There are so many reasons people are conscious of their food choices – from maintaining a healthy lifestyle to managing chronic illness, everybody would agree that nutrition is important. With that in mind, how often do you consider your diet when you are recovering from an injury? At North Shore Sports Medicine, our team of physiotherapists is skilled at working with clients to identify rehabilitation goals and develop treatments and programs that progress those goals. However, we are also aware of the importance of a holistic approach to recovery. More specifically, our services at North Shore Sports Medicine include dietitian services because we know that proper nutrition is fundamental to rehabilitation.

You are what you eat

Modern dietetics approaches recognizes the value of developing a health relationship with food. Dietitians often work with clients with complex health needs and nutritional challenges that compromise physical function. For example, conditions such as anemia, diabetes, and malnutrition are known to impact physical function so dietitians work closely with clients with such conditions to develop and implement nutritional goals that optimize function by promoting improved gastrointestinal health, improved muscle health, and even improved brain health.

So then, it stands to reason that a dietitian may be an important health care professional on your rehabilitation team. In a nutshell, working with our dietitian at North Shore Sports Medicine will help you understand how the foods and fluids you consume impact your recovery from injury and even your athletic performance. Are you getting the required energy through your intake? Is your fluid consumption adequate? Are you getting the required nutrients, vitamins, and minerals? Depending on your injury, your goals, your current nutrition, and even your unique body type, our dietitian will carefully assess your overall health to first identify if there are any nutritional concerns that impede your rehabilitation plan.

Get your facts straight

There are many benefits to incorporating dietetics into your physical rehabilitation plan. Among those benefits is getting evidence-based advice about nutritional planning. There is so much misinformation about food and “diets” that it can be difficult to discern the good, the bad, and the ugly. Carbs are bad! You need carbs! Don’t eat fat! But what about healthy fats?! Drink this, don’t drink that!

Does it sometimes seem like the “expert” advice around diet is always changing? In fact, the problem is most of the advice that is shared through the media is not expert at all and there is money to be made from delivering misinformation and body shaming. Unfortunately, this can result in laypeople making dietary choices that can actually stunt recovery and even impair their overall health.

Your body and your recovery require specific interventions for optimal outcomes. Working with a dietitian will help you progress those outcomes by ensuring that your nutrition adequately supports your healing and well-being.