5 Conditions Directly Affected by Good Nutrition
Physical therapy is about optimizing your health. That’s why proper nutrition and physical therapy go hand in hand. Although most people know it’s important to maintain a healthful diet, they may not realize that nutrition directly affects certain conditions.
The following examples illustrate exactly how. To better understand the importance of nutrition in physical therapy, consider how the food you eat may impact conditions like:
Obesity
If you’ve been injured or have otherwise experienced compromised mobility, it’s easy to adopt a sedentary lifestyle. This contributes to obesity – so, too, does a poorly-balanced diet. Unfortunately, studies indicate that obesity can worsen chronic pain.
This is a key reason to work with a physical therapist to boost your mobility. With a specialist there to guide you on the importance of nutrition in physical therapy, they’ll help you stay active and provide you with resources to ensure you’re sticking to a quality diet.
Osteoporosis
Physical therapists often work with osteoporosis patients. The right physical therapy program can help patients avoid injuries associated with falls and similar accidents.
When you combine nutrition and physical therapy, the results can be even better. To maintain bone strength, it’s important to consume sufficient amounts of vitamin D and calcium. Integrating these enriching vitamins with a steady exercise plan provided by a physical therapist can make you feel better than ever.
Arthritis
Many common foods can trigger inflammation in the body. This is particularly harmful to people with arthritis, as inflammation has been shown to exacerbate arthritis pain.
Although working with a physical therapist can help a patient reduce their discomfort, it’s also import to stick to an anti-inflammatory diet. Together, the right nutrition and physical therapy programs can go a long way to reducing flare-ups.
Muscle Atrophy
Someone with limited mobility may experience muscle atrophy if they don’t stay active. Thus, they should guard against this by making sure they consume enough protein. A high-protein diet helps build muscle (or at least slow the progress of atrophy).
That said, you don’t need to have mobility issues to struggle with this problem. Sarcopenia is a natural loss of muscle that may occur as you get older. This is a key reason elderly people should understand the importance of nutrition in physical therapy.
Along with proper nutrition, safe resistance exercises can help to prevent muscle loss. A physical therapist is qualified to design a program that fits an individual elderly person’s needs and abilities.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a type of medical condition that can unfortunately contribute to other health issues, such as heart disease. Thus, people with diabetes must be vigilant about monitoring their sugar levels and sticking to an appropriate diet.
For people without diabetes, it’s good practice to get protein from healthy sources like poultry and fish instead of from red meat. This can help them avoid developing this condition.
Again, while physical therapy can help a person manage any of these conditions, it’s important to not overlook the role of nutrition in maintaining wellness. After all, what we eat fuels our bodies, so providing the right fuel is key to staying as healthy as possible.
Promoting healthy habits through nutrition and physical therapy can help you manage a wide range of physical conditions. To find a physical therapist near you that can guide you on the right nutritional path and tailor a plan to you, use the BetterPT website or BetterPT app. Once you recognize the importance of nutrition in physical therapy, you’ll lead a happier and healthier life.
