Category: Preparing for Surgery

Anesthesia Types for Surgery

Post author By drinkcfadmin
Post date May 16, 2019
No Comments on Anesthesia Types for Surgery

At ClearFast, we’re firm believers in showing surgery who’s boss—and a huge part of that patient empowerment lies in knowledge. The more you know about what to expect and how to prepare, afterall, the stronger and faster you’ll recover. Today, then, we’re adding to your pre-surgery knowledge box with a clear-and-simple breakdown of the different types of anesthesia and what you should know about each. Read on!

Types of Anesthesia:

General Anesthesia

What to know: When you think of “going under”, this is probably the type of anesthesia you’re thinking about. The most common of all the different types of anesthesia, general anesthesia causes you to completely lose consciousness and may be administered through an IV, or through a breathing mask or oxygen tube. When you’re “out” under general anesthesia, your brain doesn’t respond to reflexes or pain signals. Keep in mind that, in one out of every three patients, general anesthesia causes postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), which you can combat by drinking our presurgery drink CF PreOp up to two hours before your procedure.

What it’s used for: When it comes to types of anesthesia, general anesthesia is the one that’s most commonly used for any “major” procedure. This could mean anything from open-heart surgery to an ACL replacement.

Local Anesthesia

What to know: Like its name implies, local anesthesia simply numbs a certain part of your body. It doesn’t affect your mental state or “knock you out” the way general anesthesia does. If you’re administered local anesthesia, the part of your body the physician is addressing will be completely numb, but you will still remain conscious and awake. Physicians use local anesthesia when they can perform the operation quickly and without the need to have muscles in the body relaxed.

What it’s used for: Local anesthesia is used for minor, localized procedures—like getting stitches, having a mole removed, having something biopsied, or undergoing dental surgery.

Regional Anesthesia

What to know: A category that includes spinal anesthesia, epidural anesthesia, and nerve blocks, regional anesthesia numbs a large part of the body without rendering you unconscious. It works by injecting a local anesthesia near nerves or nerve clusters, ultimately affecting an entire part of the body. If used on its own, you’ll be awake during surgery—but, for certain procedures, anesthesiologists may use regional anesthesia in combination with a sedative or with general anesthesia to sedate or put you out entirely you for your operation.

What it’s used for: Regional anesthesia is most commonly used to numb women below the waist during childbirth (an epidural). It can also be used for orthopedic surgeries on a single extremity, for cesarean sections, and for gastrointestinal procedures.

—————————————

Want to learn more about how ClearFast makes for a smoother recovery? Read all about ClearFast and the science behind its ingredients here—or reach out to the ClearFast team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all!

Pediatrics Preparing for Surgery

Pre-Surgery Support For Children with ClearFast

Post author By drinkcfadmin
Post date May 2, 2019
No Comments on Pre-Surgery Support For Children with ClearFast

Going under the knife can be intimidating and overwhelming for adults, let alone for kids. While avoiding talking about the scary experience all together can often feel like the answer, properly preparing your child for surgery will lead to an empowered surgery process for both of you. Today, then, we’re offering up our top three tips for opening up conversation and reducing the fear of an upcoming surgery for your little ones.

Explain what’s happening.

Any parent knows just how perceptive and intuitive kids can be. While wanting to shield your child from certain realities of surgery makes sense, it’s also important they have a clear idea of what’s happening. Preparing your child for surgery starts with letting them know why they’re having surgery and what they can expect. Bring your child in the room with their surgeon for a conversation and allow them to meet their anesthesiologists beforehand if possible as well. You want your child to have a clear picture of what the day will involve and to feel comfortable with (or at least recognize the faces of) the people who will be involved on the day of. When you get home—or somewhere where they are comfortable—be sure to have a separate conversation with them where they can open up more.

Allow Them to Experience Their Emotions

When it comes to preparing your child for surgery, helping them feel empowered throughout the pre-op process is key. Allow your child to experience their emotions and fears around surgery—rather than shielding them from all aspects of it. Work with your child before their pre-op appointment to come up with a list of questions they want to ask their doctor—and be sure you make a point to validate your child’s emotions before immediately jumping in with, “There’s no reason to be scared!” or “Everything will be fine!”

Do what you can to make them comfortable.

