Missing a truespin grind and splitting a rail, sliding out, earning another scrape on the knee that is visible from the top side of your jeans, as you watch the blood pool, anticipating the sting you will be receiving once you hit the shower.
Bruises, cuts, strains, a sprained ring finger, Blading is not for the faint-of-heart. In any extreme sport, there are days we land tricks and then there are days we don’t. Injuries are all part of the game and being proactive to healing these wounds by having ice-packs, wrist guards, heat packs, and even Neosporin (with burn relief) can have you back on the streets for redemption with the backflip to soul you were initially trying.
Although losing the use of a limb can become depressing, it can also be viewed as an opportunity to grow. Being forced to use different muscles to do our day-to-day activities, allows different use of the brain thus making the person sharper (Injuries make you smarter!). Nothing lasts forever and like the rain, injury’s will eventually go away. To expedite recovery of the wound, keep it above the heart and try eating certain types of foods that provide nutrients and vitamins that the body can use to repair it.
Eat! - Some people think that because they are injured and sitting around that they are going to get fat. But, your body needs calories because it is doing extra work to defend your body from illness and now has to repair what was damaged during blading (coitus).
Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Salmon, Mackerel, Flax Seeds, Walnuts, avocados are all high with these fatty acids that act as an anti-inflammatory.
Protein – will rebuild muscular tissue. Choose something organic, like chicken or Bison meat, or light proteins such as, fish, or shrimp. Vegetarians have almonds or beans.
Vitamin C - is known to make new skin, repair scars, muscle tissue, tendons, ligaments, and blood tissue. The antioxidants found in Vitamin C will also aid your body’s immune system and can be found in broccoli, oranges, and cantaloupes.
Zinc – This important nutrient helps proteins repair bodily tissues and can be found in whole grains and nuts.
Water – acts like a lubricant transporting all of these nutrients throughout the body, and will make the healing process faster when in abundance.
Here is a delicious and light dish for dinner that has all of these nutrients and vitamins wrapped into a pelvic thrust.
Blackened Salmon, Orange 
Broccoli, with Ginger-Almond Brown Rice
Yield: 2 people
Photo: Kruise Sapstein
Ingredients Amounts
Ginger, 2 – inch piece 1 ea.
Brown Rice 1 1/2 Cup
Water 3 cups
Sliced Almonds, raw 1/2 cup
Salmon – 2- 6oz. filets 12 oz. – 1 pound
Paprika 1 1/2 Tbsp.
Cayenne 1 Tbsp.
Dried Thyme 1/4 Tsp.
Broccoli, crown 1 ea.
Orange 1 ea.
Salt & Pepper To Taste
Olive Oil To Taste
Method
For the Rice
1. Rinse brown rice to remove any possible foreign debris.
2. Peel ginger root (I prefer to do this task with a small spoon, pretending the edge is a peeler) and then chop finely.
3. Heat a medium sized pot and coat the pan with oil. Once oil is warm, drop the ginger just to sweat for about 45 seconds. (Do not blacken ginger.) Add the rice and toss to coat each piece with oil. Add water, toss a pinch of salt in, reduce heat to low, top the pot with a lid, and keep on a low boil till rice is fluffy. (refrain from stirring)
4. In a separate pot bring 2 cups of water to a boil and blanch almonds for approximately 5 minutes to crisp up. Test an almond ensuring it is cooked all the way through, before draining liquid. Toast for a few minutes in a dry pan on high heat till golden brown. After rice has been cooked fold in cooked almonds.
For the Blackening Spice
5. Mix Paprika, Cayenne, and Dried Thyme together.
6. Check to make sure Salmon has no bones and remove skin if desired. (this is actually the location for a lot of Omega-3 fatty acids, but, eating the skin is kind of hard, and if you do, make sure its descaled. I don’t want you choking.)
7. Lay spice mixture out on a flat plate or surface and pat the filet on both sides
8. In a Saute pan on low heat, that is lubricated with oil, add salmon filet till blackened. Then flip. The seasoning should create a natural moisture barrier locking in all the natural flavors and cooking it faster than it would in an oven.
For the Broccoli
9. Bring a small pot of salted water (enough to submerge the chopped broccoli) to a boil and drop broccoli in for approximately 1-2 minutes or until centers are soft but not mushy. Drain from water.
10. Peel orange removing any white rind off of the skin and julienne. Juice entire orange into a saute pan and reduce to a glaze, syrup consistency. Right before it thickens toss blanched broccoli and julienned orange skins into saute pan to marry the flavors.
11. Serve Broccoli with rice and salmon. Enjoy and get well soon.
— Chef Michael Obedoza
(Michael Obedoza lives in Carson, Calif., and is a 2009 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. He is sponsored by The Conference and Eulogy. Check out his blog, Blading with Chef Knives.)
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