Eating a well-balanced diet provides your body the proper fuel it needs to undergo surgery. Proper nutrition is important both before and after your procedure. Eating the right foods prior to surgery prepares your body. Following a well-balanced diet afterwards allows for optimal healing and outcomes. A well-balanced diet should include protein, carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables.   Protein containing foods include fish, beans, nuts and lean sources of meat, milk and cheese.  Carbohydrates come from bread, cereals, potatoes, rice and pasta. Be sure to choose items identified as whole-grain to get the most nutrients. Fruits and vegetables contain key vitamins that promote healing. By selecting a variety of fruits and vegetables, in various colors, you will get the maximum amount of vitamins. One way to remember this is to eat a rainbow-a-day. If you are short on time and want to be sure to get enough nutrients, you can also use a nutritional supplement in addition to your meals. Examples of nutritional supplements are Ensure® and Ensure Revigor®, which contains additional protein.

For more information on healthy eating, please visit: http://www.webmd.com/diet/default.htm