Depending on your child’s age, you might want to bring a comfort item (a favorite stuffed animal, a familiar blanket, a photo they like) with them—and be sure to bring a few things to keep them entertained as you wait. Drinking ClearFast Preop up until two hours before their surgery is also a great option for the little ones, as it makes fasting easier and helps with the post-op nausea that often accompanies being administered anesthesia on an empty stomach. On top of that, make sure you are with your child up until the very last moment you can’t be and ensure you’re there when they wake up—nothing eases fear like a familiar face.

—————————————

Want to learn more about how ClearFast makes for a smoother recovery for little ones? Read all about ClearFast and the science behind its ingredients here—or reach out to the ClearFast team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all!

Preparing for Surgery

What to Ask Before Surgery: 4 Must-Ask Questions for your Physician

Post author By drinkcfadmin
Post date April 18, 2019
No Comments on What to Ask Before Surgery: 4 Must-Ask Questions for your Physician

Knowledge is power—and, as far as we’re concerned, showing surgery who’s boss all comes down to being proactive about your procedure. A major part of this? Knowing what to ask before surgery so you can better prepare for what to expect and how to reduce any associated risks. Today, then, we’re breaking down the top 4 questions you should ask your physician before your surgery day arrives. Read on…and get ready to feel empowered as ever!

What type of anesthesia will I be getting?

When it comes to what to ask before surgery, this one is at the top of the list. Understanding what type of anesthesia you’ll be getting (local, regional, or general) is imperative for feeling empowered about your procedure—it will help you have a clear idea of what to expect, how you’ll feel afterward, and what risks you might be facing. You should also ask who will be administering the anesthesia and request to meet that person prior to your surgery date.

What can I do to reduce my risk of complications?

This one is an all-too-often overlooked question on the list of what to ask before surgery. Patients often spend tons of time looking into complications associated with their upcoming surgery (and losing sleep as a result!)—but neglect to realize there are actually things they can do to reduce the risk of those complications occurring. While different procedures have different risks associated with them, surgical site infections can happen regardless of the type of surgery you’re having.

One simple way to reduce your risk of a surgical infection is to prepare for surgery with a carb-rich presurgery drink like ClearFast PreOp. The outdated practice of fasting from midnight uncouples the glucose-insulin relationship in your body and can render you insulin-resistant. Ultimately, when a patient is insulin-resistant after surgery, this can translate into high blood sugar. High blood sugar—coupled with a fresh surgical incision—creates the perfect “sweet environment” for developing an infection (essentially, high blood sugar and an open surgical wound invite microbial colonization). But, according to a number of international medical articles, including an article published in Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, “Preoperative carbohydrate drinks significantly improved insulin resistance.” You can learn more about how postoperative insulin resistance affects your surgery safety here.

What can I expect during recovery?

Understanding what to expect when you wake up will help ease the nerves and fear associated with the unknown. Ask your doctor how you might feel when coming out of general anesthesia. You should also talk to her about reducing your risk of post-op nausea and vomiting (PONV). One in three patients experiences PONV when waking up from general anesthesia—but you can significantly reduce your risk of getting sick upon waking from anesthesia by preparing for surgery with ClearFast PreOp. If you’re worried about feeling sick or groggy—or simply want to take a proactive step to set yourself up for a smooth recovery (and a shorter hospital stay)—make sure you ask your doctor about incorporating ClearFast into your presurgery nutrition plan.

What can I do to speed up my recovery?

We’ll let you in on a little secret—how you feel after surgery has everything to do with what you did leading up to surgery. When it comes to what to ask before surgery, then, make sure you talk to your doctor about proactive ways you can speed up your recovery. She might suggest things like stopping smoking, exercising more, and focusing on getting the presurgery nutrition you need to go under—and wake up from—anesthesia in the strongest state possible. CF Protein is a great option for the weeks leading up to your surgery (particularly for patients who need to build up muscle mass or put on weight prior to surgery)—while ClearFast PreOp was designed to take in the hours leading up to your surgery and is formulated with an array of ingredients specifically designed to enhance and speed up your recovery. As part of this conversation, make sure you understand how fasting before surgery can slow your recovery and ask your doctor about a carb-drink fluid fast with ClearFast in place of the outdated fasting-from-midnight practice.

—————————————

Want to learn more about how ClearFast makes for a safer procedure and smoother recovery? Read all about ClearFast and the science behind its ingredients here—or reach out to the ClearFast team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all!

