Fueling Recovery: What I Learned About Healing After a Tissue Graft

Fueling Recovery: What I Learned About Healing After a Tissue Graft

Note: This version is intended for clients and general readers. A clinical companion article, co-authored with Mark Hamilton, MD, will be posted soon.

When I had a palatal epithelial connective tissue graft (a more complex form of gum graft), I thought recovery would be simple. I’ve always had a high pain tolerance — natural childbirth without drugs, a bunion surgery without painkillers, even a dislocated shoulder with only one day of meds. I assumed this would be the same.

But I was wrong. Gum graft healing is uniquely demanding because it involves delicate tissue with a slower blood supply and fascia-like structures that remodel gradually. That’s when I discovered that recovery isn’t just about enduring pain. It’s about how medications, supplements, and timing work together — and sometimes against each other.

What I didn’t expect

• Clindamycin was prescribed to prevent infection. It left me extremely drowsy and sluggish — something I hadn’t felt with other antibiotics. I knew it would wipe out gut bacteria and make nutrient absorption harder but I had no idea it would leave me so sleepy!
• Prednisone, while helping with swelling, actually slowed down the tissue healing process.
• Jumping into exercise too soon stressed tissues that were still fragile. Result- more swelling, more pain.

What actually helped

• Spacing probiotics after Clindamycin — specifically Saccharomyces boulardii, one of the best-documented strains for restoring gut balance after strong antibiotics. Taking it at the right time (not overlapping with the antibiotic) made a difference.

Taking a product which I sell to my Stem Cell Functional Medicine clients and Health food distributors called Stem cell activator. https://clearwaternutritionlab.com/about-our-products/stem-cell-activator/

Also, Protein and vitamin C — supporting collagen and fascia repair.

• Rest — letting my body do its deeper work instead of pushing it too soon.

My takeaway

I learned the hard way that recovery isn’t about toughness or “bouncing back” quickly. It’s about supporting your body in the right way, at the right time.

The truth is, even someone like me — an athlete, trainer, and teacher who thought I knew how to listen to my body — can be humbled by how much the details matter. The wrong timing, the wrong drug, or too much exercise too soon can set you back. The right support — nutrition, patience, and mindful choices — can set you forward.

Healing isn’t passive. It’s something we can actively support every single day — in fitness, in lifestyle, and in recovery.

If you’d like to dive deeper into the clinical side — including research on fascia healing, medication effects, and supplement timing — my husband, Mark (an MD), and I co-wrote a companion article:

“Nutrition, Medication, and Fascia Healing: An Integrative Perspective on Surgical Recovery.”