The Best Recovery Tips from Achilles Surgery

Recovering from Achilles tendon surgery is an uncomfortable process. During open surgery, your surgeon will make an incision in the back of your leg to repair your broken tendon. In percutaneous surgery, your surgeon will make several smaller cuts and insert tools through the small cuts to make the repairs. In either case, you will require downtime to recover. Your lower leg and ankle will be swollen and bruised. There may even be some numbness around the incision wound. It will take several months before you have complete use of your leg and ankle again, though you may be able to put some weight on your leg after a few weeks. How quickly your foot heals will depend on how well you follow your doctor’s post-op instructions and care for your foot at home. Below are some of the best recovery tips from Achilles’ surgery to get you up and going faster. 

At Home Recovery Tips for Achilles Surgery

Rest

Getting enough rest is essential to your recovery. Your body does most of its healing work while you’re asleep, therefore hitting the snooze button is recommended while recovering from Achilles’ surgery. Be sure to keep your foot elevated while you sleep and listen to your doctor’s orders on what activities you can or can’t do. You’ll be in a cast for at least 6 weeks after surgery, so activities will be limited. Rest when you’re tired and wait until you get your doctor’s go-ahead before you resume your normal daily activities.

Diet

Your diet won’t need to change much post-op, but should you have an upset stomach, stick to bland, low-fat foods like toast, yogurt, and broiled chicken. If you have any constipation or bowel movement problems, try a fiber supplement or laxative. It’s also important to drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated and do your best to eat healthy, nutritious foods.

Supplements

Proper nutrition in the form of essential vitamins and minerals is important for speeding up wound recovery. Your body needs proper nutrition for it to heal itself successfully. Supplements are an easy way to ensure you get enough of the important vitamins and minerals you need for recovery. This is especially true if you have trouble eating certain foods after surgery. WoundVite is an all-in-one supplement formulated specifically to aid in healing wounds post-surgery. Veteran pharmacist from the Tampa Bay area, Devan Patel, co-formulated WoundVite to include 21 of the most effective vitamins, minerals, and herb supplements scientifically proven to aid in wound recovery. With just two daily capsules you can ensure your Achilles is getting the nutrients it needs to heal itself.

Wound Care

Keeping the incision site clean and dry will be an important step in ensuring your wound doesn’t become infected. An infected wound can lead to more serious complications and increase your recovery time. Follow your doctor’s instructions on how to take care of your wound and change your bandages. If you have a splint or cast, be sure to keep it clean and dry as well. Nothing should go between your cast and leg (such as powder) unless by doctor’s orders.

Ice and Elevation

Place an ice pack on your leg for 10-20 minutes at a time to reduce pain and swelling. Do this throughout the day for best results. Whenever you are sitting or lying down, be sure to keep your foot propped up on a pillow or chair to keep it above your heart level. If your doctor gave you support stockings, wear them as instructed. Doing so will help prevent blood clots and former complications.

Exercise

Rehabilitation exercises will help to restore flexibility and mobility to your foot and ankle. It’s important not to skip this step to ensure your Achilles surgery heals properly. Proper exercises will ensure a faster and easier recovery.

Listen to Your Doctor

At home care like proper wound care and taking supplements are important for a faster recovery. However, nothing is more important than following your doctor’s orders. Every surgery is different; therefore, your doctor will know the best way to care for you. Be sure to take prescribed medications as directed and follow their post-op recovery tips. It’s also important not to skip out on follow-up appointments. Only your doctor will be able to tell you when you can expect to return to your normal activities. The more proactive you are about your post-op care, the faster you will get back to your daily routine.

 

8 Must-have Supplements To Help Plantar Fasciitis

The plantar fascia is a band of thick connective tissues that supports the connection between the heel bone and toes. Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation or trauma of that ligament that becomes the cause of heel pain.

Studies suggest that it is a prevalent orthopedic condition, and at least 1 out of 10 people is prone to have plantar fasciitis once in their life. Athletes and overweight most commonly experience plantar fasciitis as their ligament is under extensive stress, which may tear or rupture it.

