Health Synthesis

I recently had reconstructive ankle surgery for a fall I took twenty years ago while still a kid.  As a nutrition specialist, I am always interested in optimizing my nutrition, so I am writing about what I did to prepare for surgery so that I could facilitate a smooth recovery and optimize the effects of the surgery.

The post-surgery recovery period can be painful

Any time you get cut, inflammation happens.  Surgery is a relatively large cut, and so it produces a relatively large amount of swelling, inflammation, and pain at the site of surgery.  Reducing your inflammation and swelling will not only make your recovery period less painful, but it will also make it quicker and make the wound heal better in the long run.

Before and after surgery, I made sure I had enough of the following nutrients:

• Antioxidants
• Zinc
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• …and everything else that’s good (but not too much!)

Zinc

Zinc has been proven to hasten and improve healing after surgery.  It is essential for tissue growth and repair.  Believe me, having enough of it makes a big difference.

Now, zinc doesn’t work alone, so I don’t necessarily recommend taking supplements, as long as you eat certain zinc-rich foods.

Beef liver happens to have the best zinc profile I know of.  It also happens to have copper as well, to balance out the zinc.  And not only that, it also has B vitamins and other nutrients that act as antioxidants.  So if you can stomach it, eat a little liver.

Limit it to 6 ounces or less, though, because it’s so nutritionally dense.  One small dose of liver can go a long way.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants directly help decrease inflammation and improve the cellular signalling cascade that occurs during wound healing, thereby making healing more strong and effective.  There are various antioxidants in natural foods.  Not only did I eat a lot of raw fruits and vegetables before and after surgery, but I also took an antioxidant called Alpha CRS from doTERRA that is an antioxidant powerhouse.

Vitamin C enhances the absorption of zinc, and also improves the effectiveness of wound healing.  Make sure you get plenty of vitamin C-rich foods.

So, eat a lot of raw fruits and vegetables (like apples, oranges, salads, etc…) and consider a quality antioxidant supplement.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are perhaps the most scientifically studied natural antioxidants.  And they deserve all the study.  They are directly involved in the cellular signalling that decreases inflammation.  Not only are they directly involved, but they are absolutely essential for controlling inflammation.  They will make the healing and recovery process much stronger and smoother.

Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in freshly ground flax seed, wild pacific salmon, sardines, and dark green leafy vegetables.  I also made sure to supplement with a fish oil supplement before and after surgery.  doTERRA has a wonderful omega-3 supplement called EO Mega that I took.

…and Everything else that’s good (but not too much!)

The interesting thing about nutrition is that all nutrients are inter-related.  I can’t talk about one without talking about the others.  They rarely perform at their peak when taken alone.  That’s why you need to eat a whole foods diet that is minimally processed, has a lot of raw fruit and vegetable ingredients, and is balanced in protein, fat, and carbs.  Your body uses more than just the nutrients I mentioned above in the healing process.  All nutrients are important, and it’s best to get them in balanced ratios.

Along with the nutrient-dense foods mentioned above, stay away from candy, white flour, trans fat, and other processed foods!  These can drastically increase inflammation (especially the candy and sugar).

The hospital will most certainly ask you not to eat or drink for several hours before surgery.  This is important to avoid vomiting while under anesthesia.  Although you may want to eat extra so you won’t be hungry after surgery, avoid this temptation to overeat, as this will only increase your chances of constipation and dehydration.  If you’ve been eating healthy for at least a few months, fasting this long should be no problem for you.

Eat a regular-sized meal and drink plenty of fluids.  Believe me, your body will be much happier!

And of course, always listen to your doctor’s recommendations!  They’re pros at surgery and they know what’ll keep you alive when the heat is on.

I noticed that when I went vegan about ten years ago I did not get sore muscles after exercising.  (I am no longer vegan although I eat much less meat and very little dairy—more about that later) The effect was very salient.  I have hypothesized that this is probably an effect of increased magnesium/calcium ratio (more magnesium in whole grains, green vegetables, and seeds as opposed to dairy) as well as increased proportion of leucine to total protein (a high proportion of leucine is found in lentils, soy, almonds, chickpeas, and walnuts) and lower total protein (less meat).

Magnesium in foods helps prevent sore muscles and muscle cramps, and leucine breakdown in muscle generate ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate, which is shown to diminish or prevent exercise-induced muscle damage.

Because it’s usually best to get your nutrients from food rather than supplements, regular sesame seed consumption can be a great way to get your required calcium and magnesium.  Sesame seeds can help remedy the magnesium inadequacy common in our western diet, because they contain large amounts of magnesium whereas dairy and processed foods do not.

But how do you get sesame seeds besides from those famous fast-food sesame seed buns?

A good way to get sesame seeds is to make the following delicious recipes:

• Sesame seed milk
• Hummus
• Tahini (found at the grocery store; top bananas, soups, and bread as a spread)
• Sesame Bars

I’m really impressed with what I’ve seen from Sherry Brescia at GreatTasteNoPain.com.

Check her out if you have GERD, heartburn, gas, or other digestive problems.

Today for lunch I had black bean soup and an orange.

I felt very, very good for the rest of the afternoon. You know, that feeling you get when you just feel really healthy? That’s how I felt. I didn’t feel over-full, bloated, hungry. I didn’t crave sugar and I was getting some good vibes from my stomach.

I noticed this effect of beans almost ten years ago when I lived in Portugal. I learned how to make some killer black beans from a Venezuelan lady and I made them frequently. I liked them so much not only because they were good, but because (more…)

Being conscious of my thoughts around food, I am realizing some interesting things.  It’s quite insightful to observe my thoughts and actions from a third-person perspective so as to analyze what is going on in my mind.

My “sustenance psychology,” as I have dubbed it, is the study of what emotional, physical, and mental triggers lead to certain actions and thought patterns as they relate to food.  I have so far discovered several things in my analyses:

1. My mind’s eye has a preference for an emptied plate.  I must have been conditioned to eat everything that’s set before me.  I tend to eat until the plate’s empty.  Only then is the “job” done.
2. Nervousness can lead me to unconsciously reach for food.  Any food.
3. If there’s some reality I don’t want to face, food is a natural distraction for me.  It also numbs the anxiety.
4. Often, eating is just done without even thinking about it.

It’s nice to know what’s going on in my head.  I’ll keep you posted as I discover more.

On Monday I spoke at a brown-bag discussion for students in the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh. I shared “3 Keys to Healthy Eating,” explaining what the three most basic principles are when transitioning to a healthy lifestyle. I’ve copied the handout below. (more…)