For Med Pros Preparing for Surgery

Happier Patients & Better Surgery Recovery: 3 Reasons ERAS® is Being Implemented Around the World

Post author By drinkcfadmin
Post date March 7, 2019
No Comments on Happier Patients & Better Surgery Recovery: 3 Reasons ERAS® is Being Implemented Around the World

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery, or ERAS® as it’s known in the medical field (pronounced ee-raz), is a program that follows 17 key elements which work together to make for safer surgeries and better surgery recovery for patients. (Psst..if you didn’t catch our breakdown on what ERAS is all about, you can find that here.) The goal of ERAS is to benefit both patients and hospitals by taking a multi-pronged approach to caring for patients throughout their entire surgery journey. With an array of research pointing to endless benefits, it’s no surprise this effective surgery protocol program is becoming increasingly popular. Read on for 3 reasons hospitals around the world are kicking outdated surgery prep to the curb and making the surgery-smart shift to effective ERAS programs instead.

The research is in.

As decades go by, we learn more and more about the human body, and medical practices advance as a result. One of the places this is most apparent is in the field of surgery—a slew of modern medical research points to a finding that flips antiquated surgery prep on its head: by making a plan to care for our bodies before surgery (rather than simply fasting from midnight, setting up a ride home, and calling it a day), we can increase our chance of safer surgeries and better surgery recovery. Research shows that following the 17 elements of an ERAS program ultimately “reduces the stress of the operation” and leads to:

Reduced length-of-stay of up to 50%
Reduced rates of surgical complications
Higher patient satisfaction scores (HCAHPS)
Lower rates of re-admittance
Lower costs

It’s good for the hospital—and great for the patient.

Better surgery recovery benefits everyone: Hospitals reduce their costs by decreasing re-admittance rates and shortening the length of stay after surgery—while patients see benefits like a reduced risk of post-op infection (more on how surgical infections are tied to presurgery nutrition here) and a significantly reduced risk of post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV).

According to Ms McAuliffe, a senior orthopaedic surgical practitioner at East Surrey Hospital, ERAS Programs “focus on every stage of the patient journey, from their initial assessment through to follow-up care. It’s a complete package and leads you to think about the patient as an individual so you can give them tailored care, which is what nursing should be all about.” Ultimately, the fact that ERAS offers a comprehensive approach to surgical care serves up benefits across the board—but particularly for empowered patients who see far better surgery recovery as a result of following ERAS protocols.

There are resources to support patient prep.

One of the key elements of an ERAS program is using an ERAS-compliant presurgery drink in place of the outdated fasting-from-midnight instructions. (It makes perfect sense when you think about it: rather than entering surgery dehydrated and on an empty stomach, you have a presurgery nutrition plan designed specifically with the human body, anesthesia, surgical risks, and the healing process in mind.) But, sports drinks and chalky nutrition shakes don’t come close to making the cut—an ERAS-compliant drink has to meet a number of standards in order to be both safe to drink before surgery and effective enough to lead to proven enhanced recovery. Because ClearFast Preop was developed by an anesthesiologist specifically to meet ERAS requirements, getting patients ERAS-compliant presurgery nutrition is now a reality for hospitals across the U.S, who use ClearFast as part of their ERAS programs every day.

———

If you’re ready to wake up from anesthesia feeling great, you can ask your hospital if they have an ERAS program and order your ClearFast Preop Drink here. And, as always, don’t hesitate to reach out to the ClearFast team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all. We’re always here and happy to help!

Psst…Want to know even more about the benefits of ERAS? Check out clips from Dr. Olle Ljungqvist’s ERAS TED Talk here.

For Med Pros Preparing for Surgery

What is Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS)…and Why Should I Pay Attention To It?

Post author By Gillian Griffith
Post date January 31, 2019
No Comments on What is Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS)…and Why Should I Pay Attention To It?

If you’re getting ready to go under the knife, you may have heard the term Enhanced Recovery After Surgery—but you’re likely wondering What is enhanced recovery after surgery and why in the world should I pay attention to it? Not to worry, friends—today, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about this effective medical practice and how following it will affect your surgery experience for the better!

What is Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS)?

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (or ERAS® as it’s know in the medical field) is all about facilitating a faster, easier recovery after surgery by taking proactive steps to reduce the amount of stress the body undergoes during surgery.

Essentially, ERAS programs focus on implementing different practices to ensure your surgery recovery is the best it can be. ERAS programs are comprised of 17 key elements for your doctors to follow—like pre-admission counseling for patients, the use of short-acting anaesthetic agents, and fluid-fasting with a presugery drink in place of the traditional “no food or drink after midnight” fast. When you and your doctor follow the elements of an ERAS program, together they work to ensure better surgical outcomes and—just like the name states—an enhanced recovery after surgery.

