I mentioned in Part 1 of my RECOVERY series that I had been hospitalized for 14 days and had thoracic surgery. In this series I layout my blueprint for accelerating recovery and coming back stronger from a setback.
Proper nutrition can make a world of a difference on how fast you recover from surgery, exercise or any stressful situation placed on the body.
I prioritize certain nutrients to recover properly:
- High Protein
- Modified ketogenic (high fat, low carbohydrate) which can be muscle sparing
- High Fiber
- High Antioxidants
- Anti-inflammatory
- Gut support
- Hydration
- Carb intake
Based on this criteria, here are some of the foods I’m using to support my recovery from surgery (along with all the other nasty stuff that comes with a hospital stay). All of these foods should be part of your diet anyway because that all have been shown to promote health and longevity.
Protein – Adequate protein + collagen, ideally 1g protein per pound of your ideal weight. Get it from sources like beef, bone broth and yogurt to repair tissue, slow muscle catabolism (muscle breakdown) and decrease the inflammatory phase. Bone broth is also rich in a variety of nutrients that support soft- and hard-tissue repair. I drank one protein shake a day made with Four Sigmatic Plant-Based Protein with adaptogens and medicinal mushrooms. Whey protein is also a great option.
Fiber and prebiotics from berries and veggies to feed the good bacteria and help eliminate toxins.
Antioxidants from berries, turmeric, broccoli sprouts, Holy basal[1], ginger[1], matcha green tea and good-quality coffee to help scavenge all the free radicals and repair damaged cells, DNA and proteins from exposure to radiation.
Anti-inflammatory foods like turmeric, ginger, black pepper[1], Manuka honey [2] and berries to reduce the inflammatory response which will reduce pain. Whole foods are important because they won’t completely blunt the inflammatory response which aids in the recovery process. NSAIDs, which are commonly used to reduce inflammation, can wreak havoc on your liver, gut, and kidneys and completely blunt the inflammatory response.
Bone broth is great for healing the gut and yogurt, beet kvass, pickles, sour cream kimchi, sauerkraut and kefir with live probiotics are great for repopulating the gut after antibiotic usage. I get mine from a local farm to ensure they are raw and live.
I’ve also been drinking Pique’s Fermented Pu’er Green which supports gut biodiversity and Four Sigmatic’s Ground Mushroom Coffee with (heat stable) Probiotics.
I ate pineapple which contains the enzyme bromelain which can reduce pain and enhance wound healing.
Hydrate – Staying hydrated with good quality water, tea and coffee is important to continually flush out toxins. I also supplemented with a really good electrolyte called Phenoh.
I try to keep carbs down, ideally below 100g. Since my activity levels have been much lower, keeping carbs low is ideal since carbs are used for immediate energy and stored as fat if not used. This has been hard for me, especially since my favorite food while in the hospital was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 🙂
Whether you’re recovering from some physical trauma or just the daily stresses of life, these are important foods to include in your diet to improve and maintain health.
Here are to products I recommend:
- Kettle & Fire Bone Broth – Use code TROY for 15% off.
- Thorne Whey Protein Powder – Use code VIP15 for 15% off
- Purity Organic Coffee – Get 10% off + Free Shipping with code EVOLVEDNS
- Four Sigmatic Ground Mushroom Coffee with Probiotics – Get 10% off with code TROY10.
- Four Sigmatic Plant-Based Protein with adaptogens and medicinal mushrooms. I like the Peanut Butter flavor. Get 10% off with code TROY10.
- Pique Tea Crystals – Use code TROY for 5% off.
- Phenoh Electrolytes with SuperBoosters – Get 10% off with code TROY10.
- Matcha Kari – Use code ANTIFRAGILE for 10% off.
- US Wellness Meats
READ PART 2 – My Strategy to Mitigate the Damages of a Hospital Stay, Surgery & Radiation Exposure
Studies:
- [1] Radioprotective Potential of Plants and Herbs against the Effects of Ionizing Radiation
- [2] Complementary Strategies for the Management of Radiation Therapy Side Effects
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase. Oftentimes, I’ve worked out a discount for you. Please understand that I have experience with all of these products, and I only recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.
Leave a Reply