posted April 29, 2007 05:01 PM         

There is a chance, due to the severity and location of the break, that I will have to have surgery. In a week this cast is coming off and then the x-rays will determine if I need surgery. If not, then I'm in for another cast for another month.

I have been seeing a very good chiropracter, have invested in crystals and essential oils to help speed the healing, and I have been drinking a quart of comfrey tea every day for the past 5 days. I've also tried a bit of visualization and I eating very well and taking lots of vitamin C.

Does any one have any further advice on how to cope with this and help my foot heal properly? I am very concerned because I am a dancer and have already suffered greatly for having to give up all of my solos and my performance and my dancing. I want to be able to dance again as soon as possible.

Feedback would be more than appreciated!

posted April 29, 2007 10:32 PM         

The technique is basically be one with the sensations and not calling it anything (e.g. pain, numbness, stiffness, itchiness) and labelling it (e.g. broken foot), in using it to resolve injuries (broken/torn/bruise)and negative emotions.

So whenever those sensations arises, be with it and welcoming it if possible (that will draw it out and hence transcend more swiftly).

And also cancelling negative thought form be saying (make your acupuncture system go strong)

I am not subject to "that"

In truth I am an infinite being and therefore I am not subject to "that"

"that" is whatever negative self talk statements arises to do with the broken foot.

posted May 01, 2007 07:17 PM         

Surprising Fixes for Broken Bones

At age 40, my friend decided it would be fun to ice skate with her kids. And it was fun -- until she fell, broke her wrist and discovered that broken bones are no fun at all! Not only are they painful and inconvenient -- turning even simple chores such as getting dressed into Herculean challenges -- but broken bones also take many weeks, sometimes months, to heal. Painkillers and loved ones help in the moment, but I wondered if there was anything at all that my friend, and others sharing her plight, can do to mend broken bones faster and better. So I did some investigating...

The skeletal system has functions beyond serving as the frame upon which our bodies hang. Our bones are constantly busy with self-renewing cellular activity (a process called remodeling), which also helps generate other tissue. Bones are hard, it seems, but that's actually only true of the outer shell, comprised mainly of calcium and phosphorous, and which serves as the body's storehouse for calcium, a mineral vital for regulating many body systems.

The spongy interior bone tissue, called the matrix, contains blood vessels, several types of cells and marrow, which produces both red and white blood cells.

This complicated system uses energy, of course. We need the right fuel at all times, says Susan Brown, PhD, CNS, director of the Osteoporosis Education Project (http://www.betterbones.com/) in East Syracuse, New York, one of the experts I called. But when our bones take on the added task of having to repair themselves, nutrition becomes even more important. Mending a fracture (which, by the way, does not mean the bone is merely cracked, it is the medical term for a bone that is broken through) puts the metabolism into overdrive. Dr. Brown tells me that some experts suggest people with broken bones require as many as 6,000 calories a day for fracture mending. When endogenous stores of nutrients are scavenged, fluids collect as a replacement, often minimizing weight loss but compromising structure and function. You may not want or need to consume that many calories each day, but Dr. Brown stresses that this is definitely not the time for a weight-loss diet. She suggests boosting protein intake, which not only helps you feel better, but also promotes healing (fracture healing in the hip, for example, requires at least 20 grams of protein a day, she says).

If you feel sharp pain at the trauma site -- especially when pressing upon or touching it -- suspect fracture. It should always be evaluated by your doctor, who will determine whether the fracture needs to be set, and if you should have any kind of cast or supportive garment. He/she will also give you instructions about activity restriction, and in many cases suggest physical therapy after the break has healed.

YOUR HIGH-POTENCY HEALING PROGRAM

In the meantime, kick off your own high-potency healing program. How to supercharge your system with nutrients to maximize your healing power...

a.. Calcium, of course, is a must, but absorption can be a challenge. Mark Stengler, ND, often prescribes 500 mg to 600 mg of calcium (look for formulations with citrate, citrate-malate, chelate or hydroxyappaitite) twice daily, with meals, for best absorption. He counsels eating calcium-containing foods as well, including green leafy vegetables, nuts, molasses, salmon, oysters, sardines with the bones, broccoli and unsweetened cultured yogurt.

b.. Vitamin D is an important ingredient in maximizing calcium absorption. The usual prescription for vitamin D is 400 IU to 600 IU daily, but to boost bone healing, Dr. Stengler may prescribe a higher range of 1,000 IU to 2,000 IU per day.

c.. Magnesium is yet another nutrient that is always important, but especially critical for mending bone injuries. It's a requirement for proper calcium metabolism and bone formation, notes Dr. Stengler, adding that some experts consider magnesium as important as calcium. He prescribes 500 mg to 750 mg daily. Your physician will probably prescribe magnesium in conjunction with calcium.

Two other important nutrients are phosphorous and vitamin K, but your decision to take these particular supplements, as with those above, should be discussed with your doctor. Phosphorous is generally adequate in our diet, says Dr. Brown... if you under-eat or are quite elderly, you may need to supplement. Recommended daily intake through diet is 700 mg. Vitamin K is important in forming a protein called osteocalcin that attracts calcium into the bone matrix, says Dr. Stengler. Foods that contain vitamin K include collard greens, kale and romaine lettuce. Though the standard vitamin K recommendation is 120 mcg for men and 90 mcg for women, the therapeutic dose prescribed for fracture patients is 500 mcg to 2 mg daily. Importantly, anyone taking a blood-thinning medication such as warfarin (Coumadin) must not take supplemental vitamin K (though dietary sources are not only fine, but advisable). Some doctors may also suggest an assessment of hormone levels focusing on adequate estrogen-effect, which should always be guided by a physician expert in bio-identical hormone repletion.

In addition to these macronutrients, your body continues to need vitamins C, B-6, B-12 and a number of micronutrients and trace minerals such as copper, manganese, boron, silica and zinc. Often a high-potency multivitamin may help to partially address your individual needs. At the table, fermented soy goods (such as miso, natto, tempeh and fermented tofu) are beneficial to bone health. Also, essential fatty acids found in walnuts, almonds, flaxseeds and fish are helpful. This is a time when cigarettes cause even more harm than usual -- studies have shown that it takes smokers on average two months longer to heal a broken bone than those who do not smoke.

HANDS-ON HELP