When it comes to your spine surgery, you’re not going to be able to control every single factor, but there are certainly some things you can control before, during and after your operation. One such factor is your diet. In today’s blog, we are going to share some tips to improve your diet before you head in for spine surgery, what you should eat on the day of your operation and some meal tips for eating while you’re recovering after your operation.
Eating Before, During And After Spine Surgery
Here are some ways to improve your diet and help your body get the nutrients it needs to thrive before, during and after your spinal procedure.
- Eating Before Spine Surgery – Even if you consider yourself pretty healthy, it’s a good idea to really make sure that you eat plenty of nutritious options in the days and weeks leading up to your operation. The stronger your body is prior to the operation, the stronger it will be afterwards, so make sure that it has access to helpful vitamins and minerals from your diet. Eating healthy foods can also give you the energy to exercise, which can help to strengthen your spine ahead of the big day. Also, consuming healthy calories can help you lose a little weight, and since your spine shoulders a significant amount of the stress of your body weight, losing just a few pounds can really take a load off your spine. Make sure you’re eating a good balance of protein, fiber, and iron during the lead up to your operation.
- Eating The Day Of Spine Surgery – Obviously you’re not going to be eating while you’re on the operating table, but you will likely be given eating instructions for the 24 hours before your surgery. We’re not going to give any advice here other than to follow your doctor’s specific instructions. If you need to avoid eating for eight hours, or you can consume a light meal of specific foods, follow those instructions carefully. Failing to do so can interfere with the anesthesia or increase your risk of regurgitating during the procedure while you are put out.
- Eating After Spine Surgery – Similar to the first point, you’ll really want to ensure that your body has access to a range of healthy vitamins and minerals in the wake of your procedure. Your body is going to be in a weakened state, so anything you can do to encourage tissue recovery will be extremely helpful, and you can do this by eating the right foods. Also, since you’re going to be physically limited for a bit while you’re recovering, it’s a good idea to prepare some healthy, easy-to-reheat meals ahead of time and store them in your freezer. You’re not going to want to spend an hour in the kitchen cooking a healthy meal while you’re recovering from spine surgery, but if you prep some options ahead of time, it will be easy enough to reheat and eat. Take some time before surgery to meal plan for life after your operation.
You can’t control all aspects of your spine surgery, but you should do what you can to improve the aspects that you can control, and that involves minding your diet so that your body has access to key vitamins and minerals that aid in the healing process. If you have additional questions about developing a diet routine before or after your spine surgery, or you want to talk to a specialist about a different spine issue, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