In other words, the simplest answer to the question: What is enhanced recovery after surgery? is that ERAS programs are all about taking proactive steps to make sure a patient’s surgery experience and recovery are as healthy, safe, and easy as they can be.

Why did ERAS programs come about?

ERAS Programs originated in the UK but are are now increasingly popular in hospitals across the United States. As they realize this evidenced-based program leads to safer surgeries and shorter hospital stays, medical professionals around the world are now implementing ERAS programs in their practices.

What impact do ERAS programs have and who do they benefit?

There’s a body of evidence pointing to the fact that ERAS programs lead to improved outcomes for hospitals and patients. In fact, according to a PubMed analysis of randomized trials, “Three of four included studies showed significantly shorter primary lengths of stay for patients enrolled in enhanced recovery programs.”

ERAS programs are beneficial to both the patient and the hospital: a healthier patient recovers faster, leaves the hospital in a timely manner, and is overall more satisfied with their surgery experience—this leads to money saved for both the hospital and the patient, as well as higher patient satisfaction, which leads to higher doctor pay.

How can I follow ERAS protocols before my surgery—and why should I?

Even if your procedure is relatively minor, the act of undergoing anesthesia is super stressful on the human body. Because of this, the idea behind ERAS is to prep our bodies for that stressful experience in a more purposeful way. Old-school thought has patients not eat or drink anything after midnight (which means undergoing surgery in a weakened state—more on why you shouldn’t fast before surgery here!) and neglects to give us any useful information about how to strengthen your body and mind before you undergo anesthesia. ERAS programs, on the other hand, empower patients with the information they need to get healthy before surgery and enhance their recovery as a result. This includes protocols like:

Exercising and losing weight if needed
Quitting smoking and avoiding alcohol
Making healthy dietary choices
Replacing the “nothing from midnight” rule with a specific fluid fast

How does ClearFast fit into ERAS programs?

One of the most important of the 17 key ERAS program elements is pre-surgery carbohydrate loading using a compliant ERAS® drink. Replacing the “nothing after midnight” rule with the ERAS-backed suggestion of fluid fasting with a complex-carb beverage can:

Make for a less stressful surgery experience: In a large controlled study, patients in the pre-op area who drank ClearFast were 5.5-6.5 times more likely to describe themselves as “comfortable” than their cohorts who underwent traditional fasting from midnight.

Greatly reduce your risk of post-op nausea and vomiting: Being administered heavy anesthesia drugs on an empty stomach is responsible for the sick feeling one in three patients experience upon waking from surgery. (More on reducing post-op nausea and vomiting here!)

Make for Easier IV Sticks: Dehydration leads to reduced blood flow, which can often mean multiple, painful IV sticks. Many ClearFast customers report easier, pain-free and one-time-only needle sticks as a result of working our preop drink into their surgery prep routine.

Reduce your risk of aspiration during surgery: The goal of the old-school “nothing from midnight” rule was to ensure your stomach was empty so you didn’t aspirate during surgery. However, modern medical research points to the fact that patients who are given a presurgery drink like ClearFast actually have emptier stomachs than those who had nothing from midnight (because fasting from midnight actually leads to a build-up of gastric acids in your stomach).

Not just any beverage will work when it comes to proper preop carbohydrate loading, though. The key to this ERAS program element is ensuring you’re using a complex carbohydrate-rich beverage that contains primarily maltodextrins—rather than simple sugars like the fructose found in sports drinks. (Sports drinks simply aren’t an option for enhanced recovery.) ClearFast, on the other hand, is the only domestically produced ERAS drink of its kind that is rich in maltodextrins, chock-full of healing ingredients (like zinc & L-citrulline), is clear and colorless, and free of simple sugars and harmful colored dyes. Essentially, it’s the gold-standard for ensuring an enhanced recovery after surgery.

—————————————

Overall, the stronger your body is going into surgery, the easier your body will recover upon waking up. ERAS programs are all about empowering both patients and medical professional with this knowledge and encouraging them to take proactive steps in order to create a safer, easier, more beneficial surgery experience for both patients and medical professionals.

Ready to start your surgery experience off right? Order your ClearFast PreOp Drink here—or reach out to the ClearFast team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all!

