Nutrition plays an extremely important role. It provides energy for all activities and also increases the body's resistance. Especially for patients, and those recovering from surgery, nutrition is regarded as a leading supportive measure to help patients recover sooner.
Nutritional supplementation for surgery patients
If patients after surgery are not given a reasonable diet in time, they face a high risk of death from complications of the surgical wound as well as worsening illness. An unreasonable diet leaves patients malnourished, seriously weakens the body's resistance, causes dangerous complications to their health, raises treatment costs and increases the likelihood of complications. According to the National Institute of Nutrition, up to 50% of hospitalised patients are malnourished before surgery.
Before surgery: A reasonable diet increases resistance, improves intestinal digestion, maintains body weight and reduces the risk of infection. The principle at this stage is to supplement healthy nutrition (rich in protein, vitamins and minerals, limiting animal fat, sugar and starch). This ensures the patient is in the best possible health to go through surgery.
Metabolic stages after surgery
Early stage: 1 – 2 days after surgery. At this stage, because of the lingering effects of anaesthesia, body temperature rises. Metabolism requires a lot of nitrogen and potassium, causing a negative nitrogen imbalance that paralyses the muscles and leads to intestinal paralysis. The patient feels very tired and bloated.
Middle stage: From day 3 – 5 after surgery. Usually by this time, bowel movement has returned to normal and the patient can pass gas. The patient is more alert and feels hungry but still does not want to eat. Potassium excretion decreases, nitrogen excretion does too, and nitrogen balance returns to normal.
Recovery stage: At this stage, the patient can pass stool and urine normally, and blood potassium gradually returns to normal. The surgical wound has dried and closed. The patient feels hungry, and family members can give them larger meals to restore nutrition quickly.
In the early period after surgery, patients lose blood and fluid, so liquid nutrition is needed to replace fluids and make it easier for the body to absorb nutrients. After the rehydration stage, the body needs a large amount of protein and energy. The protein supplied needs to reach 120-150g so the body can recover quickly. Therefore, patients should choose foods that provide high protein and are easy to absorb.
The benefits of bird's nest for surgery patients
Studies show that bird's nest is a compound made up of 2 main elements: glyco and protein (45 – 55%), providing many nutrients for the body, which are necessary for patients after surgery because of its high protein content.
In addition, according to data from the biotechnology research centre under the National Centre for Natural Science and Technology, bird's nest contains 18 amino acids, especially valine, isoleucine… which are said to help restore and heal wounds, boost the immune system and prevent infection after surgery.
Besides being beneficial for patients after surgery, bird's nest is also a good source of nutrition for the elderly, children with poor appetite or malnutrition, women before and after giving birth, people suffering from exhaustion, athletes, and for boosting brain energy and caring for and nourishing the skin.
Your health – the joy of Yến Sào Sài Gòn!