speed healing. While none of these nutritional supplements is an alternative to standard medical, physiotherapeutic, or chiropractic care, they can help these treatments work better and more quickly. Over the next few weeks, I will discuss some of the best-documented nutrients in this category.

Protein (1 gram of protein per pound of lean mass or more daily) – required for maximum muscle strength and growth, as well as to prevent muscle deterioration and loss of lean body mass to energy requirements. It is most natural to get your protein from real food rather than supplements. In that respect, the highest quality proteins, in descending order of quality based on amino acid composition, are:

• Lactalbumin (from hydrolyzed whey protein concentrate)

• Egg albumin (from egg white)

• Beef, fish, poultry

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• Casein (from milk)

• Soy protein

• Vegetable protein (half the muscle building protein quality of lactalbumin)

The ion-exchange whey protein supplements (90%+ ion-exchange whey protein by weight) are good alternatives for those with limited cooking skills or an affinity for the kitchen.

L-Glutamine (4000 mg before and after exercise) – an amino acid that is vital for anyone who exercises a lot and is a favorite of most serious body builders. As a nitrogen donor, glutamine helps build proteins and repair the muscle, as well as help build up more muscle. This, in part, may be due to its ability to induce the release of growth hormone. For those taking prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs, L-glutamine will help prevent damage to the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, ulcers, and blood loss. If you are injured, L-glutamine will speed your recovery from virtually any sports injury without side effects.

Broad spectrum multiple antioxidant (1-3 capsules or more daily) – should contain at least the following nutrients: vitamin A, beta-carotene, B complex vitamins, vitamin C, E, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, and N-acetyl-cysteine, a precursor for glutathione. The minerals zinc, copper, and manganese are important cofactors in the body’s production of superoxide dismutase, considered to be the most potent of the body’s protective enzymes. Antioxidants are free radical scavengers or neutralizers that also prevent the formation of free radicals in the first place.

(to be continued…)

Dr. Zoltan Rona

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Dr. Zoltan P. Rona is a graduate of McGill University Medical School (1977) and has a Master’s Degree in Biochemistry and Clinical Nutrition from the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut (1984). He is past president of The Canadian Holistic Medical Association (1987-88) and is the author of three Canadian bestsellers: The Joy of Health (1991), Return to the Joy of Health (1995) and Childhood Illness and The Allergy Connection (1997). He is co-author with Jeanne Marie Martin of The Complete Candida Yeast Guidebook (1996) and is the medical editor of the Benjamin Franklin Award winning Encyclopedia of Natural Healing (1998). He has had a private medical practice in Toronto for the past 35 years, has appeared on radio and TV as well as lectured extensively in Canada and the U.S. Dr. Rona currently writes regular articles for Reader’s Digest, Alive, Vitality magazine and for several web sites. His latest book “Vitamin D, the Sunshine Vitamin” was published in 2010. In 2011, Dr. Rona was named Chief Medical Advisor for NAKA Herbs and Vitamins and has developed a line of nutritional supplements (TriStar Naturals) which are sold in health food stores across Canada. He can be found at www.highlevelwellness.ca