If you have a surgery in the near future or have chronic conditions that require healing, diet is an important part of that process. Proper nutrition provides your body with the building blocks it needs to heal itself. Let’s review a few of my recommendations for proper nutrition in the peri-operative period.
- The power food groups:
- Protein (Meats, Beans, Nuts, Milk and Yogurt)
- Vitamin C (Oranges, Grapefruit, Brussel Sprouts, Kale)
- Magnesium (Pumpkin, Spinach, Soy)
- Zinc (Beef, Lamb, Seafood)
- Protein (Meats, Beans, Nuts, Milk and Yogurt)
- Not a big eater? Eat more meals throughout the day. Try eating your typical meals, but increase to five or six times
a day to increase your caloric consumption. - Consider supplementation of essential nutrients with a multi-vitamin if you are not meeting the nutritional daily requirements.
- Control blood sugars if you have a history of diabetes.
This is critical, as elevated blood sugars can have detrimental effects on wound healing. - Eliminate any nicotine-containing products from your daily routine. Patients who are quitting smoking are advised to avoid patches and gums which cause vascular constriction and impair wound healing.
Thanks and happy eating!
JR
See below for more information:
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/nutrition-guidelines-to-improve-wound-healing
