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Presurgery Nutrition Wellness + Medical Tips

Complete Liquid Diet Meal Plan

Whether you’re gearing up for a weight loss surgery or recovering from a dental procedure, odds are that at some point, you’ll be asked to follow a liquid diet meal plan. If the thought alone of consuming nothing but liquified foods makes you feel anxious (& hungry!), you’ve come to the right place. Today, we’re sharing a complete liquid diet meal plan with easy liquid meal recipes to enjoy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner until you’re able to return to eating solid foods. Each liquid meal is healthy, balanced, and tasty so that the only thing you’ll be missing is the snap, crackle, crunch factor of your typical diet.

Breakfast

Option 1:

Banana Nut Breakfast Smoothie

Ingredients

  • 1 large, ripe banana, peeled
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 cup plain 2-percent-fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons roasted sunflower seeds
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt

Directions

  1. In a blender, combine ingredients and puree until smooth.

Option 2:

Peanut Butter & Jelly Yogurt Bowl

For the Berry Jam:

  • 1/4 c. blackberries
  • 1/4 c. blueberries
  • 1/4 c. raspberries
  • 1/4 c. strawberries, hulled and halved 
  • 1 tbsp. orange juice 
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 

For the Peanut Butter Yogurt:

  • 1-1 1/2 c. Greek yogurt
  • 3 tbsp powdered peanut butter

Directions:

  1. First, make berry jam: In a small pot over medium heat, combine berries, orange juice, and honey with a large pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and continue to boil until strawberries are broken down and liquid thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. There should be ½ cup of berry mixture. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Let cool. 
  2. Next, combine the Greek yogurt with the powdered peanut butter (you may add sweetener of choice if using plain Greek yogurt).
  3. Finally, layer the yogurt mixture & the berry jam, alternating one layer of each.

Lunch

Creamy Carrot, Peanut, & Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves | about 1 heaped tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 3 medium carrots, chopped
  • 4 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter (no sugar added)

Directions

  1. In a large cooking pot, melt the coconut oil on a medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion. Sautée for about five minutes to soften. Add the chopped garlic, garam masala & turmeric. Sautée for another minute until garlic is fragrant.
  2. Add chopped sweet potato & carrots. Stir ingredients together to coat. Add the stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat down to simmer. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, or until potatoes + carrots are fork tender. Stir in the peanut butter until melted.
  3. Remove the pot from the heat. Use an immersion blender to process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. If you don’t own an immersion blender you can blend up the soup in batches using a blender. Just make sure to be careful when removing the blender lid  and open away from your body.

Dinner:

Creamy Vegan White Bean & Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cooked white beans of choice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil or other quality vegetable oil
  • 1 large leek, cleaned and chopped, roughly 3-4 cups
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled & chopped
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 398ml can diced tomatoes
  • 1 small can of tomato paste
  • 4 cups water or vegetable broth
  • 3 tbsp honey, or any plant-based sweetener such as agave
  • 1 tbsp dried dill
  • 2 cups minced green kale

Directions

  1. Drain the beans and rinse with cold water. Set aside until ready to use.
  2. To prepare the veggies, simply rinse and cut the leek in half. Separate the layers roughly with your hands and chop the leek pieces horizontally into pieces. To clean the pieces, place them in a large bowl and cover them with water, putting your hands in the bowl to agitate the layers and loosen any dirt that may be stuck in the leek. Skim the leek pieces out of the water and place into a colander. Repeat this again until the rinse water no longer shows signs of dirt.
  3. Prepare the carrots & when the two veggies are ready, heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the leeks, carrots & all the salt and cook for about 5 -8 minutes, until the moisture from the leeks starts to escape. Add the minced garlic and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until the mixture is fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic!
  4. Next, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water & dill and mix until the paste is fully dissolved. Cover the pot and turn the heat up to bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer and allow the veggies to cook about 15 minutes until just soft.
  5. Next, add the honey, kale & cooked beans and mix all to incorporate. Cook for a further 3-4 minutes until the kale is wilted. For a creamy soup, puree about 2/3 of the mixture in a blender or in a separate pot with a hand blender, leaving 1/3 of the mixture chunky. If blended well, this soup will be silky & creamy dreamy. Combine the two back together and continue to heat on low to allow all the flavours to mingle for a final few minutes. Serve warm.

