Help A Bruise Heal Faster

Exercising is part of losing weight. Getting a bruise while exercising is not unheard of. I have a bruise on my foot. Unfortunately I did not get it while exercising, but it is impeding me from my favorite form of exercise, walking. (If you want to find out how I got the bruise, see my previous blog post.) In effort to get back on my feet as soon as possible, I looked up suggestions on how to help heal a bruise faster.

How can I help heal bruises faster? I got a cornucopia of suggestions from family, friends, and the internet. Some suggestions included eating citrus fruit, getting some sun, and applying parsley to the bruise. Note: Eating pineapple was suggested by a ophthalmologist. I decided not use these suggestions. Instead, I went with some of the suggestions I heard repeatedly:

• Keep the bruised area elevated, above heart level.
• Rest, meaning relax and get plenty of sleep. This is to help the body restore itself faster. Exercising increases blood flow and the bruise can get worse.
• Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen to alleviate pain.
• Do not take aspirin. It is a blood thinner and it can make the bruise worse.
• Apply a hot wet towel.
• Massage the area around the bruise. It is supposed to help the body's normal lymphatic process to clear it away.

These things seemed simple and sensible to do. Fingers crossed, this helps speed t hings up. In the mean time, I need to watch what I eat more carefully.

One day at a time.
One pound a time.
One good choice at a time.