Tennis Elbow

The main component of tendons is collagen, and sufficient protein and Vitamin C are required for collagen synthesis. It is essential to consume a balanced diet of lean meat, fish, eggs, legumes, vegetables, and fruits. Conversely, excessive alcohol consumption directly hinders tissue repair, while a diet centered on refined carbohydrates and sugary foods promotes chronic, low-intensity inflammation, which is detrimental to tendon recovery. Smoking is also a major factor that slows recovery by reducing blood flow to the tendons. Rather than relying on a single specific food to cure the condition, it is more important to reduce the factors that impede recovery. In Korean medicine, the nutrients required for muscles and tendons are believed to originate from digestive and absorption functions. Excessive consumption of greasy, sweet, and cold foods damages digestive function, causing waste products and fluids to accumulate in the body. This obstructs the flow of blood and energy, slowing down the recovery of the injured area. A lifestyle characterized by irregular meals and eating hastily while standing, such as working in a restaurant, further weakens digestive function. Herein lies the reason why Dongjedang considers diet alongside treatment for pain patients. By combining a detoxification approach to flush out accumulated waste and toxins from the body with regular, warm meals that aid digestion to establish the foundation for generating vital energy and blood, the speed of recovery differs even with the same acupuncture treatment. While the elbow may seem like a problem of the fingertips, the building blocks of recovery are ultimately created from what you eat.