Preparing your body for spine surgery can contribute to a successful surgery and recovery. Think of surgery as a marathon; it's a long race that requires careful preparation to ensure your body is in optimal condition for your upcoming procedure. In the weeks before your surgery, it is crucial to include as many nutrients in your diet as possible. Fruits, vegetables, and proteins boost immunity for healthy tissue repair and can combat the stress your body endures during the surgery.
Certain nutrients are essential to the immune system. Without them, the body's ability to heal and recover is reduced. Before and after your spine surgery, consume nutrients and the foods that contain the following key ingredients:
- Proteins: These will help heal soft tissue and minimize scar formation. Eat lean meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, eggs, dried beans, and nuts.
- Iron: Is needed to make healthy red blood cells from lean meat, shellfish, legumes, quinoa, spinach, organ meat, and eggs.
- Vitamin D: Crucial to bone health, vitamin D helps the body absorb and use calcium. Fish, oranges, tofu, egg yolks, mushrooms, and cow's milk contain vitamin D.
- Fiber: Avoid constipation post-surgery by eating a variety of fiber, from nuts, beans, lentils, split peas, whole grains, vegetables, and fruit.
- Antioxidants: They help protect your cells from damage and can reduce inflammation. Foods high in antioxidants include berries, dark leafy greens, nuts, and seeds.
Nutrition plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy spine. Research shows that having specific foods in the weeks and days before and after surgery can help reduce these risks for a swifter recovery.1 Several weeks before surgery is the time to begin increasing protein intake. Protein helps to build up both your strength and your tissue repair.
After spine surgery, your metabolism increases, and your body needs extra calories—about twice as many as usual—for recovery.2 These extra calories must come from healthy foods like grains, legumes, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Eating well helps you recover faster, increases energy levels, and prevents constipation and fatigue after surgery. Preparing for and recovering from surgery with proper nutrition can help you return to an active lifestyle quicker and with greater success.
Dr. Payam Moazzaz specializes in advanced minimally invasive spine surgery that enables successful returns to active lifestyles. For all appointments, please cal (760) 904 5444
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8156786/
https://www.spineuniverse.com/treatments/surgery/after-spine-surgery-eat-right-heal-fast
Disclaimer:It is the responsibility of the reader to review and understand that some ingredients may cause a potential adverse reaction to anyone eating the food based on an allergy, health-related diet restrictions or medical conditions.