Optimizing Your Diet for Spine Surgery Recovery

Baig Idea: Pre and Post Surgery Nutrition

Welcome to my blog. I’m Dr. Rafath Baig, Board Certified and Fellowship Trained Spine Surgeon. This is the Baig Idea.

Today we tackle food and nutrition. We’ve all heard the saying “you are what you eat”.This saying goes back to the 1800s, when French gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said, “Tell me what you eat, and I’ll tell you who you are.”

The phrase was changed in the 1920s when nutritionist Victor Lindlahr said that “Ninety percent of the diseases known to man are caused by cheap food. You are what you eat.” The phrase was never to be taken literally but rather to suggest that the food we eat can have a huge impact on our mind and health.

As a spine surgeon, I’ve witnessed firsthand how the right foods can significantly impact healing, reduce complications, and accelerate your return to an active life. Surgical expertise is essential, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to the healing process after spine surgery. Optimal nutrition, both before and after surgery, is vital for achieving the best possible outcomes.

The Link Between Nutrition and Spine Health

When your body undergoes any physical disruption or trauma, whether it’s a simple paper cut in the office, knife cut in the kitchen, or a surgical incision, your natural response is to heal that physical disruption.

The fundamental building blocks to healing incisions are that various healing cells lay down proteins and amino acids as a framework for the repair of the tissue disruption.

As the process continues and matures, you ultimately see the visible scar on the surface. Deep below what you can see is something of a similar nature that helps heal all the fatty tissue and muscle as well.

Eating Before & After Spine Surgery: Essential Building Blocks

Think of your body as a complex machine undergoing repair when recovering from spine surgery. Healing requires specific building blocks. These “building blocks” are the nutrients found in the foods you eat.

• Protein: This is the most important nutrient for tissue repair. It provides the amino acids needed to rebuild damaged muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
• Vitamins and Minerals: These micronutrients play diverse roles, from boosting immunity to strengthening bones.
• Carbohydrates: While often demonized, healthy complex carbs provide the energy your body needs to fuel the healing process.

Without a healthy robust protein-rich diet, the incision can often be compromised if not split open entirely, rendering you likely to have a surgical site infection. And, one should prioritize more than just protein drinks and supplements. That’s whyno patient at my office gets to have surgery without a complete metabolic workup.

Pre-Surgery Nutrition: Priming Your Body for Success

Think of preparing your body for surgery like preparing for a game as an athlete. You want to “prime the pump” and set yourself up for success in advance. Here are three things you can do when it comes to pre-surgery nutrition.

• Prioritize Protein: Aim for at least 100 grams of protein per day from sources like lean meats, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, and legumes.
• Reduce Sugar and Processed Foods: These can hinder healing and increase inflammation. Focus on whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
• Hydrate: Drink plenty of water to support circulation and nutrient delivery.

Post-Surgery Nutrition: Fueling Your Recovery

After surgery, meeting your body’s nutritional needs becomes even more important. The right foods can help minimize complications like infection, promote wound healing, and restore strength.

• Keep Prioritizing Protein: Maintain a high protein intake to support tissue regeneration.
• Boost Your Vitamin C: This vital nutrient helps with collagen formation which is crucial for wound healing. Citrus fruits, berries, and leafy greens are excellent sources of vitamin C.
• Don’t Neglect Zinc: Zinc is another key player in wound healing and immune function. Seafood, meat, nuts, and seeds are all good sources of zinc.
• Manage Blood Sugar: For diabetic patients, careful blood sugar control is crucial for optimal healing.

Foods to Avoid After Spine Surgery

While recovering, it’s best to limit or avoid:

• Sugary Drinks and Processed Foods: These can spike blood sugar and promote inflammation, which can slow down healing.
• Excessive Alcohol: Alcohol can interfere with healing and interact with medications.
• Foods High in Saturated and Trans Fats: These can hinder circulation and increase inflammation.

Food for Scoliosis

For patients who have scoliosis, the following nutrients are important:

• Calcium and Vitamin D: These nutrients are essential for bone health, especially important for individuals with scoliosis. Dairy products, leafy greens, and fortified foods are good sources of these nutrients.

In Conclusion

What we consume can really drive the trajectory not only in postoperative recovery but also promote general health and well-being.

Nutrition is often overlooked when it comes to surgery, but it plays a major role in preventing surgical site wound infections and healing.

Whether you are getting ready for surgery and need pre-surgery nutritional help, recovering from surgery and need post-surgery nutritional help or simply stuck at home, please take this opportunity take a look at your current eating habits and make changes if necessary.

Thanks for listening, I’m Dr. Baig, and this is The Baig Idea. Be well!