Tips to Make Recovering From Surgery or Illness Easier

Many city dwellers have had grocery delivery services in place for decades, but more rural areas have only implemented grocery delivery and curbside pickups within the past year. Companies like Instacart aren’t without complications—primarily for gig workers—and while they provide a useful service for homebound folks, they aren’t the only option.

While the pandemic hasn’t been good for much, many smaller and locally owned stores now provide shopping and delivery services while also providing stable employment and benefits. Many stores now offer curbside options, which opens up an entire world for people who can drive (or be driven) but who might lack the physical strength or stamina to walk through parking lots and stores safely.

When Supplies Alone Aren’t Enough

Cooking isn’t compatible with everyone’s recovery, and some people need ready-to-eat options. Websites like Meal Train help organize calendars, but comfort foods are often what shows up. Comfort foods can do wonders for the heart and soul, but they often load soups and casseroles with carbs, fat, and sodium, which aren’t exactly the nutrient-dense foods a body needs to restore itself. And while meal calendars are great, they don’t consider what a person will be in the mood to eat (when they might be queasy from medication) or what their bodies will be able to process.

For people with the energy to do minimal cooking and reheating, meal delivery services are another option. I was personally too tired immediately following my surgery to manage any sort of cooking—yes, even when most of the work had been done for me—but I found great freedom in the nutritious smoothies, oat bowls, and harvest bowls offered through Daily Harvest, which has complete nutrition information on their website.

Meal replacement options aren’t enough to live on, but because keeping the body’s tank full during recovery is so important, they’re smart to have on hand. Grocery store aisles are full of bars loaded with nuts and seeds and high in healthy omega-3s, which fight inflammation and reduce the risk of blood clots, both of which are important after surgery.

Some meal replacement bars are formulated for athletes who eat them on the go, so they’re designed to be easily digestible. This is also a bonus after surgery when the body’s systems aren’t exactly running at their peak. Nutrition bars have come a long way in recent years, and there are many specialty options. Some bars are high in protein and low in carbs, while others satisfy a sweet tooth but are low in sugar. Look around and you’ll find something that’s a fit for your needs and your taste buds, both important when you’re cooped up at home recovering.

We Do More Than Eat, Right?

We do! Watching movies and binging our favorite series are probably two of the most popular get-well activities, but that gets old after a few days. Reading is a close third, but reading—in the traditional sense—isn’t always the best activity depending on what a person is recovering from.

What is reading in the non-traditional sense? E-readers and audiobooks, both of which experienced a surge in sales during the pandemic. E-readers can be more user-friendly than hardcovers and paperbacks for several reasons—they have adjustable font size, easy-on-the-eyes backlighting, and weigh less than most books.

The Washington Post reported that in 2020 the highest book sales were in the categories of dystopias, social justice, and steamy romance, suggesting we want our harsh realities with a shot of escapism. In addition to reading, another way to access parallel universes is in our own minds.

Take a Vacation From Yourself

Sure it sounds weird if you haven’t done it, but if you’ve engaged in regular mindfulness practice then you know the benefits. Many hospitals such as Mt. Sinai, Cleveland Clinic, and Mayo Clinic endorse meditation as a pre-surgery practice to promote relaxation, healing, and positive outcomes. I tried it, and it worked for me.

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