8 Plantar Fasciitis Supplements

Regardless of all the surgeries and medications that are available to treat plantar fasciitis, supplements are a better alternative as they eliminate the chance of side effects and provide a safer treatment. Some of the most recommended plantar fasciitis supplements are;

1. VITAMIN C

Vitamin C acts as an anti-inflammatory agent that directly acts on plantar fasciitis inflammatory mediators, thus preventing further deterioration of the condition. A case report suggests that a lady, 44 years of age, was supplemented with 1 – 3 grams of Vitamin C per day along with physiotherapy and showed recovery in 6 weeks.

2. MAGNESIUM

Foods such as spinach, pumpkin, brown rice, etc., have a high content of magnesium in them which not only has anti-inflammatory qualities but also aid in increased absorption of calcium. C- reactive protein indicates the level of inflammation in the body, and studies suggest that magnesium significantly reduces its level, thus preventing plantar fasciitis.

3. FISH OIL

Fish oil supplements have high values of omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory and oxidative properties that maintain foot health like the above two. According to research, the effect of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil is similar to that of ibuprofen in terms of relieving pain.

4. CURCUMIN

Curcumin is the major element found in turmeric that reduces pain, redness, and swelling on the heel. It has long been utilized in traditional medicine because of its capabilities to reduce inflammation, thus allowing the ligaments to rejuvenate.

5. CALCIUM

Calcium does not treat plantar fasciitis but prevents complications like heel spur, which may develop after the ligament injury. Experiments proved the efficacy of calcium in cushioning the heel and reducing pain.   

6. ARNICA

Helenalin is the key compound of Arnica, used widely to treat muscle strain, heel pain, etc. It reduces inflammatory triggers in the body, which subsequently reduces swelling and redness. Studies suggest positive results in treating heel pain. 

7. BROMELAIN

Bromelain is abundantly found in pineapples. It has anti-inflammatory qualities and has a similar effect on pain as painkillers. Moreover, it accelerates the healing process and is not widely recommended by physicians too.

 8. GINGER       

Ginger has strong pain-relieving properties and is as effective as NSAID in treating pain caused by plantar fasciitis. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties, which provide significant health benefits.

The Takeaway

The plantar fasciitis supplements that are mentioned above are supported by the studies in terms of treating and preventing symptoms of plantar fasciitis. If you are looking for an all-inclusive formula, consider PodiVite formulated by Dr. Devan Patel, of Zen Nutrients. It is rated as the most comprehensive and all natural plantar fasciitis formula on the market.

Benefits of Curcumin in Promoting Nerve Regeneration and Health

Tampa business owner Dr. Devan Patel maintains license as a pharmacist and leads Zen Nutrients, which manufactures nutraceuticals targeted at specific conditions. In his article “Top 7 Vitamins for Nerve Damage in Hand” (https://zennutrients.com/top-7-vitamins-for-nerve-damage-in-hand/) Dr. Devan Patel describes the benefits of ingredients such as L-arginine, magnesium, benfotiamine, and curcumin.

The latter is a compound extracted from the turmeric, a flowering plant within the ginger family that is traditionally incorporated into Asian cuisines, teas, and herbal remedies. The primary bioactive compound within turmeric, curcumin is a polyphenol with proven anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. A particular area of effectiveness is in reducing tingling sensations and numbness occurring in the extremities and associated with various neuropathies. At the same time, curcumin has a vital role in upregulating the neuronal protein S100 in ways that promote regeneration of the nerves.

The effect that curcumin has in boosting antioxidants has an additional benefit in promoting quick healing of damaged nerves. In addition to having a measurable effect in repairing nerve damage in the hand and foot, it can help relieve various forms of back pain.

A Kid’s Place Foster Home Keeps Siblings Together

A graduate of Florida A&M University with a doctorate of pharmacy, Devan Patel has served as the president and chief executive officer of Medizenx for nearly a decade. Outside of his professional, pharmacist-related pursuits, Devan Paten has volunteered with A Kids Place Foster Home in Tampa, Florida, since 2017.

A 60-bed, multi-service residential facility, A Kid’s Place strives to keep families together by housing sibling groups in foster care. Located on 5 acres of land in Brandon, Florida, A Kid’s Place comprises five houses that provide services for children from birth to age 18 who have been removed from their homes. Rather than separating siblings and sending them to individual foster families, A Kid’s Place focuses on keeping sibling groups intact until more suitable, long-term placement can be found.

