What are the Nutrition Recommendations for Patients Undergoing Surgery?

Nutrition is an important aspect of surgery prep and as a specialized surgery dietitian, I wanted to provide you with a comprehensive list of nutrition recommendations for patients undergoing surgery.

Are you preparing for an upcoming BBL, face lift, or cosmetic procedure? Are you confused on how to best fuel your body before going into surgery?

Don't worry- you aren't alone. Most patients do not feel that they are given the right nutrition knowledge to empower them before their surgery. That's where I come in!

In today's article, I will be going over my best tips and hacks you can use to set your body up for success before your next surgical procedure. This includes what types of foods you should be eating, how much water to be drinking, and the benefits of exercise for reducing post-op complications.

Keep reading to learn more and make sure to save this post for before your next upcoming surgery!

Nutrition Recommendations for Patients Undergoing Surgery

1. Get Your Body Physically Strong

My patients who do resistance training and walking tend to have less swelling and bruising from surgery. Science has shown us that this is due to a variety of reasons.

First off, aerobic exercise such as walking and stair-climbing can increase your oxygen uptake and improve your cardiovascular health. This can increase blood flow throughout your body, which reduces inflammation and the potential for bruising.

Resistance training will help build up your muscle mass. An increase in muscle mass can have benefits for both before and after your surgical procedure, including a reduction in post-op complications.

Action Tip #1: schedule in time for workouts at least 4 times a week leading up to your surgery. YouTube is a great resource for at-home videos if you do not attend a gym.

 

2. Incorporate Quality Proteins

Many people tend to gravitate towards lower-quality sources of protein. But this is not as beneficial as focusing on lean, higher quality protein options.

Eating good protein sources are essential because your body needs all nine essential amino acids to build muscle after surgery. Amino acids are the building blocks for protein and you must get them from the food you eat.

My favorite quality proteins for surgery are:

• Herring
• Chicken
• Pistachios
• Eggs

If you haven't already, make sure to check out my article on the best proteins to eat for plastic surgery!

3. Get on a water-drinking plan

Hitting those fluid goals can be tough! ⁣But small things, such as knowing how many ounces your favorite water bottle holds, or eating foods rich in water, can help you hit those goals with ease. ⁣

I recommend aiming to hit 100 ounces of water per day. A few other tips you can use to hit those goals are:

• Drink electrolyte water or add an electrolyte packet to your water bottle
• Try flavored or seltzer waters
• Add fruit and vegetable infusions to enhance flavor
• Eat foods with a high-water content: watermelon, cucumber, celery

Check out our dietitian curated meal plan and surgery supplements for to give you a beautiful incision and recovery. 

4. create a post-op meal plan

Create a post op meal plan for yourself that meets your specific calorie and protein goals. This is your BEST BET FOR SUCCESS!

It is important to have specific goals in mind when it comes to eating after surgery. You will be able to stay on track and support your body with what it needs. When you don't have a plan, it can be easy to fall off or feel unprepared after your procedure.

Keep in mind what condition you will be in when you are finished with your surgery. This includes any side effects that may influence the way you are eating. For example, if you are getting facial surgery, you may need to only eat soft foods for the first few days. You would obviously want to plan in advance for this as it will change what you are eating!

Action tip #2: Sit down and create a post-operative meal plan that includes a list of meals and a grocery list. use a meal planning app or a simple pen and paper.

For additional meal ideas, head over to my article on what are the best foods to eat after surgery. It also includes nutrition recommendations for patients undergoing surgery.

5. Keep a good care team

It is important to surround yourself with medical professionals who can guide you to a safe recovery. Health coaches should not be involved with surgery because they do not have the proper education and credentials. Seeking a medical professional is the best choice to help you on your journey.

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Final thoughts

Here are my final thoughts on nutrition recommendations for patients undergoing surgery:

• Get your body physically strong with resistance training and aerobic exercise like walking
• Choose quality protein sources that contain all 9 amino acids
• Get on a water-drinking plan to help with hydration
• Create a post-op meal plan to set yourself up for success
• Surround yourself with medical professionals who can guide you to a safe recovery

Remember that you are investing time and money into a surgical procedure. How your body is set-up before surgery will effect your recovery post-op. You will get out what you put in- so don't leave surgery prep as an afterthought!

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