Preparation for Surgery

Sometimes surgery is a necessary step in healing. What can you do to help make sure it is successful?There are some dietary and supplement strategies you can use prior to surgery to improve the success rate and reduce the risk of complications. Here's a step by step guide.

It's all about building your reserves. Surgeons are understandably a little wary about their patients taking supplements prior to surgery. Vitamins, supplements and herbal products can alter the way the liver breaks down medications, impact clotting ability, or create synergistic effects with anesthesia drugs. You should always follow the recommendations of your surgeon regarding avoiding supplements prior to your surgery. However, the few months leading up to your surgery are all yours. It's during these few months that you want to build up your stores and support the cell-level availability of these nutrients. 

ZincZinc deficiency is especially common in America (I covered this topic earlier in this newsletter). Take 30mg per day for 6-8 weeks leading up to your surgery. Zinc is helpful prior to surgery because: 

• It is essential for wound healing
• It helps regulate post surgical hypoglycemia to speed recovery
• It supports healthy immune response to reduce your risk of infection

Fish OilThe omega 3 fatty acids derived from fish oil incorporate first into your cell membranes where they are then utilized as needed to synthesize important hormones in the body called prostaglandins. The more omega 3 fatty acids you have stored up in your cell membranes the more your prostaglandins will reduce inflammation. Think of it like stacking the deck for health. Start about 3 months before your surgery and take 2,000 mg/day. If you are curious about how well set up your system is with omega 3s already, there is a simple blood test that most alternative medicine practitioners can do to see what your omega 3 to omega 6 ratio is. Fish Oil is a tricky supplement to buy, because while good fish oil protects you, bad fish isn't just neutral, it is actually really bad for you. You want to make sure your fish oil is high quality, and you want to store it in your refrigerator. Here’s the product that I use for my patients. I have a newsletter article coming up on selecting good fish oil so stay tuned. 

• Helps the body respond correctly to the trauma of surgery
• Reduces inflammation
• Helps manage blood pressure

Vitamin DVitamin D is crucial for both infection reduction and to support healing. Vitamin D has been shown in studies to reduce the risk of antibiotic resistant hospital acquired infections such as MRSA. An optimal approach would be to do blood work to identify your vitamin D level, then supplement based on your needs. If blood testing isn't an option for you, take 4,000iu per day for a month before your surgery. 

• Reduces risk of MRSA and other infections
• Speeds healing

SeleniumTopical iodine wash is still used in the majority of surgical preparations. Enough iodine is absorbed through the skin by pre-surgical antiseptic wipes that iodine excretion in urine is 7 times higher the day after surgery. (study)  Iodine is a benign mineral in many people, but in those with inadequate selenium stores, a sudden increase in iodine can exacerbate or trigger an autoimmune attack against the thyroid gland. Selenium is also a cofactor in the synthesis of the body's main antioxidant, glutathione (study). Take 200mcg per day for a month leading up to surgery. I prefer this product for its bioavailability. Brazil nuts are also very high in selenium.

• Safeguards the body against iodine damage to thyroid
• Supports antioxidant function

Magnesium Magnesium improves perfusion by regulating blood vessel dilation. It supports healthy muscle contractions, helps to maintain regular heart rhythm, and is depleted by physical stressors (such as surgery)

• Supports healthy heart rhythm
• Supports a healthy recovery
• Reduces post surgical muscle cramping

ProbioticsPost surgical infection is one of the most common complications impacting patient recovery and surgical outcomes. Because of this risk, the importance of antibiotics in surgery is hard to overstate. However, those antibiotics can result in their own side effects. The most serious concern from antibiotic use is infection by an opportunistic pathogen called Clostridium Difficile. When the healthy bacteria in the gut are wiped out by antibiotics this unhealthy bacteria can take over resulting in long lasting and serious complications following surgery. Prior to surgery a product such as Ultra Flora Balance would be best to build up numbers of healthy bacteria. Following surgery, a stronger formulation such as Ultra Flora Intensive Care is more appropriate. 

• Helps to support gut health
• Reduces the risk of developing post-surgical complications such as C. Difficile infection. 

CollagenThis one is more appropriate after surgery, although, most people would benefit from adding collagen to their general supplement line-up as well. Collagen powder provides the building blocks to repair tissue. Collagen figures into the structure of most of our tissues: bones, skin, hair and, of course, cartilage. The main amino acids found in collage are proline and glycine, which are non-essential amino acids (meaning your body can make them from other amino acids.) However, the demand for these building blocks is so high during surgical recovery that it is likely that demand outstrips supply. Adding collagen speeds healing, and ensures scars heal more smoothly. Glycine (one of the amino acids found in collagen) also figures prominently in other body systems including neurotransmitter function and synthesis. When it is deficient, adding it back in usually has a calming effect. 

• Speed healing of tissue
• Helps to supplement post surgical protein intake 

Carb-LoadingBecause surgery is a physiologically stressful event for the body, there are several natural responses that take place. Stress hormones shoot up in response to surgery. These stress hormones mediate various effects, one of them is the rapid increase in blood glucose. Remember that glucose isn't all bad. It is a problem when it is elevated for a prolonged period of time, such as in diabetes or metabolic syndrome, but in the short term this increase in glucose is valuable. Glucose is the fuel the body uses to power the machinery of healing. The glucose is converted into ATP in the cells. The more healing that needs to take place, the more glucose and ATP is needed. When athletes carb load they are trying to fill the glycogen stores (where glucose is squirreled away for future use.) It's a good idea to spend the day before your surgery filling these storage sites as well. In fact many surgeons are beginning to relax their recommendations on fasting prior to surgery, sometimes suggesting a clear, sugar containing drink in the 6 hours prior to surgery. (Please ask your surgeon before adding this to your preparation) There have been several studies (study, study, study) examining the benefits of pre-surgery carb loading. Some of the benefits include:

• Faster healing
• Shortened post surgical hospital stays
• Improved inflammatory response

RelaxationStarting off your surgery in a mentally relaxed state improves both short term and long term outcomes. Cardiac surgery patients have poorer outcomes if they were exposed to high stress prior to their surgery (study). Mental and emotional stress also reduce both immunological function and the healing response (study). Stress is associated with an increased risk of post-surgical complications, and poorer pain control. The clear take-home message is to stay relaxed prior to your surgery. Bring some headphones with your favorite music to get ready for your surgery. Bring along the people that calm you down. Take a nice walk the morning of your operation. Of course, staying calm before a surgery is easier said than done. However, the ability to relax at will is something that can be cultivated. Engaging in a regular, daily relaxation practice (prayer, meditation, etc.) for a month or two prior to your surgery will help to improve your ability to keep your cool when it counts. 

​Happy to help.
I hope you find this information useful.  Feel free to hit the reply button and let me know about your experience, or any additional questions you have. 

PS: Here's a link to an exercise you can do after your surgery if you (like many people) experience post surgical ileus (a common surgical complication where the intestines don't immediately start moving again). It was a great help to me after surgery. ​​