Dessert

Option 1:

Tropical Nice Cream

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds fresh mangoes (2 to 3 medium), peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 heaping cups)
  • 2 medium banana, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened nut milk or other non-dairy milk
  • 1/2 cup Mango Peach CF(Protein)

Directions

  1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the mango and banana on prepared sheet in a single layer. Freeze until solid, about 4 hours.
  2. Transfer the fruit to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Add the salt. Process until the fruit is crumbly, about 30 seconds. Stop the processor and scrape down the sides with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. With the motor running, pour in the milk and blend continuously for 1 minute. The bottom portion of the mixture will start to become smooth, while the top is still crumbly. Stop the processor, scrape down the sides, and stir. Process until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes more.
  3. Serve immediately for a soft-serve consistency, or transfer to a lidded airtight container or a loaf pan and freeze until solid, approximately 2 hours. 

Option 2:

Chocolate Banana Tofu Pudding

Ingredients

  • 1 banana, broken into chunks
  • 1 (12 ounce) package soft silken tofu
  • 1/4 cup honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar
  • 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 tablespoons soy milk 
  • 1 pinch ground cinnamon

Directions

Place the banana, tofu, sugar, cocoa powder, soy milk, and cinnamon into a blender. Cover, and puree until smooth. Pour into individual serving dishes, and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Snack Ideas:

CF(Protein) Mango Peach

1 1/2 Cups Kefir blended with fruit of choice 

Beef, chicken, or turkey bone broth

If you or a loved one is preparing for or recovering from a procedure that has you following a liquid diet meal plan, fear not! These healthy liquid meals are packed with protein and the nutrients to leave you feeling satisfied and energized, which is a rare feat when it comes to your typical slurpable fair. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids while sticking to a liquid diet meal plan, particularly focusing on electrolytes. These important minerals can fluctuate with a reduced carbohydrate intake that tends to coincide with a liquid diet meal plan. We recommend choosing a beverage that offers an advanced dose of electrolytes to ensure you stay feeling as best as possible. We hope you enjoy these tasty, chew-free liquid meals as much as we do!

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Preparing for Surgery Presurgery Nutrition

Improved Recovery From Surgery with CF(Preop)®

Our team of nutritionists get asked one question pretty darn frequently: “What’s the magical ingredient in ClearFast that helps you recover from surgery?” Patients and clinicians so often want to know what the one secret ingredient is in our formulation that makes for reduced length of hospital stay, decreased risk of infection, decreased risk of post-op nausea, and a stronger, smoother surgery recovery. Today, then, we thought we’d dive into this frequently asked question to serve up some clarity. Read on for the answer!

What’s the secret ingredient in CF(Preop) that helps you recover from surgery?
Ah, we wish it was that simple, but—spoiler alert—there’s actually no magical ingredient that does the job on its own. Instead, every single ingredient in our anesthesiologist-developed formula works together to create a smoother surgery and enhanced recovery. 

Why isn’t there one star ingredient in CF(Preop) that helps you recover from surgery?
When a board-certified anesthesiologist was working to develop ClearFast, she did so with one goal in mind: to empower patients to take control of their surgery experience. She saw so many patients coming in for surgery under- or mal-nourished (especially after following the old-school “nothing from midnight” fast)—which led to an array of complications like surgical infections and a slow, complicated recovery.

Both modern medical research pointed to the fact that going into surgery nourished—instead of starved and dehydrated—was the key for a smoother, faster surgery recovery. (The healthier and better nourished you are before surgery, the faster and stronger your recovery after surgery.) So, instead of focusing on finding one “magical” ingredient, she developed a formula that contains exactly what patients need—and in the precise quantities they need it—for powerful clinical nutrition and medical-grade hydration in one proven product.

What ingredients in CF(Preop) help you nourish before your procedure and recover from surgery?

We’re so glad you asked! Our formula leverages a handful of natural, science-backed ingredients proven to enhance your surgery recovery in one tasty presurgery drink. They include:

  • Zinc Sulfate: Supports the immune system to keep you strong and safe as you enter surgery
  • Vitamin A: Has powerful antioxidant properties
  • L-Citrulline: Promotes circulation and wound healing for a faster recovery
  • Filtered Water: Ensures you (and your veins) are hydrated for easier IV “sticks” 
  • Citric Acid: For kidney health and free radical neutralization
  • Maltodextrin: Complex carbs for medical-grade nourishment and reduced muscle-mass loss

Is there anything you leave out of CF(Preop)?

Every product we formulate here at ClearFast—from our presurgery drinks to our plant protein drinks—are designed to help you nourish naturally, so you’ll never find added sugars, artificial ingredients, or unnecessary fillers in anything we make. 

