The road to wellness
When broke her ankle, she found solace with the experts appearing at this year’s WellFest.
I broke my ankle while out for a walk on Easter weekend. What appeared to be a minor twist soon swelled into something that clearly needed medical attention and resulted in me hobbling to Easter dinner with my shiny new crutches waving all over the place.
Initially, I wasn’t too bothered about having a few weeks off school-run duty, and thought that I might take up chair yoga as a broken ankle project. Four weeks in and the tide has certainly changed. I find myself with trail of Easter Egg wrappers as an indication of my savagery, and a desire to escape my house and drive my car that is so intense I find myself waking in the middle of the night to think about how I might do it.
Luckily, right in the middle of one of my daydreams about driving on an open road with the windows open and nobody to hold me back, SuperValu got in touch to tell me all about their role as food partner for this year’s WellFest, which takes place in Dublin’s Royal Hospital Kilmainham on May 12 and 13.
Cork’s own Anna Geary, she of GAA and Dancing With The Stars fame, will be featuring in panel discussions about the importance of good food and nutrition in sport at the event all weekend. Anna seemed like just the person to talk to about how to speed up my recovery, so I gave her a call to mine her knowledge and find a way to get back to real life.
Anna is nothing if not positive, but there is one thing that all sportspeople know about recovering from an injury, and that’s slow and steady progress. Ignoring the fact that this was clearly not what I wanted to hear, she pressed on.
“The most important advice I would give to anyone who is recovering from an injury is to seek out the right professional help during the healing process. With a break, you need to see your physiotherapist who will be able to tell if any of the muscles around the bone have weakened, and ensure that you won’t do any further damage.”
It is really common to do more damage than the initial injury if you don’t give yourself time to heal, according to the veteran sports star, and in order to combat the dark days of the mind, she suggests setting small goals.
“I know how frustrating it is, and how much you want to be yourself again. In 2012 I broke my thumb and it was so frustrating, because I couldn’t even tie a button.”
Anna got through her recovery with physio-approved goals that were achievable and didn’t push her too far too soon, and she says that’s the way I should be thinking too.
Hazel Wallace is a bestselling author, personal trainer and junior doctor whose moniker The Food Doctor has earned her a cult following among healthy foodies. She’s going to be appearing at WellFest on Saturday, armed with her new book and no-nonsense food, nutrition and fitness advice. Surely Hazel would be the person to help me dig myself out of the chocolate egg-shaped hole I find myself in.
It’s totally understandable that I’ve been craving sugar and all the bread in the world, Hazel tells me. Joyously, I start to think that maybe The Food Medic will prescribe me a diet of only cake and crisps to aid my recovery, but my dreams are soon dashed. The best way to stay on top of your health when you are not feeling 100%, says Wallace, is to really focus on those vegetables and fruits.
If you are recovering from sickness or injury, I like to encourage people to be mindful of their nutrition, and to focus on eating foods that will deliver as much nutrition as possible.
During recovery, you need foods that require more energy, so for example your protein requirements will be higher, according to The Food Medic.
She suggests looking to look at protein-rich breakfasts like eggs or Greek yoghurt sprinkled with seeds and nuts.
“Smoothies are a fantastic way to load up on fruit and vegetables. Don’t be afraid of frozen fruit and vegetables, they are ideal for whizzing into a smoothie. Add a scoop of protein powder to really boost it. People are a lot more comfortable with protein powder now, and it’s so convenient and cheap.“
But surely, in my incapacitated state, I should be allowed a Jaffa Cake, I plead.
“When they feel unwell at all people find it hard to eat and crave sugary foods. That’s because your body is craving the energy boost that it is missing. Rather than grabbing a biscuit, make a smoothie filled with fruit, and that will satisfy your sugar craving,” Hazel very gently points out.
“For anyone who is feeling under the weather or recovering from something, the best thing to do is focus on getting vitamin-rich foods and slow releasing carbs that won’t give you a dip in your blood sugar into your diet as soon as you can.” Don’t stick to the same shopping list every week, urges The Food Medic.
“Try as many different vegetables as possible, because every one has a different nutritional benefits.”
When I’m ready to get back exercising, the key to my success will be in the buddy system, says Anna Geary.
“Once you are sure that your injury has healed correctly and you are ready to start exercising again, find a friend to exercise with. Buddy up with someone who can comfortably go at your pace. It’s abut having a good time and getting back out there.“
Anna is extremely easy to talk to, and I find myself asking her how to tackle the low days that inevitably come with an injuries.
“It’s very isolating when you’re injured, especially if you’re part of a group or a team – the show goes on, and that can be quite hard to take,” she asserts.
They call it the lonely road to recovery because it is, and that’s why it’s important to make sure you have fun when you are ready to get back exercising. Exercise and activity releases endorphins, which make you feel better – there is no need to look at it as a chore. Find something you enjoy doing and do it at your pace, once you are healed and ready.
I am motivated and raring to get at the vegetables by the time I finish talking to Anna and Hazel, and their sheer enthusiasm for health and wellness has given me a spring in my be-casted step.
Before I hang up, Anna tells me I’d be mad not to go to WellFest.
“Whether you’re going there as a fitness expert or a complete beginner, there is something for everyone. Use the time and talk to the experts who are appearing about what you are interested in. This is a fantastic weekend of learning. Learning about food, learning about exercise – I am so excited.”
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