Nutrients and Wound Healing UHN Information for patients and families Read this information to learn: what nutrients are how they help your body heal wounds the different kinds of nutrients what else you can do to help your body heal Please visit the UHN Patient Education website for more health information: www.uhnpatienteducation.ca 2014 University Health Network. All rights reserved. This information is to be used for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for non-commercial personal use only. Author: UHN Clinical Nutrition; revised by Amanda Walker and Debra McGarvie Revised: 11/2014 Form: D-5462
What are nutrients? Nutrients come from the foods that we eat. They include: carbohydrates fats protein water vitamins and minerals Nutrients give your body what it needs to stay healthy. How do nutrients help my wounds heal? Nutrients help repair damaged tissues and build new tissues. So, eating the right kinds of nutrients each day can help speed up your healing. Talk to your doctor and dietitian if you have any other health problems including kidney disease, heart disease, liver disease or diabetes. They may give you special diet instructions. Also, talk to your doctor and dietitian before taking any vitamin or mineral supplements. Taking too many can be harmful. 2
Use this chart to learn about each nutrient and how it helps you heal. Nutrient Protein How it helps your body heal builds and repairs tissue helps keep your skin strong (prevents it from tearing easily) Food sources meat such as beef, chicken and turkey, pork fish and shellfish eggs dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese nuts and nut butters tofu and soy protein products legumes such as lentils, chickpeas and kidney beans Carbohydrates provides your body with energy grain products such as breads, bagels, dinner rolls, pitas, buns, cereals, rice and pasta fruits starchy vegetables such as potatoes, yams, corn and peas roti or chapatti Fats provides your body with energy keeps your immune system working helps absorb some vitamins such as Vitamin A oils such as canola, olive and corn oils margarine and butter nuts and nut butters Fluid keeps your body hydrated by replacing fluid you lose when your wound drains helps your body move blood and nutrients to your wound water, juice, soup tea and coffee (but limit the amount if they have caffeine) milk liquid supplements, such as Ensure, Boost, or Resource 3
Nutrient Vitamin C and Vitamin A How it helps your body heal helps keep your tissues strong Food sources vitamin C is in foods like oranges and other citrus fruits, melons, berries, tomatoes, bell peppers, broccoli, green leafy vegetables vitamin A is in foods like liver, carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes and cantaloupe Zinc (mineral) helps build and bind your tissues to make them stronger many animal protein foods are very good sources of zinc, such as beef, pork, chicken, fish, seafood and dairy products other good sources include whole grains or cereals with added minerals, nuts and beans What can I do to make sure I get enough nutrients? Eat the amount and type of foods each day recommended by Canada s Food Guide. You can find information about Canada's Food Guide at this website: http://hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php Try to eat 3 meals a day with snacks in between. Eat meals at regular times. Don't skip meals. Eat a variety of foods. ; ; Drink enough fluids each day (about 8 cups or 2000 millilitres). If you have heart problems, talk to your doctor first about any fluid restrictions. 4
What else can I do to help my wounds heal? Make sure you get enough sleep and rest. This will give your body time to heal and build new tissue. Stop smoking. Cigarette smoke has carbon monoxide, which is a poison to your body. It decreases the amount of oxygen that goes to your wound area. Talk to your health care professional for advice about quitting smoking. For more information, contact your dietitian at University Health Network or a dietitian through Eat Right Ontario. Eat Right Ontario Phone: 1 877 510 5102 5