Healing Burns With Good Nutrition

The skin is the largest organ of the body. It is also subjected to all types of abuse throughout its lifetime, including burns of varying degrees. A first degree burn is the most minor and consists of redness and slight- to-moderate pain but no blisters. It usually heals in seven to ten days with no scarring. A minor sunburn is a first degree burn in most cases. A second degree burn may have blisters and may ooze. The surface may look moist or raw and there will be some moderate to severe pain involved. A third degree burn is the most serious of the burns and can actually be less painful than a first or second degree burn. This is caused by damage to the nerve damage which may make them even more serious. Third degree burns may appear charred and the skin may be white or cream colored in and around the area. All third degree burns can be life threatening and should be treated at the hospital immediately. Second degree burns that are on the face or on the chest should be treated professionally as well.

There are several things that can help heal a burn faster, including good care from your medical professional. In addition to following the directions of your doctor, you need to increase your nutrition including upping your protein intake so that your body has all of the building blocks it needs to heal and to minimize scarring. Protein, not only from food sources but from protein supplements is important as is increasing Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Beta-Carotene and Zinc.

Protein From Food Sources

The body digests food, converting it into energy. The rate that we accomplish this complex task is called the metabolism. When the body is recovering from a burn, especially a serious one, the metabolism is thrown into high gear, burning through nutrients quicker than we normally would and often faster than we can get them into the system. When this happens, the body turns to alternative fuels, first the reserved energy that it stored as fat and then if it still needs energy but does not have it, it will break down the muscles to burn as fat. This leads to the destruction of lean muscle mass which in turn can weaken the body and the immune system dramatically.

When the body starts burning glycogen from the muscles for energy, the process is called ketosis. In ketosis, the body releases ketones which are then released into the blood stream. Ketones may suppress the appetite as well as stimulate the kidneys to create and expel more urine (the kidneys will be working to eliminate the ketones from the bloodstream) In turn, the body may end up with an electrolyte imbalance, dehydration and osteoporosis (Source: Osterweil). Dehydration can be dangerous at any time but may be even more so for a burn victim. An electrolyte imbalance can lead to an irregular heart beat and may lead to a heart attack.

Protein comes from two sources: plant based and animal based. All animal based protein sources are considered to be complete because they contain all eight essential amino acids. The body creates many amino acids on its own, however it must be supplied with leucine, isoleucine, valine, threonine, methione, phenylalanine, tryptophan and lysine which are then used to create other amino acids. Plant proteins are incomplete proteins because they lack one or more of these essential amino acids. Soy protein is the only plant based protein that is complete.

Animal proteins include: chicken, turkey and fish as well as other meat sources. Red meat is high in calories and saturated fat and should be only eaten occasionally. Turkey is one of the best animal proteins because it is lower in fat and calories but still high in protein. Fatty fish like salmon and tuna are good not only for the protein but the Omega 3 fatty acids they supply. Animal proteins include non-meat sources as well including dairy foods and eggs. The egg is considered to be the perfect protein because all of the available protein in the average egg is actually used by the body. Low fat dairy is also a good protein source. A glass of milk provides 9 grams of protein plus 31% of calcium.

Plant based protein includes soy and soy products (tofu, tempeh and miso, as well as soy milk), beans, grains, nuts, seeds and rice. Even a vegetarian diet can supply enough protein for the average, healthy person if there is enough variety to make up for the missing amino acid. The typical diet has 14-18% of its calories from protein, the vegan diet may have as much as 10-12 % (Source: The Vegetarian Society). Grains, nuts and seeds tend to be lower in isoleucine and lysine while legumes are typically lacking in tryptophan and methionine (Source: Best).

Protein From Supplement Sources

Supplementing protein is important for a number of reasons, especially for the burn victim who needs to increase the amount they get. There are many kinds of supplements for you to consider including shakes, powders, liquid supplement shots and protein bars.

Protein Powders can be either a single protein or a combination of either soy, rice, whey and egg proteins.

Whey protein powder is beneficial for supporting overall health, but also supports the immune system by immunoglobulins. Whey protein increases the antioxidant glutathione which also supports the healthy immune system. Finally, it also contains an antimicrobial property, lactoferrin which helps with wound healing (Whey Protein Institute). Whey has been used since 420 BC when Hippocrates prescribed it for patients. Whey protein comes in both a concentrate, with 30-85% protein and an isolate which has 90% protein. Whey protein also prevents muscle breakdown.

Soy protein also comes in a concentrate or isolate and is a highly digestible protein source. Egg white protein is the highest source of the amino acids: alanine, argine, glycine and methionine. Rice protein is created by isolating the protein from brown rice and is a complete protein. It is also the only protein source that is considered to be hypoallergenic. Both soy and rice protein supplements are acceptable for vegetarians and vegans alike (Source: Segounis).

Other protein sources like bars and liquid supplement shots can be used to increase the protein in burn victims as well. A protein bar should have at least ten grams of protein but less than 200 calories and limited sugars. (Sugar can deplete the immune system). Protein supplement shots are small and higher in protein. Profect from Protica is a good supplement: it has 100 calories, 25 grams of protein, zero fats and zero carbs. In addition, Profect supplies 100% of the daily value of Vitamin C and 10% of the B complex vitamins.

Vitamins C and E, Beta Carotene and Zinc

In addition to increasing protein to promote healing from burns, it is important to get extra Vitamin C, not only from supplements but from foods such as broccoli, spinach and citrus fruits. Beta Carotene is found in carrots, cantaloupe and other orange and yellow fruits and vegetables. Beta carotene can be toxic in extremely high doses, so only increase it with doctor's orders. Zinc is a mineral that is important in healing burns. Foods that are rich in zinc include oysters, wheat germ, beef, lamb, peanuts, wheat germs and bran flakes.

References

Ben Best. Does Excess Protein Cause Kidney Damage?

Neil Osterweil. The Benefits of Protein WebMD

Sofia Segounis, Nutritionist. Protein Powders truestarhealth.com

The Vegetarian Society

The Whey Protein Institute

About Protica Research

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm specializing in the development of protein-rich, capsulized foods (dense nutrition in compact liquid and food forms). Protica manufactures Profect protein beverage, IsoMetric, Fruitasia and more than 100 other brands in its GMP-certified, 250,000 square foot facility.

You can learn more about Protica at http://www.protica.com.

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