So I just tore my calf muscle. Thankfully it is not too bad. I can still walk and have no visible bruising or swelling yet, but my range of motion is very limited and it hurts pretty dang bad. Ironically about 20 minutes prior to the injury I ran across a parking lot and thought, MAN I feel good! That feeling didn’t last very long. This injury comes just as I am preparing to start my hard training for next season. I am feeling strong, fast and ready to rumble. Most people would be pretty upset if this happened to them, and I will admit, I had about 5 minutes of “no,I didn’t just do what I think I did”. While I was sitting down, hoping that the pop I felt wasn’t a torn muscle, my mind immediately shifted to creating a plan of action to heal whatever just happened as fast as possible. I stood up, attempted to go onto the toe of the injured leg and felt a “not so nice” pain. Torn calf confirmed.
Now is not the time to be aggravated and upset that all the training I have done will go to waste, or that I will lose my fitness. Rather, now I have the perfect opportunity to learn first hand how to quickly heal my body from a pretty severe injury. This is just how my mind works. In a sense, I am excited. What I will learn over the next few weeks will not only serve as a protocol of healing for myself, but it may help my clients, my friends, and you heal from an injury faster than you thought. Enough of the chit chat. Below are the supplements I will use to heal and why I will use each one. Along with my nutrition plan of course. Disclaimer:I am not affiliated nor do I receive any compensation from the sale of any of the supplements listed. I use them because I know they work. Plain and simple.
Chlorophyll, also called “the blood of plants”, helps to increase hemoglobin (a red protein responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood) and starts the process of oxygen production. The hemoglobin in chlorophyll is almost identical to that found in humans. Increasing oxygen is a key component to healing. For this I am using a product called Chloroxygen. You can read more about the healing & health benefits of chloroxygen here. Chlorophyll is best absorbed when taken with a source of iron. I will take 1 full eyedropper of chloroxygen per day along with a serving of grass-fed beef. If you chose plant based sources of iron, go with Unsulfured Blackstrap Molasses, spinach, or kale.
Next in my arsenal of supplements is zinc. We often think of the zinc that is in cough lozenges due to it immune boosting potential. Also, if you are suffering from low testosterone, chances are VERY high that you are deficient in zinc, as it is a key factor in testosterone production in the testes. Zinc is also well documented for it’s ability to enhance wound healing. I use the brand BodyBio 2 Zinc. I will take 10 drops 3xday for the next 2 weeks. To learn more about the healing benefits of zinc click here.
No healing protocol would be complete without a good source of hydrolyzed collagen. It’s no secret that I supplement with this daily in order to protect my joints, tendons, cartilage, and muscles from excessive damage due to my heavy training schedule. Now that I have a legit injury I need it now more than ever. The amino acids in hydrolyzed collagen are highly absorbable and assist in repair and growth of new tissue. I recently recorded a podcast on the healing benefits of bone broth. If you missed that episode click here to listen. Broth, made properly, has been documented for many years for it healing and protective benefits. I will be adding 1Tbsp of hydrolyzed collagen in the morning to 12oz of hot bone broth. I will also take an additional 1Tbsp of hydrolyzed collagen in the evening with water before bed. To read more about hydrolyzed collagen click here.
The last 2 “super foods” I will add to my arsenal are cayenne pepper, which I add to the broth, along with a turmeric supplement. Cayenne pepper, surprisingly enough, is documented as being a potent anti-inflammatory and pain reducer. The capsaicin found in cayenne “can reduce body levels of substance P, a chemical messenger that carries the sensation of pain”. It is also high in Vitamin’s A & C as well as calcium, magnesium, zinc and others. The active ingredient capsaicin also helps the absorption of other nutrients and supplements. In this case I am using Turmeric for it’s anti-inflammatory properties and enhancing the absorption with a little cayenne mixed into the bone broth. You want to be sure the cayenne pepper you are using is at least 90,000 H.U. (heat units). If you like heat, bring it on! The more the better. I will take 1-2 servings of cayenne per day along wit 2g of the turmeric supplement. Turmeric, as you should know by now, is a well known natural anti-inflammatory. Read more about the healing benefits of cayenne pepper by clicking here.
Along with the super foods and the supplements listed above I will be eating a foods that are high in iron, along wit plenty of local organic vegetables and healthy fats. I will avoid all processed carbohydrates and hidden sugars as these “foods” are prone to promote inflammation and leach healing nutrients from your body.
And there you have it. I am sure there are other supplements that could be used to heal, but these are the ones I am going with because they are simple, to the point, and I know they work. Instead of going to the pharmacy and getting a chemical prescription and taking NSAIDS that have been known to be damaging to my health, I choose to use natural substances that will not only help to heal my injury, but give my body EXACTLY what it needs to come out of this injury healthier, more energetic, and 100% ready to train again.
If you have any questions, comments, or have used an herbal remedy or natural supplement yourself to heal from an injury or would I would love to hear about it below. The more we share our knowledge of health and natural wellness, the healthier and happier we will all be :-).
