As many of you know – I just had surgery. All is well and I was fortunate to recover extremely well. As I was preparing my body for surgery it occurred to me that not everyone should know how you can support yourself (before and after) with naturopathic medicine.

A surgery consult with me (or your naturopathic doctor) about one month before will help to set you up. In this appointment, we will talk through the surgery and after plan from your surgeon so that your surgery protocol can be set up specifically for you. This will ensure that your plan doesn’t interfere with any medications you will be given. You will also have time to take the plan to your surgeon so they can advise you when to stop certain supplements. And if they aren’t sure then I can chime in.

The protocol focuses on supporting your body while it is healing, preventing infection, decreasing side effects, and helping you to clear out any toxins left behind afterwards. It is meant to be used in conjunction with what your doctors ask you to do.

An appointment with Monica, our massage therapist (or your massage therapist) before and after surgery will help to prepare your body as well as clear any anesthesia from your system.

Leading up to surgery you should continue to eat lots of vegetables, fruit and protein. Take your normal supplements and do your regular movement. Afterwards continue to do what you can – understanding that some things may be slow to return to normal. Give yourself a break. If you know you won’t be able to cook for a while then plan some freezer meals to get you through. Easy-to-digest things like soups and smoothies can go a long way.

Certain supplements could include vitamin C, Zinc, probiotics, NAC or glutathione along with homeopathics – the most important one being Arnica to speed up the healing process. There are a number of supplements that could be appropriate depending on the type of surgery – whether or not it is internal or on the surface, the magnitude of the procedure, if anesthesia is used, and expected recovery time. Supplements are typically started 2 weeks before and continued for about 1 month afterwards. You may need to touch base afterwards if new or unexpected symptoms arise.

When in doubt – book an appointment. There are so many things that naturopathic medicine can help you with!