We’ve all heard the old saying “you are what you eat.” And we all know what we eat impacts not only our weight and shape but also how we feel. But did you know that your diet also impacts preventing and recovering from injury?

Patients often ask me for nutritional advice. They are wise to do so: nutrition has a direct impact on recovery, prevention of injury, and, ultimately, function. While I am not a dietician, it is my responsibility as a physical therapist to provide information on nutrition as it relates to the healing process and as it pertains to medical conditions that I treat.

The science of nutrition and health is constantly changing, and I’m keeping tabs on what you need to know. I’m diving into the latest research to find the most up-to-date information relevant to preventing and recovering from injuries. You’ll find my most important discoveries in a series of articles that include tips on what to eat (or not eat!) to fight chronic pain and inflammation and to promote tissue repair and function.

Whether these tips include eating avocados, protein shakes, or triple-chocolate brownies (I wish!), let’s discover how what we eat impacts prevention and recovery.

I hope you will join me on this journey. To learn more, subscribe to the CoachAmyPT blog.

In the state of Kansas, licensed health professionals, including physical therapists, may use nutrition tools as an adjunct to their profession. Coach Amy will not advise patients who require extensive meal planning or specific values for macro or micronutrients or patients with specific disease processes or on specific medications that are affected by dietary manipulation, such as diabetes. Patients in these circumstances should seek help from a registered dietician.