What steps can you take to ensure a speedy recovery?

Your surgery may be over, but the process is not. The reason that the process is not over is that your recovery is not yet complete. Varied surgeries come with different recovery time. For instance, the simple mastectomy recovery time can be up to six weeks, whereas other surgeries such as biopsy tissue, gastric balloon and gastroenterology surgery take considerably less time for you to recover. Here are some steps to making sure you have a speedy recovery:

1. Stay indoors, rest and take necessary precautions

This is crucial. You cannot indulge in strenuous physical activities just after you have had a hip replacement surgery or any other surgery for that matter. Being safe and not reinjuring yourself is one of the biggest reasons that you should restrict yourself from physical activities and rest more.

2. Keep yourself clean to prevent infections

Infections till today are one of the leading causes of death after surgery. There are many things you can do to prevent an infection. These include not getting in contact with water, keeping your wound clean and dry, and most importantly listening to the specific instructions your doctor gives to you about the surgery.

3. Do not consume aerated drinks post-surgery

Soft drinks contain a high amount of sodium. This is bad for you as sodium causes the body to retain water, and can be particularly harmful if you have had a biopsy tissue, balloon gastric or gastroenterology surgery or other surgeries where water content is very crucial to the post-surgery recovery time. Also, an increase in water content may make you feel nauseated as well.

4. Do not eat sugary foods

This is because sugary foods actually tire you out as your blood sugar levels fluctuate. You are tired enough after the surgery and you really should not lose any more of your energy, even if for a short while after the surgery.

5. Consult a doctor immediately if you notice any post-surgical complications

If you experience a lot of pain after the surgery, it is likely that it could be due to a blood clot or pneumonia.  Ask for help immediately and communicate the problem to your doctor. This will you’re your doctor diagnose what is going wrong and he/she will be able to tell you what to do.

6. Eat your proteins

This is crucial because your proteins are vital for wound healing. With the right amount of proteins, you will be able to recover a lot quicker than without them. So be sure to eat a lot of eggs, soy and lentils among others to get your dose of protein.

7. Have vitamin C rich foods in plenty

Vitamin C has some of the beneficial qualities that proteins have, i.e. they can help speed up your healing process. This is important as proteins themselves cannot heal the wound completely. Citrus fruits such as oranges, limes etc. should be a part of your daily diet.

8. Have vitamin B12 rich foods

Vitamin B12 is responsible for generating new blood cells from your bone marrow. Without vitamin B12, you will have a lot fewer white blood cells as these are formed in the bone marrow. White blood cells help fight off infection, therefore, it is pivotal that you have your vitamin B12 so your body gets an aid in fighting off infections. So eat a lot of fish, poultry, meat and eggs to increase your vitamin B12 intake.

9. Have iron rich foods

These are needed for the same reason as vitamin B12 and even if you do not take vitamin B12 you must take iron so that you can get your blood cell count up to a normal level. So be sure to munch on a lot of whole grains, beans, dark leafy greens etc. to get some iron in your body.

These are only some of the precautions you must take to see that your recovery is swift and speedy. However, there are a lot more precautions you could take and you should consult an expert to learn about these precautions.