A Kid’s Place campus was built to resemble a neighborhood, utilizing a “house parent” model that places parents in each home to create functional family units. In addition to housing, A Kid’s Place provides educational support and on-site enrichment activities such as arts and crafts and outdoor play. Since 2009, the facility has served more than 1,520 foster children.

Zen Nutrients’ PodiVite for Foot and Ankle Pain

An experienced pharmacist based in Tampa, Florida, Devan Patel has served as the president and chief executive officer of Medizenx for nearly a decade. A licensed doctor of pharmacy, Devan Patel is also the CEO of Zen Nutrients, where he has helped cut costs and increase revenue through the development of innovative products such as PodiVite, a supplement that may help with chronic ankle and foot pain.

A high-potency nutraceutical, PodiVite relies on 19 different pharmaceutical-grade vitamins, minerals, herbs, and supplements to help relieve pain in the feet and ankles. The ingredient list includes vitamins C and D, as well as herbs such as Devil’s Claw, which has proven an analgesic in lab studies, and White Willow Bark Extract, a natural anti-inflammatory agent.

According to reviews, the daily supplement has proven highly effective in the management of conditions such as plantar fasciitis. According to one review, “It wasn’t until I ordered Podivite that I FINALLY felt consistent relief…The pain is still there but has drastically improved. This has been a life saver, since I am on my feet all day long for my job.”

How Vitamin C Can Help Heal Wounds

A clinical pharmacist and business leader, Dr. Devan A. Patel has served as CEO of Zen Nutrients since 2017. Committed to the development of condition targeted nutraceuticals, Dr. Devan Patel holds a patent pending for a pharmaceutical formula to aid wound healing and combat scaring. Zen Nutrients sells another wound treatment supplement under the name WoundVite.

WoundVite contains a range of essential minerals and vitamins including ascorbic acid. More commonly known as vitamin C, this organic molecule plays a proven and essential role in the wound healing process. Both of the enzymes needed for collagen synthesis require vitamin C for speedy transcription and stabilization. The organic protein collagen is a critical component in the healing of wounds and the restoration of physical strength in the wounded area.

Among other clinical research, a 2012 study on mice showed that applying vitamin C to an injury both decreased healing time and increased skin strength. Scientists also measured higher levels of collagen production at the wound site.

US Patent 2016263018 – Method for Treating Nicotine Withdrawal

An experienced clinical pharmacist, Devan Patel has been chief executive director of Zen Nutrients since founding this greater Tampa-area company in 2017. Devan Patel holds multiple US patents including US2016263018 for a method for treating the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.

Filed in March 2015 and granted in September 2016, US2016263018 involves the topical application of a specific amount of a described transdermal compound. Its inventors are Dr. Patel and his colleague Kruitka Patel.

In different embodiments, this compound contains active ingredients that include sertraline, topiramate, bupropion, imipramine, and fluoxetine. When properly administered to the skin at the back of the neck just below the hairline, these various tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors mitigate nicotine withdrawal symptoms that range from anxiety and irritability to decreased heart rate and increased appetite. The compound works by controlling the absorption of nicotinic acetylcholine by modifying intake receptors as well as neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin.

Three Common Reasons for Poor Wound Healing

In his role as CEO of Zen Nutrients, Tampa-based pharmacist Devan Patel develops nutraceutical solutions that address symptoms associated with chronic illnesses. Devan Patel developed the supplement WoundVite, which accelerates the skin healing process.

Slow wound healing can lead to serious complications such as infection or tissue damage. There are many reasons why a person may experience slow wound healing. People with the following conditions have a higher likelihood of developing chronic wounds:

Dry skin: Skin conditions such as eczema can cause wounds and skin abrasions and cause them to heal more slowly. Moisturizing daily and consuming collagen-building vitamins can help protect dry skin.

Bad blood circulation: Red blood cells are vital for repairing skin tissue. However, poor blood circulation impedes these cells from reaching wound sites. This can slow healing down considerably.

Reduced inflammatory response: Damaged tissue gives off an inflammatory response to trigger the repair process. However, certain medications and advanced age can hinder this process and result in poor wound healing.

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