Recovery Roadmap: 4 Tips to Support Nutritional Health After Surgery

Surgery is a major endeavor that can greatly affect your physical wellbeing. After a surgery, your body may need to work harder to heal depending on the type of procedure and your health status. There are proactive steps you can take to support this process! Allow yourself ample time for rest and getting enough sleep. Prioritize nourishing meals and snacks, and build a plan that may include light physical activity (pending approval from your healthcare provider) to support your recovery.

When you or your loved one is preparing for surgery, nutrition might not be the first thing on your mind. For some people, pre-planning quality nutritional meals prior to surgery is recommended in your physician’s plan for you. It could also be helpful to have organic nutrition drinks on-hand as a convenient snack or meal replacement. Clinical study and survey data shows that as many as 1 in 3 hospitalized patients are at risk for developing malnutrition during their stay. To help set yourself up for success on the road to recovery, we'll offer some recommendations to help you develop a plan that supports your nutrition after surgery.

Here are some ideas to implement after your operation that may help support your healing and recovery process. A nutrition plan that includes essential nutrients can assist you to getting back to enjoying the sweeter things that life has to offer!

Tips for post-surgery nutrition.

1. Focus on quality nutrition. Consume foods that are rich in nutrients and contain vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.  It is important to select foods that contain good sources of protein, healthy fats, and foods with naturally occurring fiber, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

2. Your doctor may suggest consuming adequate amounts of fiber to prevent constipation. Fiber is kind of like a food superhero — it supports the health of your microbiome and is considered an important part of your daily meal plan. It helps move your food and food waste through your digestive tract, to support digestive health.

3. Stay hydrated. Water makes up 60% of the human body and helps maintain a normal body temperature. It helps lubricate and protect your joints, protects spinal tissue, and helps get rid of waste.

4. Rest: While sleeping, we are able to recover for the next day. During our sleep, our bodies make white blood cells that protect us from viruses and bacteria, and our bodies repair tissues in our muscles and vital organs. When you're in the recovery process following a sickness or surgery, getting adequate amounts of sleep helps us stay healthy.

What to do if you’re not hungry?

Try incorporating small amounts of nutrient-dense and calorie-dense foods into your diet. Here are some examples: 

• Avocados provide monounsaturated fats and key minerals such as potassium, and fiber.

• Beans and legumes provide protein, fiber, and nutrients to your diet. 

• Protein rich meals and snacks to support muscle health.

• Seeds and nuts are rich in protein, healthy fats, and key minerals. They can also be easily be made into seed and nut butters.

• Potatoes contain vitamin C and potassium.

A high-quality liquid nutrition shake can offer protein, functional fats, carbohydrates, fibers and key vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to help you consume essential nutrients. Talk to your healthcare professional about potentially incorporating liquid nutrition into your post-operation diet. Supplemental liquid nutrition can help you consume essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and adequate amounts of carbohydrates, fats, and protein. 

Next steps.

If you're concerned about meeting your nutritional needs post-surgery, discuss your nutrition options with a healthcare professional. If you’re considering using Kate Farms as supplemental nutrition to help you consume your essential nutrients and would like to discuss options with your doctor, show them Kate Farms plant-based, high-quality shakes to see if they could be right for you.

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