Slow Healing

Slow Healing

If it seems as if your latest injury is taking a long time to heal, don’t despair. With a few changes in diet and lifestyle, you can strengthen your healing forces and speed your recovery.

It’s true, however, that your body’s wounds are slower to heal when you’re old than they were when you first bled in life’s battles. “That’s why it’s so important for seniors to take good care of themselves, especially with their nutrition and activity levels,” says Larry Millikan, M.D., chairman of the department of dermatology at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans.

There are several reasons for this slowdown in healing. In women, hormones are a factor. Research has shown that women do not heal as rapidly after they pass through menopause and stop producing estrogen at their premenopausal levels. When women take estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) after menopause, they tend to heal at a faster rate—and that change can be attributed to the increase in estrogen. For men, the slowdown in healing is more often the result of chronically poor health and diabetes—and these are large factors for some women as well.

Once you have adequately cleaned and cared for your wound or injury, there are several things you can do to speed healing and recovery. If you’re looking for a good place to begin boosting your wound-healing power, start with the dining room table.

Try This First

Heal with your meals. Even though you may not be as active or have as much appetite as you used to, your body still needs a regular supply of nutritious foods if it’s going to be able to stay healthy and make speedy repairs. “All too often, seniors eat only one meal a day. Let’s say it’s dinner, but they’ve skipped breakfast and had a candy bar for lunch. That’s going to weaken their immune systems and slow down their healing,” says Dr. Millikan. Try instead to eat three nutritious meals a day.

Other Wise Ways

Put in the protein. Your body requires about 45 grams of protein a day to repair damaged tissues. A three-ounce serving (about the size of a deck of cards) of fish, chicken or turkey, or cheese will provide about 21 grams of protein. A cup of milk will give you 8 grams of protein and a half-cup of beans will provide about 7 grams.

Boost immunity with antioxidants. Vitamins C and E as well as beta-carotene (a vitamin A precursor) are all antioxidants, which means they’re particularly beneficial in boosting your immune system, helping to fight infection, and promoting more rapid healing, says Frederic Haberman, M.D., assistant clinical professor of medicine (dermatology) at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City and director of the Haberman Dermatology Institute in Ridgewood, New Jersey.

“I tell people to take 500 to 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C, about 400 international units (IU) of E, and up to 2,000 IU of vitamin A after surgery,” Dr. Haberman says. “They should also take about 70 micrograms of selenium.” Although vitamin E is generally sold in doses of 400 IU, one small study showed a possible risk of stroke in dosages higher than 200 IU. Consult with your doctor if you are at high risk for stroke.

Be zealous about zinc. When it comes to wounds, the mineral zinc has strong healing power, according to Eleanor Young, R.D., Ph.D., a licensed dietician and professor in the department of medicine at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio.

Dr. Haberman recommends 15 milligrams of zinc per day. You can get it in supplement form, and it’s also in foods like steamed oysters and most meat dishes.

Make multis part of a healthy diet. Take a multivitamin and mineral supplement, such as Centrum, says Dr. Millikan.

“The supplement provides the antioxidants and minerals they need to promote a stronger immune response,” says Dr. Haberman.

Go for aloe. Buy an aloe plant to keep on the shelf as a houseplant, suggests Dr. Millikan. The next time you cut yourself, break off a leaf, split it lengthwise, and use the juice to speed healing. “Many of my patients firmly believe that this is a great help,” he says. Research has shown that aloe can penetrate and numb tissue, prevent the growth of harmful bacteria, fungi, and virus, reduce swelling, and improve blood flow.

Walk your wounds off. People who exercise regularly tend to heal more rapidly and are more likely to have stronger immune systems. “The key is good blood circulation,” says Dr. Millikan. As long as your tissues get enough blood, they’re also getting adequate oxygen, nutrients, and immune cells—all the ingredients they need in order to heal. “On the other hand, people who have circulatory disorders tend to heal more slowly and can suffer from more infections,” Dr. Millikan observes. One circulation problem that can slow healing is atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, a condition that impedes blood flow. Another is diabetes—the inability to incorporate blood sugar, which leaves body cells deprived of nutrition and wounds more susceptible to infection.

For most seniors, the best exercise is walking, says Dr. Millikan. “You shouldn’t adopt an exercise program, even walking, without first consulting your doctor to see how much exercise you can do safely. Once your doctor gives you the okay, walking is an ideal way to promote circulation and more rapid healing.”