Preparing for Surgery Presurgery Nutrition

Starvation Before Surgery: How Fasting-From-Midnight Can Slow Your Recovery

Post author By brandadmin@drinkcf.com
Post date January 31, 2019
No Comments on Starvation Before Surgery: How Fasting-From-Midnight Can Slow Your Recovery

At ClearFast, we’re all about empowering patients with the knowledge they need to have the best surgery experience possible—and, if you’ve been following along on our blog, you probably know that a big part of a successful surgery experience lies in avoiding starvation before surgery. Today, then, we’re diving into what happens to the body when you deprive it of food before your procedure.

We’ll cover:

Where your body gets its energy when you don’t eat for an extended period of time
How muscle breakdown can occur as a result of starvation before surgery
The affect starvation before surgery has on your body’s ability to recover

Now, let’s dig in…

What happens to the body when you don’t eat for an extended period of time?

When you’re nourishing yourself regularly, your body breaks down glycogen, turning it into glucose which it uses for energy. According to Science Alert, about 25% of that energy goes to feeding your brain, while the other 75% powers your muscle tissue and red blood cells. After about six hours of fasting, however, you begin to run out of glycogen stores—and your body has to make a critical shift and begin getting its fuel elsewhere, including from muscle tissue. This eventually leads to muscle breakdown.

Can your body enter starvation mode as a result of fasting before surgery?

Unless you’re lucky enough to snag the first surgery slot of the day, fasting-from-midnight can often mean you’re stuck waiting for surgery for up to 17 hours with no sustenance—meaning “fasting before surgery” can quickly turn into starvation before surgery. In fact, according to an article published in British Journal of Anaesthesia, a study of 190 patients found that 70% of patients had to fast over twice the recommended length of time for both food and drink—and that 97% were starved longer than required.

While we always recommend you listen to your doctor’s specific instructions regarding fasting before surgery, it’s important to note that fasting-from-midnight is a non-evidence-based practice. It’s now often being replaced with instructions to nourish and hydrate with a clear, complex-carb-rich presurgery drink up to two hours before your procedure. Consuming proper nourishment in the form of a presurgery carbohydrate drink like ClearFast allows your body to nourish itself (so it doesn’t have to start breaking down muscle tissue for that all-important energy)—and provides a ton of other benefits for a seamless surgery experience as well (including a drastically reduced risk of post-op nausea and vomiting, easier IV “sticks”, a reduced risk of surgical infection, and reduced stress before surgery). In fact, you can read more about the benefits of replacing your fast with a presurgery drink here.

What role does starvation before surgery play in my ability to recover?

We say this all of the time (because it’s true!): undergoing surgery is like a running marathon. It’s an event that puts a ton of physical and mental stress on your body, and the better prepared you are when you begin it, the better your end result will be. You’d never enter into a marathon starved and dehydrated, and the same goes for surgery—when you think about it, it doesn’t make much sense to go under the knife lacking proper nourishment and strength. When you send yourself into a point of starvation before surgery, your body begins to run low on glycogen and eventually breakdown your muscle tissue to get energy; as a result, you run an increased risk of extended recovery time and—the thing absolutely no one wants—a longer hospital stay.

———

Overall, starvation before surgery plays a major role in your body’s ability to properly—and quickly—recover. If you have a procedure coming up, talk to your doctor about ClearFast’ing in place of fasting—and order your ClearFast Presurgery Drink here when you’re ready. And, as always, reach out to our team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all. We’re always here and happy to help make your surgery experience a successful one!

Preparing for Surgery

The Upside of Going Under in December: 5 Major Benefits of Scheduling Surgery During the Holidays

Post author By Gillian Griffith
Post date December 13, 2018
No Comments on The Upside of Going Under in December: 5 Major Benefits of Scheduling Surgery During the Holidays

If your holiday season holds a surgery, we wouldn’t blame for you for being a little down about it. But—while you might need to cut back on the eggnog and probably won’t be able to join in on that sled race—it actually turns out there are some benefits of scheduling your surgery during the holidays. Today, then, we’re breaking down the upside of going under during the month of December. Read on for three major benefits of having a procedure during the most wonderful time of the year.

The timing is perfect.

You likely already have some time off coming your way at the end of the year—so getting that pesky procedure you’ve been putting off done (finally!) is a great way to use up any of your accumulated annual sick days. Plus, the holidays are a time when lots of people slip away for travel—so, depending on the industry you’re in, scheduling surgery during the holidays allows you to take care of that procedure during the slow season when your absence likely won’t be a major blow to your coworkers (who’ve already snuck out of the office themselves). The other major benefit of the end-of-the-year timing? You’ve probably already met your health insurance deductible this late in the year, which can help ensure you don’t have to pay out-of-pocket for your procedure.

