We have spoken with medical professionals who recommended these 7 steps to help you prepare for the big day.
So, you have decided to have your breast augmentation, you have seen your surgeon and booked your date for your big day, now what? Well, first of all, congrats! Second of all… let’s talk a little bit about pre-habilitation! Research shows that improving your nutrition and exercise and introducing pre-surgery planning ahead of your procedure can help better prepare your body, resulting in improved surgical outcomes. Also it has shown to help the body heal faster, aiding in a speedier recovery! We have spoken with medical professionals who recommended these 7 steps to help you prepare for the big day:
Food For Thought
When planning for your procedure, your food intake may be the last thing on your mind. Still, research shows pre-surgery nutrition is the key to preparing your body for your surgical procedure. Eating a healthy diet rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and proteins will not only provide vital nutrients to boost the immune system and help fight off infection but will also increase the healing process, maximizing the chance of a speedy seamless recovery.
Hydration, Hydration!
We all know that water makes up two-thirds of a healthy human body and is the key to the cells’ maintenance and healthy function. But, even more so when it comes to our surgery. Dehydration can decrease wound healing and prolong the recovery process. Therefore regular consumption of the good old H20 will not only maximize physical performance but is the key to promoting wound healing and a speedy recovery. However, remember water should only be consumed for up to 2 hours before surgery. Keeping well hydrated, the days leading up to your operation can help maintain normal function during your surgery and increase the recovery process.
Time To Get Physical!
Undergoing surgical stimulation can be a little bit like a work-out for your body. Therefore, increasing your physical activity, the weeks leading up to your surgery can help you prepare your body for surgery. Not an athlete? No sweat! (pardon the pun), skipping the elevator for the stairs or introducing low impact exercise like yoga can help strengthen and prepare your body for the surgery ahead.
Kick the habits
We know if it was that easy, it would not be called a habit, right? But smoking should be reduced from up to 4 weeks before surgery and ceased for a minimum of 48 hours before surgery. Smoking not only causes poor wound healing due to reduced circulation but can also play havoc with our breathing during and after our procedure causing potential complications- which we want to avoid.
What about vaping? If you have kicked the old fashion- cigarette-style smoking and transferred over to vaping, unfortunately, it is still recommended to stop vaping prior to your surgery. Research shows that although vaping has decreased the risks to our health compared to traditional cigarette smoking, the nicotine and other chemicals in vaping solutions can still cause issues with our blood pressure, heart rate, and how our body responds to the anesthesia.
Embrace the blissful slumber
Most adults need between 7-8 hours of sleep a night to keep us physically and mentally healthy. Sleep plays a vital role in improving brain function, faster muscle recovery, and helping the immune system fight infection, thus aiding in a speedy recovery. But that’s not all, when we are sleep deprived, we tend to worry, which could instigate anxiety around your surgery! Time to stock up on those 40 winks.
Avoid alcohol for 24 hours before surgery.
Although a lot of us like to unwind with a nice glass of vino, particularly after a hectic day, unfortunately, if there is ever a time to stop imbibing alcohol, it’s just before you go under the knife as mixing alcohol, surgery and general anesthesia is a cocktail we definitely don’t want to try. Why? Well, many reasons, alcohol increases our chance of excessive bleeding, reduces are metabolism affecting how fast we process the anesthesia, and also promotes poor wound healing and a slower recovery process. It is therefore recommended to avoid alcohol for at least 24-48 hours before your surgery. However, for optimal results, allow your body to detox for at least one week before your surgery.
Meditation and mindfulness: Mind over matter!
Research has shown that meditation can increase the body’s ability to manage the mental and physical effects of surgery. In one study, researchers found meditation changed the body’s perception of the surgical stimuli, thus reducing the inflammatory response and post-operative pain – leading to better wound healing and revving up the recovery process. But that’s not all, although breast surgery can be very exciting, the unknown journey of surgery can often leave us feeling a little anxious. Meditation has been proven to help reduce and manage anxiety around our surgery. Practicing for a few minutes each day can help create calmness and keep those bundles of nerves under control.
So that’s it! Feeling ready? For information on how you can prepare your body after surgery, check out our POST-OP TIPS BLOGS.
