According to doctors, the wound from surgery can recover on its own, but whether the surgery is small or large, it will all affect your health. At this time, in order for the wound to heal quickly, without inflammation or infection, care and diet are extremely important. So what to avoid, what to eat to heal wounds after surgery, let’s find out with My Auris through the following article.
What to eat to heal wounds quickly after surgery?
After surgery, the wound will be medically treated by a doctor and left to heal on its own. And how quickly the wound heals depends largely on wound care, hygiene and nutrition. Depending on the location, type of surgery and each person’s constitution, the care regimen will start about 24 hours after surgery and can last from 1-2 months.
The wound will heal and recover through each stage, so the nutrition and diet in each stage will also be different.
The freezing and curing phase blood
The hemostasis phase usually takes place about 3-4 hours after surgery, however, there are conditions that can last longer. Because this stage takes place quite quickly and major surgeries will be closely monitored by doctors.
Therefore, there are no specific recommendations on nutrition during this period. However, at this stage, the patient needs to be carefully monitored and cared for to prevent bleeding with tools such as bandages and tourniquets.
Inflammatory phase – What to eat to heal wounds quickly after surgery?
The inflammatory phase usually takes place within about 3-5 days after the blood clotting process or it can last longer if the wound appears infected, has dead tissue, foreign objects invading, etc. Nutrients that should be supplemented during this period recommended by doctors include:
- Vitamin A: this vitamin helps stimulate the body’s immune response against bacterial invasion. Foods rich in vitamin A: Carrots, tomatoes, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, broccoli, spinach,…
- Vitamin C helps strengthen porcelainc resistance, stimulating the immune system to protect the body. Vitamin C is found in many fruits and vegetables: grapefruit, oranges, lemons, tangerines, cauliflower, broccoli, bell peppers,…
- Calcium: This mineral directly participates in blood clotting, muscle contraction… so it is essential for the inflammatory phase. Calcium minerals are abundant in milk and dairy products, beans, dark green leafy vegetables,…
- Foods that help reduce pain and inflammation: Some foods not only provide nutrition for the body but also help reduce pain and inflammation for people after surgery: Salmon, tuna, sardines, walnuts, almonds, soy products,…
During this stage, the wound is still quite painful and the patient is still tired, so to make it easier to eat, relatives should prepare dishes with few spices, frugal and easy to swallow porridge, soup, boiled, etc. Furthermore, these dishes also help the body easily digest and absorb, which is good for health during this period.
Wound recovery proliferation phase
What to eat to heal wounds after surgery? This proliferative phase often occurs in parallel with the inflammatory process, but the duration will be longer than the inflammatory phase.
The duration of the proliferation phase can last from 1 week to several weeks, depending on the extent of the wound, each person’s constitution as well as care and nutrition regimen. During this period, for quick recovery, doctors recommend supplementing with the following foods:
- Vitamin C: not only enhances resistance, but vitamin C also participates in the process of forming Collagen in bones, cartilage, muscles and blood vessels. Therefore, supplementing foods rich in this vitamin helps wounds heal quickly and fights inflammation. Vitamin C is abundant in fruits and vegetables such as kiwi, oranges, tangerines, bell peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, strawberries,…
- Vitamin D directly participates in the process of forming and maintaining bone structure, supporting the attachment of Calcium and Phosphorus to bone tissue to help keep bones and joints strong. Foods rich in vitamin D are mainly from eggs and fish: egg whites, tuna, salmon, milk,…
- Zinc is an immune-boosting mineral and also accelerates the rate of collagen regeneration, thereby promoting rapid wound healing. Foods rich in zinc include: Fish, lean meat, cereals, whole grain bread,…
- Copper is essential for the formation of Collagen, bones and joints. This micronutrient is found in whole grains, potatoes, dark green vegetables, nuts, etc.
- Iron, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 are substances that help nourish the body’s blood, contributing to enhancing the transport of Protein, minerals and Oxygen to the wound site. This group of nutrients is found in abundance in spinach, strawberries, green vegetables,…
At this stage, the patient can eat many foods without necessarily eating soft, liquid foods like the inflammatory phase.
Regeneration phase
At this stage, blood vessels in the wound begin to recover, epithelial layers will gradually form covering the skin surface. At the same time, collagen fibers continue to proliferate beneath the skin layer.
At this stage, patients should eat a variety of foods to fully supplement nutrients to restore health. However, patients should pay attention to supplementing nutrients that help increase growth and prevent scar formation such as:
- Foods rich in vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc
- Foods rich in vitamin A, zinc, selenium
What to avoid after surgery to heal quickly?
A non-abstinent post-operative diet will greatly affect the body’s health as well as increase the risk of infection and slow wound healing. Therefore, for the healing process to take place quickly, after surgery, you need to abstain from the following foods:
- Dog meat: this is a high-energy meat and rich in Protein (26g Protein/100g dog meat). During the wound recovery period, if you eat dog meat cCan cause keloid scars, rougher and harder, leading to loss of aesthetics.
- Morning glory can cause keloid scars, skin irritation, and itching at the surgical wound. Therefore, after surgery, you should limit this type of vegetable.
- Chicken can make the surgical wound itchy and take longer to heal.
- Eggs should be eaten in moderation because eating a lot of eggs provides a large amount of protein that promotes excessive collagen proliferation. From there, extruding too much excess skin leads to keloid scars.
- Beef can make wounds darker and form dark scars that are very unsightly.
- Sticky foods: according to folk experience, eating sticky foods regularly can easily cause keloid scars on wounds.
- Smoked meat, processed meat, candy: these foods have empty calories and do not contain vitamins and minerals necessary for cell regeneration, prolonging wound healing time. Furthermore, these foods also increase the risk of inflammation and infection in the wound.
- Beer, alcohol, and stimulants make blood circulation more difficult, affecting the recovery and healing process.
- Seafood and fishy foods: although rich in nutrients, some patients will experience itching, allergies and wound discomfort when eating seafood and fishy foods.
Hopefully with the information in the article about what to eat to heal wounds after surgery, speedy recovery will help people choose appropriate foods through each stage. From there, design a suitable daily menu so that patients can quickly recover their health and regain strength.
Anh Thy