Recovering inside is easier.

Ah, the holidays—that time of year when you want nothing more than to stay in pajamas all day long and curl up by your fireplace with a good movie or great book. Turns out, if you’ve scheduled surgery during the holidays, this is also a pretty perfect scene for your recovery. When it’s cold outside and most of the fun is taking place indoors (bring on the cookie baking and tree decorating!), staying inside to recover is much easier than it is during the summer months when everyone is outside splashing around under the sun without you.

You’ll have extra support.

Scheduling surgery during the holidays likely means you’ll have extra family around to aid in your recovery. When you’re recovering from a procedure, there’s nothing better than having people you trust around you to offer extra help and moral support. Whether it’s making you a quick plate of food, driving you to the pharmacy, changing your dressings, getting you a fresh ice pack, or simply watching daytime television with you as you’re stuck on the couch, there’s nothing better than the extra support family members can provide as you recover.

You can recover discreetly.

If you’re having an elective cosmetic procedure, scheduling surgery during the holidays is a great way to keep your reveal under wraps from your coworkers as everyone is out of the office for the holidays. Plus, it’s not at all odd for people to whisk away to warmer locations for the holidays, so sneaking away to a beach resort for your recovery and simply telling family, friends, and coworkers that you went away for holiday vacation won’t tip them off. And, lastly, bundling up is perfectly acceptable during the holidays—so wearing scarves and hats is a great way to strategically cover up any stitches that are still healing. (Psst…read more about healing faster from your elective cosmetic procedure here.)

ClearFast will get you back to holiday cheer!

The best way to get an edge on recovery so you can get back to all of that holiday fun? Preparing your body for your procedure before you go under. (The stronger you go under anesthesia, after all, the quicker you’ll heal when you wake up.) From drastically reducing your chances of post-op nausea and vomiting to decreasing your risk of a developing surgical infection, drinking ClearFast in place of a from-midnight fast before your procedure is proven to lead to an enhanced recovery after surgery. You can learn more about why doctors are replacing fasting from midnight with drinking ClearFast here—but the bottom line is this: if you’ve scheduled surgery during the holidays and want to make sure you get back to full health as soon as possible, preparing your body with ClearFast is the easiest and most effective way to do so!

———

Overall, scheduling surgery during the holidays isn’t as bad of an idea as it initially may seem. The extra help of family and the perfect end-of-the-year vacation timing both help ensure your December procedure isn’t so drab. If you’re ready to get a major leg up on your holiday surgery, you can order your ClearFast Presurgery Drink here! And, as always, reach out to our team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all. We’re always here and happy to help make your holiday surgery experience a successful one!

Preparing for Surgery

Dehydration Before Surgery: How it Affects You and How to Avoid It

Post author By Gillian Griffith
Post date September 20, 2018
No Comments on Dehydration Before Surgery: How it Affects You and How to Avoid It

When it comes to staying hydrated, the general population isn’t exactly knocking it out of the park. In fact, according to MedicalDaily.com, 75% of Americans may be chronically dehydrated (someone pass the water!). Though it’s a state three-quarters of us are in at any given time, being dehydrated has far more of an impact on your health than you may realize—and this is especially true when it comes to dehydration before surgery. Today, then, we’re talking all you need to know about how dehydration before surgery affects you and, more importantly, how to avoid it. Read on….and drink up!

What exactly is dehydration?

This may seem like a no brainer, but dehydration is more than just being parched (and feeling like you’d kill for a tall glass of ice water!). It occurs when more water and fluid leaves the body than enters it. Ready for some surprising stats and facts about water consumption and dehydration? We’ve rounded up our favorites below:

According to The New York Times, “Water is the single most important substance we consume. You can survive for about two months without food, but you would die in about seven days without water.”
Even mild dehydration can affect your ability to think clearly.
Dizziness, rapid heart rate, sleepiness, lack of energy, and irritability can all be signs of dehydration.
Our thirst mechanism is specifically designed to tell us when our body needs to increase our fluid intake. If you’re thirsty, you’re likely already dehydrated.
According to Medical Daily.com “60 percent of our bodies is composed of water, 75 percent in our muscles, 85 percent in our brains…”

How does dehydration before surgery affect me?

