Going to Surgery Soon? Study Says Eat Protein-free!

An interesting new study published in the medical journal Science and Translational Medicine made a SURPRISING finding.  Usually the night before a surgery the doctor will tell you to not eat or drink anything.  But this study found out that you should not only prepare the night before, but even WEEKS before a surgery!  The result actually LOWERED the risk of complications from the surgery.  These complications include heart attacks and strokes—major and very, VERY dangerous complications in surgery.
           
The study used mice and fed them a protein-free diet in the weeks before an operation.  The researchers hypothesized that the stress of an operation on the body was adversely affected by protein in the body.  The researches had two groups of mice.  The first had a protein-free diet for up to two weeks before the surgery, and the other group ate normally.  Then—in a humane manner—the researchers operated on the mice in such a way that put stress on the kidneys, liver, and overall body of the mice.  This stress was simulated as being more than a usual surgery would cause to an individual.
           
Shockingly, forty-percent of the mice who ate normally DIED after this surgery.  However, ALL of the mice on the protein-free diet survived!!  One of the researchers remarked that “[s]urgery, by its nature, is traumatic to the body . . . . With changes to the diet, we’re getting the body ready for an acute stress like surgery.  If we can do that, the complications might be less severe or there might be fewer complications.”  Moreover, the researchers admitted that humans have a much more complex body system than mice.  However, new studies are needed to see if this is completely transferable to humans but researchers are hopeful.
           
This study also shows that people should alter their diet PRIOR to surgery to make sure they lower their risks of complications.  In fact, this suggests actually that prior to a surgery, if everything on mice is the same for humans, that the best diet for a person before a surgery would be protein-free—ideally vegan!

But what do you think?  I would love to hear from you!  I welcome your phone call on my toll-free cell at 1-866-889-6882 or you can drop me an e-mail at jfisher@mmolaw.net.  You are always welcome to request my FREE book, The Seven Deadly Mistakes of Malpractice Victims, at the home page of my website at www.protectingpatientrights.com.