Natural Foods In Your Diet To Help Aid Surgical Recovery

Written By Jamie Costello / Reviewed By Ray Spotts

General aftercare shortly after surgery tends to revolve around making sure any scars or wounds that you have are kept clean and not interfered with. Doctors will advise on how to wash the wound and how often you should replace your dressing. Whilst this will have benefits to your recovery, there are other steps that you can take to also aid this.

In particular, what you eat can have a major impact on how well you recover from your surgery. The proper foods contain many nutrients and minerals which can help healing. They can prevent infection and provide you with extra energy for what was used up during the surgery.

Follow these nutrition tips to boost your recovery period and accelerate your healing.

Have a variety of food to aid surgical recovery

In order to get the most out of your food and utilize the healing properties of foods, it’s best to have a variety of foods in your diet. Engaging in a balanced diet will provide your body with the right calories, proteins and vitamins that your body requires to heal. Four food groups in particular should be your focus: milk, meat, grains and fruits and vegetables.

Spreading these foods over the course of a week or a few days should benefit your recovery in the short term. Feel free to talk to your dietitian or doctor about your particular needs as people’s bodies work in different ways and may need more types of foods than others.

Steer towards power foods to aid surgical recovery

There are renowned ‘power’ foods that will be the most beneficial when it comes to your wound healing period. Proteins in particular are known for their muscle growth and recovery qualities. Foods that include a high level of protein include:

- Meat

- Fish

- Eggs

- Beans

- Cheese

- Tofu

As always, it’s important to balance your main foods with fruit and vegetables that contain many vitamins and nutrients. Power foods in this category containing high levels of vitamin C and A include:

- Strawberries

- Tomatoes

- Peppers

- Spinach

- Carrots

- Broccoli

- Liver

- Peppers

For salad and green choices that can be included in your diet, these are a selection of ‘power greens’ that you’d need to help your recovery:

- Spinach

- Green beans

- Kale

- Parsley

- Kelp

Finally, foods containing high levels of zinc are also recommended to include in your diet. Zinc helps to maintain the structural anatomy of the tissues and maintains the mucosal membranes. This is why many doctors tend to revert to zinc supplements when patients require skin recovery. Foods high in zinc include:

- Nuts and seeds

- Eggs

- Seafood

- Meat

Keep hydrated with healthy fluids to aid surgical recovery

During your surgery recovery, it’s extremely important that you stay hydrated. This will help to promote healthier skin, which contributes to increased wound healing.

Water would be the recommended fluid to have regularly on a daily basis but alternatives can also include milk, tea and natural juices. Avoid fluids that contain high levels of sugar such as fizzy drinks and alcohol as this can interfere with how long it takes for you to recover.

Having a healthy road to recovery

Whether you’re undergoing a cosmetic surgery or a surgery to repair wounds or trauma, how you look after yourself once the procedure has been completed is crucial to how long it takes for you to fully recover. By eating well and taking your surgeon’s recovery instructions, you can be sure that you have a smooth recovery back to normal.

Subscribe to our Trusted Health Club newsletter for more information about natural living tips, natural health, oral care, skincare, body care and foot care. If you are looking for more health resources check out the Trusted Health Resources list.  

Written By:

Jamie Costello is a trainee fitness instructor based in Manchester, UK currently on furlough. He's utilizing his time to showcase his knowledge in order to upgrade his portfolio so he remains relevant with possible work prospects. When he's not training, he likes going on hikes and playing sport.

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.

Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels