After surgery, the body is relatively weak and requires nutritional supplements. However, it is important to note that certain foods should be avoided to facilitate recovery.
Foods that affect blood vessel activity
These are generally foods or medications containing traditional Chinese medicine ingredients that promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis, such as Angelica sinensis, safflower, and Ligusticum wallichii. They have the effect of accelerating blood circulation, and consumption may cause a surgically stopped wound to bleed again, leading to local hematoma and prolonging recovery time. Additionally, alcohol also has a blood-activating effect, while tobacco interferes with the normal vasodilation and vasoconstriction of small blood vessels. Therefore, smoking and drinking should be avoided in the short term.
Spicy and very hot foods
After consuming spicy or very hot foods, both local and overall body temperature will rise, increasing metabolism and accelerating blood circulation. This can lead to reactions like heat and sweating. Since sweat often contains bacteria, it is not conducive to wound healing. A moist environment also easily leads to bacterial proliferation at the surgical site, increasing the risk of postoperative infection and exacerbating scar hyperplasia.
Seafood, tropical fruits, and other foods
Crustaceans like crab and shrimp in seafood, as well as tropical fruits like mango and pineapple, can easily cause allergic reactions. When an allergy occurs, symptoms such as redness, swelling, rashes, peeling, and itching may appear on the skin, which is detrimental to wound healing and tissue repair.
Hard foods that require vigorous chewing
For surgeries around the lips, it is essential to eat soft and cool foods postoperatively and reduce facial expressions. Muscle activity and excessive heat can cause the wound to bleed and delay healing.
The folk belief that soy sauce or other darkly pigmented foods should be avoided has no scientific basis. For individuals with normal nutritional status, it is recommended to eat more vegetables and fruits, maintain a light diet, reduce the intake of heavy-flavored foods like meat, sour, spicy, and salty dishes, and avoid smoking, alcohol, and nightlife.