Navigating Life With Hypertension
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How Your Diet Can Contribute to Your Wound Care
You might not think twice about a wound on your skin because your body often takes care of itself and heals. But people with diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, or vein disease have to put extra effort into wound care.
Professional treatments and home care help, but a key tool to help your body heal a wound is your diet. Our team at the Vein, Heart, and Vascular Institute specializes in wound care and vein treatments to support your body's healing process.
Dr. Hesham Fakhri and Dr. Octavio Cosme are experienced cardiologists providing wound care services and other essential care to patients with cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and vein disease.
How diet affects wound healing
When a wound forms, your body's healing response begins immediately, with platelets and nutrients going to the injury. The amount of time it takes the wound to heal depends on various factors, including the size of the wound and the presence of chronic health problems.
A healthy diet helps your body recover. A wound requires increased energy and nutrients for your body to perform routine processes and heal the injury.
Although a significant change in diet isn't necessary for a cut or scrape, it's crucial for large, non-healing wounds that take a long time to recover. Increasing calories, vitamins, minerals, and protein are all vital in helping a wound heal.
Good nutrition is essential for people with delayed wound healing, diabetes, or other chronic illnesses that affect circulation. A good diet could be the difference between a wound that heals and one that becomes chronic or infected.
Essential diet tips for wound care
Living with a chronic wound is tricky and often requires professional care. To help you heal, we offer treatment strategies such as compression garments, specialized bandages, and nutritional guidance.
Diet is especially crucial for wound care, and getting the right amount of nutrients during the healing process is essential. The most important nutrients to help heal a wound include:
Protein
Protein is essential for the healing process. If you have a wound, you should increase your protein intake. Eat at least three servings a day of meat or an appropriate alternative.
Your body uses protein’s amino acids to create the new cells and fibers necessary for wound healing.
Calories
When you have a wound, it’s no time for dieting. Get enough calories every day by increasing the amount of calories you eat.
Vitamins
Vitamins are necessary for all body functions, especially wound healing. Get specific vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and zinc.
Vitamin A helps wounds by fighting off infection and controlling inflammation, while vitamin C helps make collagen to rebuild tissue damage. Iron provides the wound with oxygen, while zinc is essential for tissue growth.
Healthy fats
Healthy fats, especially those from dairy, are critical for wound care. These fats help make cell membranes as the body rebuilds and repairs damaged tissues.
Carbohydrates are another nutrient to focus on when dealing with a wound. They give your body energy for other processes and help heal the wound.
Foods to avoid during wound healing
No food can directly stop the wound healing process, but certain foods can slow it down. Proper nutrition is one of the most essential aspects of wound care, as are keeping the area clean and following our tips.
Choose whole, nutritious foods while your wound heals and avoid overly processed foods such as:
- Refined sugars
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Fried foods
- Refined carbohydrates
- Unhealthy fats
- Processed meats
These foods don't provide much nutrition and promote full-body inflammation, which isn't helpful for healing a wound. Stick with fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins to aid your body in recovery.
Also, keep regular appointments with us so we can check how the wound is healing. Depending on your wound and health, we have different wound care treatments.
Call us at the Vein, Heart, and Vascular Institute today to schedule an appointment for wound care or request a consultation here on our website. We're in Tampa, Wesley Chapel, and Sun City Center, Florida.
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