02 Nov

The Best Foods for Your Post-MACI Recovery

The foods you eat affect the rest of your body. Different foods can really impact your healing after orthopedic surgery such as the MACI Procedure, the revolutionary stem cell therapy we offer for the treatment of knee pain. Read below to learn about some of the best foods to eat when you are recovering from surgery. All these foods are particularly important to include in your diet after surgery but will also help to decrease all joint pain.

Berries (Anti-Inflammatory & Vitamins)

Packed with antioxidants and high levels of vitamin C, berries are one of the best foods you can eat to fight inflammation and encourage healing. Vitamin C is helpful with restoring soft tissues and collagen, which will speed up the healing of your incision.

Inflammation is not all bad. It is a natural and important part of any healing process. But it must be kept in check and prevented from increasing indefinitely. Eating blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and goji berries is a good way to help control inflammation.

Fish & Nuts (Vitamin Absorption)

You have undoubtedly heard of omega-3 fats. Fish and nuts are loaded with this good form of fat. The beneficial effects of incorporating foods with this type of fat into your diet involve helping vitamins to absorb better, allowing your body to utilize them more effectively. Healthy fats from fish and nuts also improve your immune system and help increase energy levels post-surgery.

Dark Leafy Greens

You can’t beat adding dark, leafy greens to your diet when recovering from surgery. They are one of the most recommended foods to promote healing after surgery. These vegetables are packed with high amounts of vitamins A, C, and E. They also contain a good amount of vitamin K, which is a lesser-known vitamin that is important to aid blood clotting.

Dark leafy greens are a good source of fiber, iron, and electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, and calcium. These foods also help to absorb B-complex vitamins as they contain a lot of water, and the B vitamins are water-soluble. They absorb better when a good amount of water is present.

Some good choices include spinach, kale, Bok choy, Swiss chard, romaine lettuce, and mustard greens. Eat them raw in a salad, cooked as a side dish with sinner, or blending them into a smoothie.

Eggs

Eggs are not only high in protein, but they also give your body a good dose of zinc. This mineral is an MVP in healing tissue damage and supporting your immune system.

Eggs are a near-perfect healing-promoting food and are highly recommended after recovering from surgery. Along with 6 grams of protein and zinc, eating one egg will give you Vitamins A, E and K, B complex vitamins, riboflavin, folic acid, calcium, and iron.

Eggs are an incredibly versatile food and easy to digest. You can poach them, scramble, boil them, add them to salads or use them as an ingredient in recipes. They are easily prepared in a variety of ways so that you can easily change things up as you progress in your healing.