Even the smallest amount of dehydration before surgery can have an impact on your body’s ability to go under (and wake up from) anesthesia in the strongest state possible. When you’re getting ready to go under the knife, you’re already anxious (and probably overwhelmed)—add dehydrated cells into the mix, and your body isn’t exactly in an ideal state to take on the stress of surgery. The effects of dehydration before surgery include:

Painful IV “Sticks”: Dehydration leads to reduced blood flow. This can often mean it takes multiple, painful IV sticks for a nurse to find a “good” vein (the last thing you want to experience when you’re already stressed and worried before surgery).

Post-Op Nausea & Vomiting: Ever woken up from surgery and felt immediately sick to your stomach? You’re not alone: in fact, one in three patients suffers from post-op nausea and vomiting. Dehydration before surgery—combined with the strong anesthesia meds you’re administered on an empty stomach—plays a major part in this. (Psst…learn more about reducing your risk of getting sick after anesthesia here.)

An Increased Risk of Surgical Complications: It’s no surprise that entering into surgery in a weakened state can set the stage for surgical complications and a tough recovery. In fact, according to a PubMed.gov medical study, “Preoperative dehydration is associated with increased rates of postoperative ARF, MI, and cardiac arrest.”

Is it OK to hydrate before surgery?

While you should always follow your doctor’s instructions, more and more modern medical research is pointing to the fact that medical professionals should do away with the “no food or drink after midnight” rule and, instead, allow patients to safely hydrate and nourish up to two hours before surgery. (There are a number of reasons this is the case, and we break them all down here.) The important thing to note is that the “no food or drink after midnight” rule was never evidence-based, while modern instructions to hydrate and nourish before surgery are based on Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (or ERAS®) programs, which consist of evidence-based protocols that are proven to enhance a patient’s recovery and make for an easier, safer surgery all together.

If my doctor says it’s OK, how do I safely hydrate before surgery?

If you’re ready to kick dehydration before surgery to the curb, start by talking to your doctor about consuming a safe, trusted presurgery drink. Enhanced recovery protocols call for a clear liquid that contains at least 45 grams of complex carbs and no simple sugars like you’d find in sports drinks (more on why sports drinks don’t cut it for curbing dehydration before surgery here). The drink should also have an osmolarity level that allows for timely gastric emptying (in other words, the beverage needs to be formulated to clear from your stomach fast).

ClearFast is the only domestically produced presurgery drink of this kind: it’s rich in maltodextrins and healing properties (zinc & L-citrulline), is clear and colorless, is free of simple sugars and colored dyes (like those found in sports drinks), is designed to clear from your stomach fast (hence the name), and is trusted by luminary hospitals across the US, who regularly use ClearFast as a key part of hydrating patients before surgery.

PRO TIP: If you’re ready to hydrate before surgery with ClearFast, the key is to ensure you follow your doctor’s orders and the ClearFast drinking instructions. You always want to make sure you’ve consumed your last bottle of ClearFast at least two hours before surgery. We recommend chilling ClearFast overnight before drinking for an even tastier treat!

———

Overall, though the effects of dehydration before surgery are serious, it’s also relatively easy to avoid with the right, doctor-approved presugery drink. If you’re ready for a stress-free, complication-free surgery (and a fast recovery!), you can order your ClearFast Recovery Drink here. And, as always, don’t hesitate to reach out to the ClearFast team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all.

Healing Tips Preparing for Surgery Wellness + Medical Tips

When Water Won’t Cut It: 5 Times Your Body Needs a Recovery Drink

Post author By Gillian Griffith
Post date July 20, 2018
No Comments on When Water Won’t Cut It: 5 Times Your Body Needs a Recovery Drink

What exactly is dehydration?

According to The New York Times, “Water is the single most important substance we consume. You can survive for about two months without food, but you would die in about seven days without water.”
Even mild dehydration can affect your ability to think clearly.
Dizziness, rapid heart rate, sleepiness, lack of energy, and irritability can all be signs of dehydration.
Our thirst mechanism is specifically designed to tell us when our body needs to increase our fluid intake. If you’re thirsty, you’re likely already dehydrated.
According to Medical Daily.com “60 percent of our bodies is composed of water, 75 percent in our muscles, 85 percent in our brains…”

How does dehydration before surgery affect me?

