Make sure you:
-
Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
-
Make sure your meals and snacks make up a balanced diet of fruit, vegetables, whole grain, lean meat and low-fat dairy products.
Eat foods high in:
-
Protein (lean beef, chicken, fish, beans, nuts) – As the body’s main building block, protein helps tissues heal after surgery.
-
Calcium (milk, cheese, yogurt, broccoli, kale) – Ask your surgeon whether you also need to take a calcium supplement to help with bone health. Adults under age 50 need 1,000 mg of calcium a day; those over 50 need 1,200 mg.
-
Fiber (peas, beans, broccoli, whole-wheat pasta, almonds) – Fiber will help you avoid the constipation that can result from pain medications, particularly those prescribed post-op.
-
Iron (spinach, kale, lean red meat, raisins) – Iron helps your body make hemoglobin, a protein your red blood cells need to carry oxygen to your organs and tissues.
-
Vitamin C (oranges, tomatoes and cantaloupe) – Vitamin C helps your body more easily absorb iron from foods.
|
