Outside of the comic book world of Wolverine, Sabretooth and the Incredible Hulk, there’s no such thing as magic healing. If you get sliced, bruised or generally wounded, it takes us far longer to get back into fighting condition than our make-believe counterparts. But, thankfully, there are things you can do to improve your body’s ability to heal that don’t involve genetic manipulation. It’s more than popping a magic pill or downing a miracle elixir — it’s far more of a lifestyle that will give your body the ability to bounce back. Here’s how to get yourself back in the game by decreasing down-and-out time.
Note: This article is not intended to treat, diagnose, or cure any medical condition. Consult with your doctor before making changes to your existing regimen.
1Know how the body works. When your body is injured — cut, scraped, pierced — it responds by initiating blood clotting to protect the wound and reduce the loss of blood. Once the wound is properly clotted, the site will get bombarded with the right balance of oxygen and nutrients via your blood vessels to start the healing process. Microphages, or white blood cells, will help fight infection and your body will start to produce collagen to lay the groundwork of the tissue rebuilding process. But none of this occurs at its optimal levels without you taking care of yourself from the inside out. Inadequate blood and oxygen levels increases healing time. High blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and other diseases exacerbate problems and can lead to chronic wounds that fail to heal. Thankfully, much of this is preventable, even without the assistance of medication.
2Eat to heal. Conventional wisdom says to eat healthy in order to avoid looking like Jabba the Hutt, but consuming nutrient-rich (as opposed to calorie-rich) foods does more than just keep you slim — it helps you be healthy for healing. Here’s what your body needs in order to decrease your healing time. Bring your appetite, and, essentially, eat nearly everything except processed foods.
Vitamin C-rich foods: Vitamin C helps your body produce protein that’s good for your skin, blood vessels, bones, cartilage and ligaments. And since your body doesn’t possess the ability to produce its own Vitamin C, consuming Vitamin C-rich foods on a daily basis is vital to healing — think citrus foods like oranges, grapefruit, limes, tangerines. Also include berries, papayas, kiwi fruit, bell peppers, darker leafy greens, kiwis, broccoli, tomatoes and papaya. Of course, consuming them fresh is ideal.
Vitamin A-rich foods: Your all-important white blood cells need Vitamin A to come to life, and white blood cells aid in healing injuries beyond just open wounds. Vitamin A-rich foods include sweet potatoes, carrots, dark leafy greens, lettuce, dried apricots, winter squash, cantaloupe, bell peppers, tropical fruits, fish and liver.