The Healing Power of Food

The doctor sat in the chair next to me, a strange thing to do since we are amid COVID. He sighed as he placed the laptop on his knees and scanned the X-Ray and MRI images. “Truthfully, it doesn’t look good,” he said, gesturing to the screen. I nodded in agreement. I had injured my right knee as a teenager and over the years had noticed a bone-on-bone grinding sensation in both, and pain had become its bedfellow. “I’m going to throw the kitchen sink at ya,” he said. I stared at the screen, trying to make sense of the skeletal, black, and white images. “Your knees are a mess, and your only option is to have knee replacement surgery.” I’m only 46, I thought as I bit my lip and blinked away tears. We discussed options, and I left with a plan, Cortisone injections, Viscosupplementation, (a gel-like substance that is injected into the joint to reduce friction and pain due to grinding joints), and Ibuprofen for inflammation.

As a fitness instructor, I walked away from the appointment feeling like a broken toy on the "Island of Misfit Toys", not able to do what I was made for. The fact was, I didn’t want knee replacement surgery; I wanted my knees to work how they were created to. I sat with the options that the doctor gave me and wondered if there was a better way.

From there I began the journey to change my habits to improve the health of my joints. I incorporated low-impact movements into my exercise routine and discontinued the movement if it hurt. I also sought guidance from a nutritionist who suggested foods such as a daily cup of bone broth which is a rich source of Collagen, (the protein responsible for healthy joints and skin elasticity), and ate foods such as chia seeds mixed with oats for breakfast and salmon once a week because both are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce the intensity of joint discomfort. In the evening, I relax with a frothy cup of Golden Milk, instead of decaf coffee or wine, to reduce inflammation.

I was skeptical that adjusting the foods I consume would decrease the grinding pain, stiffness, and inflammation, but they have helped enough that I hope to prolong the need for injections and surgery.