MANY runners taking part in the Bournemouth Marathon Festival next weekend will be booking a sports massage with therapists like Alex Chisnall at The Body Clinic to aid their post race recovery. But there are certain foods that can help your body to heal, as Alex explains to Nicky Findley: When my daughter Evie broke her arm earlier this year, I started looking at certain foods that might help to aid her recovery.

Most of us are familiar with milk as a calcium source to heal broken bones and if you incorporate vitamin D, this will help your body absorb calcium.

But I discovered there are many other sources of calcium such as green vegetables like kale, nuts and beans. Salmon, sardines and eggs are also a good supply of vitamin D.

Swiss chard is particularly good – a nutrition-packed vegetable that supports bone health and fights stress-related diseases.

It provides an excellent source of vitamins C, E, and K, as well as fibre, zinc, and calcium. You can sauté it, toss it in a salad, or replace it for spinach in any dish.

I then started looking at carbohydrates as a source of energy.

Most of us usually turn to processed carbohydrates that simply don’t provide other nutrients whereas beetroot is a natural energy supply and is packed full of carbs, calcium, iron and vitamins A and C. Recent studies have also indicated that they may protect against heart disease and fight cancer too.

Healthy fats may reduce your risk of heart disease and are essential for your brain to function properly.

Healthy fats include mono saturated and polyunsaturated fats such as fatty fish, avocado, olive oil and nuts such as walnuts, almonds and pecans.

Many people looking to lose weight cut out fats entirely which is both unhealthy and can lead to mental illness such as depression.

Mushrooms have long been hailed for their health-promoting properties.

They boost the immune system and may even be able to fight cancer.

If you are constantly becoming ill then your immune system needs a boost – start introducing mushrooms into your diet. Mushrooms have long been hailed for their health-promoting properties.

They boost the immune system and may even be able to fight cancer.

If you are constantly becoming ill then your immune system needs a boost – start introducing mushrooms into your diet.

Ginger isn’t just used as a spice in Chinese cooking. It has been used over hundreds of years to aid digestion, calming upset stomachs and even treating arthritis.

It has also been widely recognised in treating nausea. If you have low thyroid levels it can cause sluggishness, moodiness and even result in weight gain. Iodine is essential to the thyroid gland.

Kelp is not only rich in iodine but is rich in calcium, magnesium and potassium. The key is a moderate amount to raise energy levels and brain functioning.

Other powerful healers include spinach, parsley, green beans and alfalfa n If you have recently suffered an injury and aren’t sure if you need physio-therapy, you can book a free health consultations at either the Littledown or Poole clinics. Just call 01202 509010.