Millions of surgeries are done every year all around the world, and every professional suggests that the recovery period and your habits during it are what is going to affect the outcome the most. We all think that as soon as we are out of the operating room, we are already fine and that we can instantly go back to our regular lives and forget we ever had the procedure. In reality, the way you act the days and weeks post-op are going to affect your health, and may even make your recovery process much longer and more difficult. Note that your recovery period starts way before you go under the knife and it continues after the surgery for at least one month, depending on the procedure. In this article, we are going to tell you how you can speed up this process and we will tell you why is pre-nutrition important for surgery recovery.
What should you eat?
Let’s first start with eh things you should and should not eat before the procedure, and then we will tell you what you need to pay attention to after the surgery is done and what will help your body heal faster.
A week, or even a month before the procedure you need to start preparing your body for the shock that is going to happen, and in this period, it is vital for you to give it all the supplements it needs to get stronger and withstand everything that is going to happen.
You should intake enough protein, and you should stick with whole grains that will give you all the vitamin B your organism will need for the surgery. Vegetables and fruits are a must because you need a lot of nutrients, and you should also take special supplements that will help you get stronger and keep your appetite.
Steer away from sugars, too much caffeine and it is recommended not to drink any alcohol during this pre-op month. Try to steer away from unhealthy habits like smoking and know that these things will affect your recovery process.
After the procedure, you should let your body heal and you should not force yourself to do anything you are not feeling comfortable with.
You should eat smaller portions and try not to overeat. It is better to get one smaller plate every few hours than eat a whole big meal in one sitting. When you feel too full, you may experience more pain and you may feel sick or nauseous.
Once again, you should stick to proteins and whole grains, and during this time, you should opt for meals and foods that will allow you to get a lot of calcium that is good not only for the bones but for the overall healing process as well.
Fibers and vitamin C will help you heal faster and recover the damaged tissue, and you need to drink plenty of water if you want to prevent constipation and flush the toxins faster.
Just like with the pre-op period, when you are healing from the procedure you should try to avoid things like refined sugars, you should not consume any alcohol, and you should avoid coffee or any other caffeinated drinks including energy beverages.
There are supplements such as Woundvite that will help you heal faster, decrease the odds of a scar forming and it staying with you for the rest of your life, and it will help you repair the damaged tissue. They are not some miracle pills, but they’ve proven to be quite effective in this field.
Supplements overall are your biggest friend, and you should see which supplements are going to benefit you the most. If you feel like you cannot eat, or if you don’t have the energy to ingest all the things that are going to provide all the nutrients and minerals, you should use supplements that will give you energy and speed up the healing process. You can take them right after getting out of the hospitals and you can continue taking them for months until you feel there is no need for them anymore.
Why is it important?
Now let’s see why following these rules is important and why can’t you just eat whatever you want before and after you are done with the procedure.
No matter how big or small the surgery is, and no matter if it is something that the surgeon does daily or if it is something that is going to be extremely complex, your body is going to be affected by it. Even the smallest cuts that we make are affecting our organism, and when it comes to large incisions, and even taking things out from our body, that is going to put the organism in a state of shock.
Long after you have your procedure your muscles are going to be affected, as well as your organs and your blood. Every part of your body will need to work extra hard to help you get better as fast as you can, so you need to help your body do all of that.
The easiest way to help your organism get better faster is with proper nutrition. When we talk about this part, you should know that it’s not just about the meals you eat and the things you steer away from, but it is also about the supplements that will speed up the recovery process and help you get better faster.
The stress that happens to the body during the procedure is going to lead to muscle loss, it will make you lose weight, and it can also lead to inflammation and infections. The wounds will heal as fast as you support your organism, so it is better for you to help your body and do everything you can to speed this process up.
As you can see, you need to follow strict rules if you want to heal faster, and the more you follow these things, the faster you will recover. No matter what you choose to do or use, you should talk to your surgeon first, and ask them what would help you the most. Make sure you are not allergic to anything before you try new things out, and if you don’t feel comfortable with a certain food or supplement, you should stop taking them right away.