Post-surgery is always going to be a tedious process, no matter how big or small your operation may have been. Whether it was your heart or a finger, surgery can be traumatic to the body. Particularly if you are put under general or local anesthesia. Post-surgery is a crucial phase of your healing process and can determine how well your body recovers. You need to take the time to invest in your health by eating correctly and resting properly.
There are certain natural methods, foods, and supplements that can help speed up the recovery process and boost your energy levels. Of course, it hugely depends on the type of surgery you get done.
Your symptoms can extend from swelling to fatigue, to severe pain and possibly subcutaneous bleeding and many other unpleasant symptoms.
Either way, recovery is not an enjoyable experience. In some cases, anesthesia can lead to nausea, vomiting, cognitive dysfunction, and memory loss. Thankfully, after my recent eye operation, I discovered some very helpful natural remedies that might be useful for helping you regain your sense of normality. And they might even speed up the recovery of your body.
Post Surgery Instructions Matter
After just coming out of eye surgery, I have realized just how important it is to listen to your doctors. When they tell you to rest, then that is what you must do. If they insist that you remain indoors for a week or avoid exercise, then be sure to do this. Trust me, I know how frustrating this can be, especially if you’re naturally active and busy. However, these instructions are there for a reason and might make or break you. I’m not exaggerating either, they will most likely speed up your recovery time too!
It seems obvious, but it’s very easy to deviate. If you can follow the instructions given to you by your doctor, specialist or surgeon carefully you will set yourself up for a complication-free recovery. This means making sure to follow even minor directions that you may think are unnecessary.
Therefore, no matter what your doctor advises, you need to bear in mind that there will be a reason for it. Sometimes there will be days that you’ll feel better. When this happens, don’t think you are cleared to go back to running about in your normal way again just yet. There is still healing time taking place internally, which is why it’s so important to make sure to stick to the time frames given by your doctor when it comes to resting or avoiding activities, like driving or heavy lifting.
Keep Your Diet Wholesome
A very common problem post-surgery is weight loss and this is mainly because we lose our appetites. In addition, our bodies tap into whatever fat stores we do have to use as energy to heal the injured or affected area. So, if you never had much excess body weight or fat, to begin with, you might drop quite a bit of weight suddenly. However, with careful attention to what you eat, you can get back to your normal weight in a healthy manner.
My advice to you is to focus on eating a holistic diet if you want to speed up recovery and boost your energy levels. Ensure that whatever you’re eating is well-balanced. You might feel like you’re eating the right foods after surgery, but you’re missing key items. There are certain foods that will help you recover from fatigue and make you feel full of energy. Therefore, your body will have the help it needs to speed up its recovery process.
The Best Natural Ingredients
There are a few main food items that you really want to focus on getting into each meal. One of the main ingredients is protein. This is an essential nutrient for healing to prioritize in your diet. Get more protein-rich foods in your meals from foods like chicken, eggs, beans, nuts, legumes, dairy, and fish. You will also need lots of fruits that are rich in vitamin C and zinc. These act as natural healing aids.
Be sure to include foods high in iron and Vitamin B12, which are excellent for creating new blood cells. Lastly, it’s vital to eat lots of fiber and probiotics every day, because this will help boost your immune system significantly.
Post-Surgery Blues
Don’t let the recovery process get you down. Use this as a time to finally get some rest and let your body heal. It’s okay. Remember, you’ve put your body through a lot, and now it’s time to let it rest and get your mind strong again.
Luckily, I’ve discovered some useful ingredients that can help boost your moods, energy levels, and recovery time post-surgery.
1. Ginger Root
Ginger is one of the best anti-inflammatory vegetables you can get! It’s a brilliant remedy for the treatment of nausea and vomiting. This is common post-surgery and is usually due to a reaction to the anesthesia or other pain-killing drugs.
Sometimes, on odd occasions, natural remedies can cause the same symptoms that they’re meant to prevent. That’s why you should also be aware of the size of the dose. Research says that ginger can thin the blood, so it is not the best herb to take before an operation.
But generally speaking, ginger can significantly relieve nasty pangs of nausea and vomiting when consumed after surgery.
Quercetin
This natural remedy is a potent flavonoid found in various fruits, vegetables, teas, wines, and various herbs that may help reduce swelling and lymphedema. This is a buildup of lymphatic fluids in the tissues.
Better yet, this flavonoid might reduce the risk of developing cellulitis, or blood poisoning, after surgery, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Experts recommend taking up to 1,000 mg of quercetin two to three times daily for the purposes of supplementation.
Calendula
You’d be amazed at how much we can benefit from natural ingredients in the world! It comes from marigolds and is used both externally and internally to help heal wounds and ailments of the skin. Herbal calendula is available in liquids and ointments. In addition, it’s an excellent healing herb to disinfect and speed the recovery of incisions.
This powerful herb has antibacterial properties and reduces the risk of developing cellulitis, blood poisoning, and MRSA infections after surgery. Many homeopathic doctors use it as a remedy to clean the blood of toxins and help repair the skin post-surgery. It is taken orally and should be prescribed by a homeopathic practitioner.
Honey
Who doesn’t love a spoonful of honey now and then? It comes from a plant-based source and often acts like a herb on the body. Honey contains multiple healing properties from various enzymes and antibacterial compounds that may prevent infection when applied topically post-surgery.
Therefore, honey might help heal incisions more quickly. Do not use honey on an open wound.
Bromelain
This is my favorite enzyme of all because it’s derived from delicious pineapples. It helps reduce inflammation and pain. It was approved by Germany’s Commission E for use after ear, nose, and throat surgery to help reduce inflammation of the sinuses.
Plus, bromelain can be used post-surgery to reduce swelling and pain, speeding up recovery. The German Commission E recommends 500 mg four times daily for the treatment of injuries, which includes surgical trauma. You should take bromelain on an empty stomach. Bromelain can thin the blood. If you take blood-thinning medicines, consult your health practitioner before using it.
Most importantly, give yourself the time to rest. It will be okay and it will get better. Everything else can wait a little longer. It’s not going anywhere and your health matters more!
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