Most of us would have experienced the challenges of recovering from a surgery, sometimes as a patient or as a caregiver. After a surgery the body needs lots of support for it to heal and recover. The process can include resting, medications, physiotherapy and most important of all a well planned nutrition schedule that is specific to the surgery and wound healing a patient needs.

Nutrition plays an important part in the process of recovery after a surgery. When you have a wound to heal then your body cells have to recover since they may be damaged. The body cells have to re-grow and replace the damaged tissue in the wound. The building blocks for cell development come mainly from the food or nutrition we take. When the nutrition is not proper then cell growth can be sluggish, which means healing will take longer and this may even lead to further problems.

Let us look generally at what sort of nutrition to take and what to avoid for proper recovery. Always consult your doctor along with the hospital nutritionist to arrive at a proper nutrition plan.

Anti-inflammatory food

It is of prime importance that any post-operative diet should steer clear of inflammatory foods like processed products, preserved foods, preservative laden foods, gluten containing foods, excessive sugar, trans fats and excess of omega6 oils like corn oils and soya bean oils.

Go for foods that prevent inflammation like foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids like flax seed contains anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids along with antioxidant substances called lignans that helps supports digestive health faster recovery after surgery. . Fruits like pineapple and papaya can be consumed for their anti-inflammatory enzymes. It is also very important to stay well hydrated and eat a balanced diet during the first few days of recovery.

High Protein food

 When you have a major surgery and you are recovering then the first few days are of hectic activity where your body will be working overtime to repair the damaged tissue.

It is very important that there is a steady supply of amino acids during this time to help the healing process and set it on its path to success. Whole proteins from animal and plant sources are the best to have. You can also try protein powders if you find trouble eating at the beginning of our recovery phase.

Probiotics

Before any surgery the patient is administered some kind of intravenous antibiotics in order to prevent post surgical infections. The negative side of these antibiotics is that they in turn kill the beneficial bacteria in the stomach and promote antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. The beneficial bacteria is supposed to be important for maintaining strong immune system, good digestion and for right nutrient absorption, which ultimately together aids in bringing a successful recovery. Probiotics can be plentiful in fermented foods like pickles, yoghurt and kimchi and all these are powerhouses of probiotics.

Vitamin C foods

Vitamin C should be an important part of the nutrition plan for post surgical recovery since they help towards skin cell growth. They actually help in the formation of collagen in the skin. Vitamin C also helps in preventing anaemia because they assist in absorption of  iron. Most fresh fruits and vegetable are high in vitamin c but citrus fruits and green vegetable are the most beneficial ones.

Zinc containing food

Zinc helps in the formation of new tissue and skin. Post surgical patients definitely need to increase the intake of zinc in their food. This will help in healing the wound faster. The best sources of zinc include meat, shellfish and all the dairy products.

There are so many reasons that can affect the health of your kidney. The reasons can be natural, made or genetical. Here are some of the reasons:

Protein Overload

Protein is an essential part of a healthy diet but too much of it in the body leads to serious health problems like kidney failure. This is because the kidneys have to work extra long to remove the extra protein and thereby stress themselves out. It is best to eat small portions of eggs, fish, meat, vegetables and nuts at a time.

Excess of Salt

Excess of salt will result in the blood pressure rising and speed up kidney damage. Excess salt also leads to kidney stones which causes nausea, heightened pain and trouble while passing urine.

Habit of Smoking

Smoking is a dangerous habit that leads to many health hazards. It can lead to high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. This in turn can lead to kidney failure. Again smoking can affect the effectiveness of medicines taken to treat the above health problems. Smoking also damages blood flow to the kidney and this causes kidney problems in those already suffering from kidney diseases.

Heavy Alcohol Drinking

Men and women who are heavy drinkers and have more than 14 or 7 drinks per week respectively  double the risk of kidney disease. This is not always the case and sometimes having four or five drinks in less than 2 hours can cause ‘acute kidney injury’, leading to serious kidney damage. In such cases the patient will need dialysis to keep the kidneys working.

