Question: I just had my surgery and according to my tradition I can’t eat chicken or seafood after surgery. Do we really need to avoid certain foods after surgery?
Sometimes, we are advised by our parents or relatives not to eat certain food such as chicken and seafood because they are known to slow down wound healing process according to traditional Chinese medicine. Yet, there is little evidence to back these claims.
On the other hand, chicken and seafood are well known for good sources of protein. One of the major functions of protein is repairing and maintaining the body tissues. Therefore, protein is essential for the wound healing process after surgery. This is because our body will undergo a very stressful condition during surgery. After surgery, our body needs enough calories and nutrients to fully recover from the procedure.
Eating the right foods after surgery can strengthen our immunity, decrease the risk of infection, speed healing and increase our strength and energy.
There are many protein sources, for example:
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Lean meat, chicken, poultry, fish, and seafood
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Eggs
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Dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt)
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Seeds and nuts
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Legumes
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Soy products including tofu
Make sure to incorporate some of the protein sources into each meal to allow our bones and muscles to rebuild. Eating a healthy, balanced and variant of food is the most important in order to fasten the recovery process.
Besides that, the best way to heal scars after surgery is to eat a diet rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals such as Vitamin C (found in citrus fruits, berries, potatoes, tomatoes, melons, and sweet bell peppers) and Vitamin E (found in vegetable oils, nuts, beef liver, milk and eggs), Zinc (found in meat, seafood, dairy and beans) and Iron (found in meat and poultry, beans, apricots, eggs, whole grains and iron-fortified cereals) to promote tissue growth and repair.
Conclusion:
We provide post-operation meals with adequate nutrition, especially protein that supports wound healing. Use promo code “HOMEYBLOG” to get 5% discount when buying meals at Homey!
You can also read more about post-operative taboos here.
Curious about eating poisonous fishes (such as dory fish) after operation? Click here to see the answer!
References:
Written by,
Vinoothini Murugaiah, Certified Dietitian (UPM)