Knees Up – my meniscus tear knee surgery journey

Pre and post surgery foods to promote healing

Surgery may still be just over 7 weeks away but I feel it’s time to start looking at my food intake. There’s several reasons, the main one is having a lifelong interest in nutrition I want to try foods that promote health and healing before I go down the supplement route (we will discuss supplements in a later episode) The second reason is in the 5 months I haven’t been able to run this perimenopausal Fit Pro is 12lbs heavier. My daily diet hasn’t changed, my activity levels have, mainly shorter dog walks and no high impact exercise. God, I miss running. I’ve gone from an average of 25-30 miles a week of running to zero. It’s been tough so now it’s time to focus on a little weight loss ( less stress on my knee) but more importantly, nourishing food that promotes healing…..why does writing this make me crave a rarely eaten Pot Noodle? As usual though I will resist the temptation!

Here’s what I do need to be eating over the next 7 weeks and beyond to promote healing

Your pre and post surgery diet should consist of:

• What to eat – Fruits and vegetables. Why? They are easily digestible, which will help maintain your weight in the postoperative period when your body will need to rest and activity levels will be low. Vegetables and fruits are also rich in vitamin C, which promotes the formation of collagen, which is essential for post operative recovery, increases energy, and promotes healing.
• Slow release carbohydrates (wholegrain rice and pasta. ) Why? They improve digestion, which is very important post operation, as the suspension of the body during surgery may cause constipation. Carbohydrates are well-absorbed, help to improve mood, and activate the production of serotonin, our “happy hormone,” which can be slowed down by a lack of activity.
• Proteins. (Chicken, turkey, red meat, fish, eggs, seafood). Why? Even though the body will not be doing any strenuous activity it will still need good protein to promote healing and keep the muscles healthy .
• Unsaturated fats (avocado, olive oil, oily fish, nuts, seeds and dried fruits. Why? they are nutritiously dense but a little goes a long way so do not eat to excess. It is essential to keep an eye on weight as extra pounds means extra strain on the joints.

If you have had knee surgery let me know if you followed similar nutrition guild lines and if it helped