Regular Use of Sodas

Many adults and children have the habit of reaching for a soda to quench their thirst. If you drink 2 or more sodas every day, then you are a candidate for some serious kidney disease. Those who drink sodas have kidneys that worked 30% less after 20 years compared with others who maybe took some sugar sweetened soft drink.

Watch for Dehydration

There is no doubt that kidneys need the right amount of water to work efficiently. Without enough supply of water on a regular basis can cause severe kidney damage. To check whether you are drinking enough water, you can check the colour of your urine. If the urine is light yellow in colour then your intake of water is sufficient. A darker colour or brown colour to the urine means your kidney has some sort of problem.

Use of certain Medicines

Regular high dose of certain medicines especially pain control medications like aspirin and ibuprofen can cause kidney damage. This does not mean you have to avoid them when required. The best option is to consult your doctor before taking the medicines and get them in the right dosage for you.

Use of illegal Drugs

Habitual use of illegal drugs like cocaine, heroin or meth can cause permanent kidney damage. These drugs hike the blood pressure and thus become one of the main factors for resultant kidney disease.

Over Exercising

Working out or exercise is good for the body but as usual too much is too bad. Too hard at work out for too long can cause a condition in which the muscles get damaged and tissue breaks down very fast. This condition dumps impurities into the blood that can finally hurt the kidneys resulting in kidney failure. It is right to build up a workout gradually and not make them intense suddenly. If at all you have severe muscle pain and dark coloured urine you should not wait to consult your doctor.

High blood pressure is also known as hypertension and it is today a fairly common occurrence. The older you become, you are more prone to get hypertension. Blood pressure is actually the force of the blood pressing against the walls of the arteries. There is a normal pressure required to pump blood from the heart but when this pressure exceeds the level it can be fatal.

When the pressure is too high the heart works harder, the arteries may get damaged and you can feel certain symptom that makes you unwell and even cause heart disease, stroke or kidney disease.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF HYPERTENSION?

High blood pressure is a sneaky silent killer and does not show much outward symptoms. Which means a person could have it for years and may not know about it. It silently damages the vital organs including heart, lungs, blood vessels, brain and kidney it not found and treated on time.

WHAT IS THE NORMAL RANGE FOR BP?

The normal blood pressure range falls below a reading of 130/80 on the blood pressure machine. Higher results over time can be the sign of hypertension. The top number shows the systolic value and the pressure when the heart beats. The lower number or diastolic value is the measure of pressure at the rest between heartbeats; here the heart is again filling with blood.

THE WARNING SIGN

An elevated blood pressure is a measure which is above the normal level or 3 consecutive reading. Certain lifestyle changes in consultation with the doctor can help get back to normal health.

THE FATAL ZONE

When the systolic pressure is between 130 to 139 and the diastolic pressure is between 80 to 89 then you are in the Stage 1 high blood pressure zone. If the reading is 140 or higher systolic and 90 or greater diastolic then you have Stage 2 hypertension. Similarly if the blood pressure shows a reading of 180 systolic and 120 diastolic then you are in a hypertensive crisis. This can lead to stroke, heart attack, acute kidney damage etc. If you observe such a range take some rest and check again. The symptoms may include severe headache, anxiety and at times nose bleeding. Ultimately you will feel breathless and pass out.

WHO IS AT RISK?

Men upto the age of 45 are more likely to get blood pressure than women. But as you grow older it almost becomes similar for both men and woman and both are at risk. By the age of 65 more women may have hypertension than men. A family history of hypertension means you are more likely to get it and it is also widespread among those with diabetes. Sometimes a health problem like kidney disease can give rise to hypertension.

HOW CAN YOU PREVENT HT?

• There are many lifestyle changes that can help prevent the onset of hypertension and if you have high blood pressure adapting these measures can save you.
• Sodium or the salt in our food helps retain water and put more pressure on the heart and cause hypertension, so say less to salt.
• Stress is another factor which should be dealt with so say no to alcohol, smoking and poor diet to beat stress and stay healthy.
• Being overweight or obese can put a lot of strain on the heart and cause hypertension. So start exercising.
• Medicines should be taken in consultation with doctors otherwise they can lead to hypertension.
• The DASH Diet – Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension – suggests taking more of fruits, vegetables, whole grain foods, low fat dairy and meat. Stay away from red meat, saturated fats and sweets.
• Get some good exercise daily to bring down the body weight and prevent hypertension.

