"Suffering from a bone fracture takes a hundred days to heal," let alone for the elderly. They need to pay extra attention to their health and recovery. When it comes to healing bones, it takes time and patience. It is crucial to take advantage of this period to take care of their bodies. The following are some recommended dietary suggestions that can help the elderly recover from fractures.
Dietary Recommendations
1. Apricot Kernel Congee
Take 15 grams of apricot kernels and an appropriate amount of brown sugar. Grind the apricot kernels into a powder and soak them in water. Remove any impurities and add brown sugar and glutinous rice. Add 400 milliliters of water and cook until it becomes a congee. Eat it twice a day for 7-10 consecutive days. This congee helps promote blood circulation, reduce swelling, and alleviate pain.
2. Angelica and Pork Rib Soup
Take 10 grams of angelica, 15 grams of Eucommia bark, and 10 grams of Chinese yam. Also, take 250 grams of fresh pork ribs or beef ribs. Stew them in water for at least one hour. Consume the soup and meat together once a day for 1-2 weeks. This soup helps dispel blood stasis and promote bone healing.
3. Angelica, Ginger, and Lamb Soup
Take 20 grams of angelica, 12 grams of ginger, and 300 grams of lamb. Add 1500 milliliters of water and cook them together until tender. Eat the meat and drink the soup once a day. This recipe helps nourish the blood, promote blood circulation, warm the meridians, dispel cold, and alleviate pain. It is especially suitable for the later stages of bone fracture recovery and elderly individuals with weak constitutions.
Dietary Taboos for Fractures
1. Imbalanced Diet
Fracture patients often have local edema, congestion, bleeding, and muscle tissue damage. The body has its own repair capabilities for these conditions, and the repair and growth of bones rely on various nutrients. Therefore, it is essential to ensure a diet that is rich in nutrients, appealing to the senses, and stimulating the appetite. It is advisable to consume more vegetables, such as tomatoes, amaranth, spinach, cabbage, and radishes, which are rich in vitamin C to promote bone growth and wound healing.
2. Insufficient Fluid Intake
Bedridden fracture patients, especially those with spinal, pelvic, or lower limb fractures, have limited mobility, which may lead to reduced fluid intake to minimize the frequency of urination. However, this practice is not suitable. Bedridden patients have reduced bowel movement due to limited activity and decreased water intake. This can easily lead to constipation and urinary retention, as well as the formation of urinary stones and urinary tract infections. Therefore, bedridden fracture patients should drink an appropriate amount of water.
3. Blind Calcium Supplementation
Calcium is a vital component of bones. Some people believe that increasing calcium intake can accelerate bone healing after a fracture. However, scientific research has shown that increasing calcium intake does not speed up fracture healing. Moreover, it may potentially lead to elevated blood calcium levels and decreased blood phosphorus levels, which can be risky for long-term bedridden fracture patients.
4. Indigestible Foods
Fracture patients often have limited mobility due to immobilization, pain, and psychological stress, leading to poor appetite and occasional constipation, which is more common in bedridden patients. Therefore, the diet should be both nutritious and easy to digest and promote bowel movements. It is advisable to consume more vegetables rich in fiber, as well as foods like bananas and honey that promote digestion and bowel movements.
5. Excessive Meat and Bone Broth Consumption
Some people believe that consuming more meat and bone broth after a fracture can accelerate early healing. However, modern medical practice has shown that consuming excessive meat and bone broth does not promote early healing. On the contrary, it may delay fracture healing.
6. Long-term Use of Chinese Medicinal Herbs, such as Sanqi Tablets
In the early stages of a fracture, there may be internal bleeding, blood stasis, swelling, and pain. Taking Sanqi tablets can contract local blood vessels, shorten clotting time, and increase thrombin, which is very appropriate. However, after one week of bone realignment, bleeding stops, and damaged tissues begin to repair. Repair requires a significant blood supply. If Sanqi tablets are continued, the local blood vessels remain contracted, hindering blood circulation and impeding fracture healing.
