The thoughts and actions involved in "preparing for surgery" create a state of mind and intention that is proactive and focused on a positive outcome. This is in contrast to the energy of "waiting for surgery," which conjures an image of a helpless person watching the time tick down. Purposefully preparing the body and mind puts you in the driver’s seat.
When you know you will be undergoing surgery there are a range of dietary and natural health choices which can positively impact on your experience. Depending on how much time you have to prepare, you will likely be able to correct underlying nutritional imbalances and prepare your body and mind with herbal medicine adequately. When using herbal medicine and nutritional supplementation it is essential to be under professional naturopathic/herbalist care as while many supplements will assist, the wrong ones – or supplements taken at the wrong time/dose will have little or negative effect.
Healthy Dietary Advice Leading Up to Surgery
Focusing on the dietary and other health hints below will assist not only your body but also your attitude towards successful surgery.
Intake of coffee and alcohol should be avoided in the lead up to surgery, as should cigarette smoking and inflammatory foods. Inflammatory foods include any foods you have a known allergy/intolerance to as well as dairy products and saturated fats/trans-fats (unhealthy fats). Sugar should also be avoided as sugar intake has an inverse relationship to immune system function e.g. the more sugar you eat the more your immune function is dampened. The immune system needs to be working optimally for your surgery recovery.
High quality protein foods should be highlighted. These include:
- fish
- organic eggs
- nuts and seeds
- tempeh
- miso
- acidophilus yoghurt
- lentils/beans
A range of foods high in the following nutrients should also be consumed:
- beta carotene (found in green, orange and yellow vegetables)
- vitamin C (found in citrus fruits, rosehips, kiwifruit, berries, pineapple, parsley, broccolli, berries)
- bioflavanoids (found in citrus fruits, rosehips, buckwheat, broccoli)
- zinc (found in pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, oysters, eggs, whole grains)
- magnesium (found in cocoa powder, dark green veges, brewers yeast, molasses, nuts, seeds, wholegrains, avocado)
- iron (found in red meats, chickem salmon, molasses, nettles, legumes, whole grains)
Nutritional Supplements May be Required to Prepare the Body for Surgery
Time and other factors such as quality of absorption, may mean nutritional supplementation is required to correct nutritional imbalances. The following nutrients should be taken:
- vitamin B complex
- vitamin A
- vitamin C
- zinc
- selenium
- fish oils
- folic acid
Vitamin E should also be taken until two weeks prior to surgery.
Healthy Dietary Advice After Surgery
After surgery it can take a while for your digestive system to "come back to life." To assist this process take a half teaspoon of slippery elm (Ulmus rubra) three times daily in water.
After three days a light, easily digested and nutrient dense diet can be introduced e.g. vegetable broth, fresh vegetable juice, mashed vegetables and acidophilous yoghurt. After one week return to the pre-surgery diet for a month of recovery.
To enhance healing zinc and antioxidant supplementation should continue.
Herbal Medicine to Minimise the Side Effects of Surgery and General Anaesthesia
Side effects from general anaesthesia can be one of the most debilitating aspects of the surgery experience. St Mary’s Thistle (milk thistle) is ideal for reducing the effects of general anaesthetic on the whole body, especially the liver. Take St Mary’s Thistle from three weeks prior to surgery until the day before surgery, and recommence as soon after as possible for at least another three weeks. The dose required will depend on the length of the procedure. St Mary's Thistle protects the liver with no evidence suggesting that it interacts with drugs by increasing liver clearance.
Herbal Medicine to Promote Healing After Surgery
Enhancing the healing response is a priority for any patients undergoing surgery. Put simply, healing follows the following course:
- clean up of damaged tissues and debris by white blood cells
- establishment of new blood vessels
- regeneration of connective tissue
- regeneration of epithelial cells
While this healing process can be impaired by infection, excess movement or reduced nutrient supply, it can be effectively assisted by using herbal medicines. To ensure the most optimal treatment protocol for the individual post surgery care should be carried out under a trained herbalist or naturopath. Some suggested herbs would include:
- Echinacea, which will assist the immune system to clean up debris from surgery while also helping to prevent infection
- Ginkgo biloba, which ensures optimal blood supply and supports blood vessel integrity
- Vaccinium myrtillus (bilberry), which enhances microcirculation function
- Vitis vinifera (grape seed), which supports microcirculation and connective tissue strength
- Gotu Kola is the king skin herb and an adaptogen. It has been proven to stimulate growth and healing of connective and epithelial tissue, not only through topical application, but also through internal use.
- Arnica should also be taken for one week post surgery – but avoid arnica leading up to surgery, along with garlic and ginger as they can all increase bleeding.
To clean wounds, diluted herbal tinctures of calendula or lavender can be used on wet wounds, and calendula cream can be applied on dry wounds.
Lymphodema and swelling may be assisted by dandelion leaf tea.
Importantly the programme should be carried out under professional care, along with a conducive lifestyle which makes time for relaxation and visualisation techniques and lots of laughter and love.
Meg Lancaster - Meg Lancaster is a Herbalist and Naturopath based in the beautiful boutique city of Christchurch, New Zealand. She loves observing people ...
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