Depression is today a wide spread problem and it is hardly visible to the outside world while the sufferer has to bear with it for days, months or years together. This takes a toll on the quality of life and holds back the depressed person from doing his bit in this life. There has been so much of research into the cause and treatment for depression and may have come to the conclusion that the answer may lie in therapy and food. Yes food, people would have suggested socialising, developing hobbies, getting drunk etc. Jokes apart they never told you that happiness lies not in money and merrymaking but in good depression-fighting food.

Certain foods have specific properties that spark and stimulate the particular glands and hormones that ignite happiness. Here are a list of few foods that can the trick for you.

Turkey

The Thanksgiving delicacy or turkey has the protein building block tryptophan, which our body uses to produce serotonin. This is a brain chemical that plays a vital role in alleviating depression. Some anti-depressant drugs work by controlling the way the brain uses serotonin. That is why you get similar mood boosting effect from chicken and soybeans.

Seafood

Seafood is rich in selenium, which helps in protecting your body from damage causing free radicals. Those who did not have enough of selenium in their body especially youngsters are prone to depression. Some nuts which we snack on also have selenium and other foods are brown rice, lean beef, sunflower seeds and Brazil nuts etc.

Carrots

Carrots are full of beta-carotene, which is available also from pumpkin, spinach, sweet potatoes and cantaloupe. These are nutrient rich vegetables that are said to lower depression. There is no solid evidence that they can reduce depression but eating them will give a healthy body that leads to a healthy mind.

Coffee

The caffeine in coffee is one ingredient that helps you feel better and motivated when you drink a cup or two. But sometimes if you have postpartum depression or panic disorder the cup of coffee can make you more upset and feel worse. But through our daily life we all know what wonders a cup of coffee can do to perk us up.

Green Vegetables

The green vegetables are packed with folate, this is essential for brain cells to work efficiently and for you to feel good. In countries like USA food manufacturers add this to their preparations like pasta, and rice. Folate can also be obtained from foods like lentils, beans and asparagus.

Milk

When you have very low amounts of certain nutrients in the body like Vitamin D then then there is possibility of getting afflicted by depression. Studies have found that people who took vitamin D health supplements were less depressed than those who never had them. If you are not a great fan of Milk then you can enrich you r diet with cereals and juices or canned fish.

According to several studies, People who are depressed are more likely to become obese. Researches believe that may be the result of changes in your immune system and hormones that come with depression. Fortunately a nutritious diet including the foods above will help you get to and stay at a healthy.

It is said that we should walk at least 5.5 miles per week. Walking at a slow pace of 2 miles per hour is enough to lower the risk of heart attacks, strokes and heart failure by 31%. Those who walk further and faster benefit more. This is truly a motivator for those who are avid walkers.

Walk for 30 minutes daily

A very little effort on your part like walking for 30 minutes continuously can do wonders to help the blood move through the body the way it should. Walk any time you feel comfortable but every time try to push yourself a little bit. This can g et your heart rate up and can strengthen it while lowering the blood pressure.

Count your steps

Walking 10,000 steps is equal to walking for 5 miles and if you can’t do it everyday, any walking will help your health. You can use a pedometer which is readily available in the market to count your steps and the step it up little by little.

Brisk walking

It is best if you do at least 150 minutes of exercise every week. This will raise the heart rate to the optimal levels. Walking can be counted towards the exercise you need. For walking you don’t need any special equipments, except a pair of shoes. Women think that the daily chores in the kitchen takes care of exercise but a stroll to your fridge and back is not the right exercise. You need to do some brisk walking that will set your heart into rhythm and help you lead a healthy life.

As good as running

Many experts earlier believed that pushing yourself and your heart rate was the best way to strengthen the heart. Now, it is recognised that brisk walking is just as good as running. Brisk walking can cut down the risk of blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Take your dog for walk

Two people don’t burn calories the same way so it is not sure how long or how often you should walk. But one exercise that is really good for your health is walking your dog. When your dog looks at you with those pleading eyes, just go ahead and oblige with a long walk in the park.