Painful IV “Sticks”: Dehydration leads to reduced blood flow. This can often mean it takes multiple, painful IV sticks for a nurse to find a “good” vein (the last thing you want to experience when you’re already stressed and worried before surgery).

Post-Op Nausea & Vomiting: Ever woken up from surgery and felt immediately sick to your stomach? You’re not alone: in fact, one in three patients suffers from post-op nausea and vomiting. Dehydration before surgery—combined with the strong anesthesia meds you’re administered on an empty stomach—plays a major part in this. (Psst…learn more about reducing your risk of getting sick after anesthesia here.)

An Increased Risk of Surgical Complications: It’s no surprise that entering into surgery in a weakened state can set the stage for surgical complications and a tough recovery. In fact, according to a PubMed.gov medical study, “Preoperative dehydration is associated with increased rates of postoperative ARF, MI, and cardiac arrest.”

Is it OK to hydrate before surgery?

If my doctor says it’s OK, how do I safely hydrate before surgery?

———

Healing Tips Preparing for Surgery Presurgery Nutrition

The Ultimate Life Hack for Quick Healing: Using ClearFast For a Fast Surgery Recovery

Post author By Gillian Griffith
Post date July 12, 2018
No Comments on The Ultimate Life Hack for Quick Healing: Using ClearFast For a Fast Surgery Recovery

When it comes to going under anesthesia, we all want the same thing: a successful procedure and a fast surgery recovery. As much as we love a great hospital bed (hint: not at all), we have to admit there’s nothing better than getting home and starting on the recovery process! Today, then, we’re breaking down all you need to know about using ClearFast for a fast surgery recovery and speedy healing process. We’ll cover:

Using ClearFast after your surgery

Combining ClearFast with healthy meals

The ingredients in ClearFast that make for a fast surgery recovery

Other life hacks ClearFast can be used for

Now, let’s dig in…

Can I have ClearFast after surgery?

You may know by now that ClearFast is used as a presurgery drink for a less stressful and overall safer surgery experience. But, don’t throw out those leftover ClearFast bottles just because your procedure is over! ClearFast can also be used after your procedure for an enhanced healing process and fast surgery recovery. We recommend having a chilled bottle of ClearFast right when you get home from the hospital. Your stomach may still be a bit rocky from the anesthesia meds, which means you likely won’t be ready for solid foods right away. Drinking ClearFast after your surgery, then, is a great way to ensure your body is getting medical-grade hydration and nutrition without upsetting your stomach.

Can I replace meals with ClearFast while I heal?

Your doctor will make specific recommendations regarding when it’s safe to go back on solid food. Be sure you follow those instructions and, remember, ClearFast doesn’t have protein and fat—so it’s not a long-term meal replacement. Instead, we recommend mixing ClearFast with safe, doctor-recommended solid foods to ensure you’re getting proper nutrition. When combined with healthy meals, ClearFast is a super powerful tool for fast surgery recovery.

What’s in ClearFast, and how does it make for fast surgery recovery?

In addition to being clear and colorless (so it contains are ZERO harmful dyes) and gluten-free (bonus!), ClearFast is chock-full of all-natural ingredients that make for a potent, effective and safe recovery drink. These include:

Electrolytes: For optimal hydration
Zinc and L-Citrulline: Properties that help heal
Vitamin A: To support health and tissue function
Selenium: A trace mineral that acts as an antioxidant and contributes to healthy immune function.
Complex carbs: For extended energy and nutrition

Are there other uses for ClearFast that might be helpful to know about?

Of course there are! The great thing about the ClearFast presurgery drink is that it’s not just for procedures and fast surgery recovery. It can also help when you’re on the mend from a number of things, like: colds, flu, hot yoga sessions, marathons…or even hangovers! (Psst…you can learn more about using ClearFast for hydrating fast for a number of life events here.)

———

Overall, fast surgery recovery is all about feeding your body the minerals and electrolytes it needs to heal itself in a healthy and fast manner. Because it’s so easy to drink on a finicky stomach (and is free of harmful dyes and unnatural ingredients), ClearFast is the perfect post-surgery drink for those who want to speed up their recovery process and get back to their everyday life with a bang!

If you’re ready for fast surgery recovery, you can order your ClearFast Presurgery Drink here. And, as always, don’t hesitate to reach out to the ClearFast team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all.

Genesee

Melissa

Keep in touch for news, offers, and blog posts

Ask a question

Ask a question

Email:

support@drinkcf.com

phone:

(858) 649-1070

fax:

(858) 703-6480