The Part of Recovery Doctors Don’t Tell You: How Nutrition Helped My Husband Heal After His Accident

I want to share something personal today—because sometimes the biggest lessons in health and healing come from real-life experiences, not textbooks.

In March of 2024, my husband was in a serious car accident. He broke both his left arm and his left leg in four places each. He had to undergo surgery to have the bones reset and had hardware installed to stabilize everything.

It was terrifying to watch him go through so much pain—and even more heartbreaking to see how drastically his body changed.

He went from a strong, muscular 218 pounds down to 176 pounds in a matter of weeks. The impact of the crash left him needing to learn how to walk again.

As I stood by his side through countless doctor appointments, hospital stays, and physical therapy sessions, I noticed a pattern that honestly shocked me: almost no one talks to patients about nutrition during recovery.

The standard advice was basically, “Eat anything. You need to gain weight.”

And while I understand the urgency to help a patient regain lost pounds, that advice felt so incomplete. There’s a huge difference between simply eating calories and giving your body the nutrients it needs to rebuild.

This is the first article in a series where I’m going to share everything I discovered that doctors often don’t tell you—but that you absolutely should know to help yourself or someone you love heal as quickly and fully as possible.

Why Just “Eating Anything” Isn’t Enough

When someone’s been through major trauma—an accident, surgery, a long illness—their body is in repair mode. Muscles waste away fast. Immune function drops. Inflammation goes up. Appetite often tanks.

So simply telling a patient to eat donuts and fast food for the calories… well, it might help the scale go up, but it does nothing for real recovery.

Because of my background in fitness and nutrition, I knew we had to approach my husband’s healing differently.

Protein Became Our Top Priority

After his accident, my husband had barely any appetite. Eating full meals felt exhausting for him, both physically and mentally. So we had to find a way to get him:

• Enough protein to stop muscle loss

• Calories to help him regain strength

• Nutrients that would help heal tissues and joints

That’s where protein powders became a lifesaver for us.

I’m a big believer that real food should always be the foundation. But there are times—like recovering from trauma—when supplements become not just helpful but necessary.

Why We Chose a Mass Gainer and BCAAs

Because he had dropped so much weight, we didn’t just need protein… we needed extra calories too. But I didn’t want him filling up on processed junk.

So we turned to a mass gainer protein powder as a way to gently add:

• High-quality protein

• Healthy carbs

• Calories for energy

We used Muscleology’s weight gainer because:

• It was easier on his stomach than some brands we tried

• It didn’t have tons of added sugar or sketchy oils

• It mixed well, which mattered since he was drinking shakes several times a day

• 
  

Alongside that, we used BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids) from

A therapist carefully guides a man through leg exercises during a physical therapy session following his accident.

to support muscle repair and reduce soreness during physical therapy sessions. BCAAs can be incredibly helpful when someone is trying to rebuild lost muscle tissue but struggling to eat enough.

'But It’s Not About One Brand—It’s About Quality

I’m sharing what we used, but I want to be very clear: you don’t have to choose Muscleology.

What matters most is:

• Reading ingredient labels

• Avoiding artificial dyes, fillers, or unhealthy oils

• Choosing products that use clean protein sources and balanced carb blends

The cheapest supplement is rarely the best option. During recovery, your body deserves quality fuel. Think of it as an investment in healing—not just a number on the scale.

My Message to Anyone Facing Recovery

If you or someone you love is going through a major recovery, please don’t underestimate how powerful nutrition can be.

Doctors, nurses, and therapists are incredible at what they do—but they’re often not trained in how nutrition directly affects healing. That’s where you can advocate for yourself or your loved one.

It’s not just about getting calories in. It’s about:

• Supporting your body’s rebuilding process

• Reducing muscle loss

• Speeding up recovery so you can get back to living your life

We’re still on this journey. My husband has a pending surgery ahead to remove the hardware from his leg, which was contaminated and has caused ongoing problems over the past year. Healing isn’t always a straight line—but I truly believe that how we’ve approached his nutrition has played a crucial role in helping him keep moving forward.

If you’re in a similar situation and feeling overwhelmed, know you’re not alone. And if you ever have questions about supplements, nutrition, or recovery, my inbox is always open.

Stay strong. Heal well. And remember: quality over quantity—always.

• Diana

• Fit Body by D