Thursday, January 30, 2014

Nutrition During Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is sought after for many different reasons from lifelong muscle conditions to weight loss programs. Whilst many people are aware of the benefits of physiotherapy and often seek it out to lose weight or improve muscle capabilities, some are often oblivious to the importance of having a well-balanced nutritional program as well. For some people, poor diet is something they just can’t escape due to the demands of everyday life. However, your local therapy centre may be able to give you the advice you need to improve your diet and see physical results, especially if you are overweight. Some chronic illnesses and diabetes in particular require a good nutritional plan so keeping an eye on your diet is extremely important. In addition, many common health problems are related to diet more than exercise, such as obesity. Here are a few points about diet you should consider during physical therapy including things your therapist might tell you on your next visit.


Fibre


A positive intake of fibre is an extremely important component for any nutritional plan during physiotherapy as it helps fight off chronic illness. It is believed that most people fail to get anywhere near the recommended daily amount of fibre. Fibre is in all sorts of different foods such as fruit, vegetables and whole grain products. You can replace the usual white bread with brown bread and consider targeting five pieces of fruit and vegetables each day to improve your fibre intake.


Water


One of the most ignored dietary benefits that should be focused on during physiotherapy is water. Water is available wherever you are and helps to rid your body of toxins and keep cells fully hydrated. Unfortunately, other drinks have dominated the market so much that water seems to be playing second-fiddle nowadays. Almost every physical activity you partake in will recommend regular water intake so you should try and keep hold of a bottle wherever you go.



Regular Meals

Skipping breakfast or lunch might not seem like such a big deal in the short term but it generally contributes to a poor diet. Many people who are obese might consider cutting meals out of their day entirely to reduce their weight. However, food is the fuel our body needs to operate efficiently making exercise all the more difficult for someone who doesn’t have a daily meal plan. What’s more, missing meals will increase your hunger and probably result in you venturing to the nearest fast food stall. With that in mind, consider setting up a strict daily plan to follow and choose healthy meals that you are likely to find appetizing.

Maintaining proper nutrition during your physical therapy is a good way of getting motivated. If you are looking to lose weight or improve muscle performance, healthy eating plans can really enhance your ability to improve and positive results are likely to show up a whole lot faster.

About the Author

Kayleigh Tadley writes for a number of online publications on the subject of nutrition and wellbeing. She has contributed this post on behalf of the Therapy Centre in West Sussex, offering a range of physical and mental well being therapy services such as physiotherapy, pilates and acupuncture.

10 delicious comments:

FX777222999 said...

After exercising, I drink fruit juice and water altogether. Liked your article, it adds to my knowledge.

Franc Ramon said...

I think we need to add fibers and minerals that aid in muscle recovery while undergoing PT.

Marie said...

Oh, thanks for this. I have let myself go since the Christmas season! Time to get serious with my health and fitness this February!

Taty said...

Ok good! now back to focussing on being healthy. thanks for knocking some sense into me

mommy Orkid Belle said...

This is one helpful article mommy. Gotta feed our body with the right nutrition and vitamins. In the long run, it will thank us. :)

Healy Harpster said...

Fiber is something that people really need to pay attention too and add some exercises. Proper diet is a must to stay healthy.

Mel Cole said...

Very nice article. Good food choices are important to diet and exercise and wight loss.

mhie@smarlktastes said...

Good article here. I agree with all what you said. I take some vitamins for my fiber once in a while.

mommy Orkid Belle said...

I love my veggies and my fruits that is for sure. We need a good balance diet and I know that is easier said than done, but it sure is a matter of self-dicipline and self-control. Gotta pay attention to our body and feed it with food it needs. :)

James, Davis, and Associates Test said...

This is a good post. It is important to pay attention to nutrition all during any type of therapy.

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