Surgery is a big deal but can be an even bigger issue for diabetes.
Having surgery means your diet, exercise and medications can be thrown off track and that could affect your circulation, cause an immune deficiency, and even set off a nerve disorder.
This makes it important for diabetics to prepare for surgery with more urgency than others.
Recovery time can be difficult for anyone, but it can be more challenging for the diabetic.
Sitting a lot can affect their limbs and cause an elevation in blood sugar.
Diabetics typically take longer to recover from surgery anyway.
Keeping blood sugar under control with pain medication and other types of post-surgery drugs can be hard.
Yet, a person with diabetes can take their health into their own hands and do everything possible to ensure a good recovery period with no surprises.
1. Eat healthy for at least three months before surgery.
Diabetics should maintain a healthy diet anyway but keeping a tight reign on it for three months before surgery will help keep blood sugar normal.
That will provide the necessary nutrients your body will need to recover after surgery.
Key things to consume are things with vitamins C, protein, and good carbohydrates.
2. Get active.
This may be somewhat limited depending on the type of surgery you are scheduling but getting daily exercise a month or two before surgery will help you recover faster.
Good aerobic exercise, like fast walking or a workout, will reduce blood sugar. That will reduce post-surgical swelling that is common in diabetics.
3. Quit smoking.
This is a must for diabetics anyway but becomes crucial for those facing surgery.
Quitting smoking will improve blood circulation.
That is key because diabetes causes a stiffening of your blood vessels.
Conclusion
It is never a bad thing to get healthy and diabetics need to take things like nutrition and exercise seriously.
However, these things become more important when you’re facing surgery because getting healthier now will reduce your recovery time.
