If you have undergone major surgery or are recovering from a critical illness, and require nutritional support, you will first undergo an assessment to identify what nutrients are necessary for your healing and recovery. Your nutrition needs will depend on a variety of factors, including your height, weight, physical activity, any present medical complications and medications you are taking – all of which will be factored into an individual nutritional programme. A nutritionist will be in charge of this part of your rehabilitation and will support you through the entire process.
Staying hydrated is another important component of providing a healthy environment for healing tissues. Muscle function is decreased by 30% with dehydration. If exercising over one hour, sports drinks such as Gatorade may be beneficial to replace lost electrolytes.
