Malnutrition occurs when the body receives a deficient, excess, or imbalanced amount of nutrients and vitamins, and it comes in three forms:
- undernutrition, which includes wasting (low weight-for-height), stunting (low height-for-age) and underweight (low weight-for-age)
- micronutrient-related malnutrition, which includes micronutrient deficiencies, a lack of important vitamins and minerals, or micronutrient excess
- overweight, obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some cancers
Nutrition & Recovery
Nutrition is arguably the most important pillar of health and overall wellbeing, and the practice of maintaining a healthy diet becomes even more crucial when the body is healing from illness, injury or surgery.
“Many people don’t think about their nutritional intake when recovering from a joint replacement, minor surgery, major surgery, muscle strain, etc.” said Stephanie Barnhorst RD, LD, director of dietary at Masonic Home Louisville. “It’s important to remember that your body needs more energy than ever before to ensure it returns to the performance level it was at prior to any medical complication.”
Because of this increased need for energy, patients who previously ate a reasonably healthy diet prior to their illness or injury may find themselves suffering from malnutrition, which occurs when the body receives insufficient, excess or unbalanced nutrients. This malnutrition can actually slow down recovery.
“When you add in the additional needs that malnutrition creates, the body’s focus no longer becomes physical rehabilitation, but rehabilitation on a cellular level,” said Barnhorst. “When our bodies are working to rebuild cells, it steals the energy that aids in physical healing. This is where we see physical rehabilitation take the back seat.”Signs and symptoms of malnutrition include diarrhea, skin rashes, fatigue, unexplained weight loss/gain, muscle wasting and non-healing wounds. “If patients experience malnutrition during recovery it can make the process longer and harder, and they may become stagnant in healing” said Barnhorst.Thankfully, there are tips to follow to avoid malnutrition and keep recovery on track. “Through any recovery process, the most important food to consume is the macronutrient protein” said Barnhorst. Protein is a group of food items which promotes cellular growth and development by means of muscle and cell repair. Barnhorst recommends eating proteins first when it comes to meals.
Barnhorst also encourages consuming a nutritional shake for added benefits. “There are many variations of nutritional shakes with flavors that range from fruit juices to milkshakes — these can be picked up at most grocery stores,” said Barnhorst. Another tip Barnhorst recommends is to eat small, protein-rich meals throughout the day, rather than three large meals. Great examples of protein sources include fish, dairy and beans or legumes.
“For recovery from any acute or chronic illness, I would recommend eating a balanced diet. I often reference the MyPlate tool, which is the more recent recommendation versus the food guide pyramid.”Some tips for a balanced diet include focusing on whole fruits, adding a variety of colorful vegetables, choosing whole grain options, selecting low-fat dairy options, and limiting sodium, saturated fats and added sugars.
For more information on how to maintain nutritional health, achieve a full recovery and avoid malnutrition, visit https://www.choosemyplate.gov/ to reference the MyPlate diagram and additional educational handouts for a healthy plate.