Undergoing surgery is like running a marathon. It requires a lot of energy as it puts the body in great stress. This is why it’s important to pay attention to your nutrition before and after surgery.

If you’re scheduled for surgery, the following nutrition tips can help you prepare your body for better surgery and recovery outcome:

* Eat high quality proteins and carbohydrates
The surgery can burn a lot of calories even during the recovery phase. By ramping up your nutrient intake before and after surgery, you can help your body heal faster and better.

* Make sure to carb-load before surgery
Studies show that you lose a lot of glycogen during surgery – more than what you could lose during a 2.5-hour run or bike ride.

Loading with carbohydrates before surgery can help in reducing the hunger, thirst, and even anxiety prior to the procedure. It can also help in reducing the nausea, vomiting, and pain after surgery.

* Boost your immune system

The stress from surgery can trigger inflammation in your body, which increases your risk of post-surgical infection. Keep this from happening by taking foods high in immune system-boosting ingredients. These include red meat, poultry, and fatty fish.

* Increase your protein intake before AND after surgery
You could lose muscle mass after surgery especially if you don’t move a lot. This is why hospitals encourage patients to be up and moving as soon as possible after surgery.

Aside from movement, nutrition can also help in preserving muscle mass. You can do this by increasing your protein intake before and after surgery.


Reference:
http://www.nutritionnews.abbott/nutrition-as-medicine/to-eat-or-not-before-surgery.html