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Ready to start working doctor-trusted, patient-preferred premium clinical nutrition into your presurgery nutrition plan? You can order CF(PreOp)® 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!

Categories
Healing Tips Preparing for Surgery Presurgery Nutrition Wellness + Medical Tips

Clearfast Clinical Nutrition for Surgery

We talk a lot about clinical nutrition here at ClearFast. So, today, we thought we’d break down everything you need to know about this all-important medical term—including what it is and the difference it can make in your health journey. Read on for all you need to know!

What is clinical nutrition?
Simply put, clinical nutrition is nutrition designed to support your medical journey and help you achieve optimal health. A clinical nutrition plan will take into account how your body processes, stores, and discards food for your overall well being—as well as your medical history and the results of any laboratory tests. Clinical nutrition is designed to support you with the necessary vitamins, proteins, minerals, and nutrients your body needs when your health isn’t at its best. It aims to help patients achieve a healthy energy balance and is used in both in- and out-patient healthcare settings.

How is clinical nutrition used?
That’s a great question! While the end-goals of clinical nutrition may vary depending on the patient, they’re always health-based. Some things it can be used to achieve include:

  • Preventing diseases (By boosting “good” cholesterol and reducing unhealthy triglycerides, clinical nutrition can help decrease your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes.)
  • Optimizing your everyday diet
  • Optimizing your nutrient intake
  • Treating/minimizing/managing symptoms of autoimmune diseases or other ailments
  • Increasing the chance of a successful surgery
  • Enhancing/speeding up recovery after surgery

What clinical nutrition options are available?
When it comes to clinical nutrition, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution—but there is an array of options you can explore when it comes to working clinical nutrition into your everyday life. These include:

  • Personal clinical nutritionist: Speak to a clinical nutritionist about optimizing an everyday nutrition plan that’s right for you. This can be an especially great route to go if you suffer from any health ailments or diseases and are struggling to manage your symptoms. A clinical nutritionist will look at your health history, the way your body processes nutrients, any allergies you might have, as well as your symptoms to help you create a custom clinical nutrition program designed to ensure you feel your best. 

  • CFpreop®: Developed by an anesthesiologist, CFpreop is a premium clinical nutrition presurgery drink designed to help your body easily—and quickly—get the nutrients it needs to enter surgery stronger and recover quicker. Each of its science-backed ingredients work together to decrease infection rates, lower feelings of anxiety, reduce post-op nausea and vomiting, and speed up your recovery. The best part? CFpreop uses only high-quality, all-natural ingredients—so you’ll never find dairy, gluten, synthetic ingredients, or artificial sweeteners in any bottle of CFpreop. Plus, its ingredients are ethically sourced and every bottle of CFpreop is formulated at the ClearFast lab in the United States to ensure unparalleled product integrity. 

  • CFprotein®: Our answer to the old, outdated clinical protein drinks that have been on the market for years, CFprotein is a super effective, industry-leading option for patients seeking premium clinical nutrition at an affordable price-point. A clean plant protein drink designed to get patients strong and healthy in the weeks leading up to and following surgery, CFprotein offers a quick, convenient way to give your body the premium clinical nutrition it needs to enter anesthesia stronger and recover faster. Supplementing a healthy diet with CFprotein helps you build a solid nutritional foundation for your upcoming procedure, so you can avoid going into surgery under- or malnourished. While CFpreop is designed to drink in the hours leading up to surgery (helping you get premium clinical nutrition in the critical fasting window), CFprotein is designed to drink in the days, weeks, and months leading up to surgery.

PRO TIP: While ClearFast drinks are anesthesiologist-developed and designed with surgery in mind, they’re also great for working premium clinical nutrition into your everyday nutrition plan—even if you don’t have a procedure on the books! Whether you’re hydrating after a night of overindulging, treating your kiddos to tasty hydration (sans artificial sugars and colored dyes) on the sidelines of a soccer game, or looking for a quick-and-easy way to meet your daily protein requirements—both CFpreop® and CFprotein® have an array of uses that go far beyond the four walls of an operating room. 

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Ready to start working doctor-trusted, patient-preferred premium clinical nutrition into your everyday diet? You can order CFpreop here or CFprotein 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!

Categories
Featured Posts Presurgery Nutrition

Preparing For Major Surgery with CF(Preop)®

When it comes to major surgeries, it’s natural to want to bury your head in the sand and avoid the thought of your upcoming procedure at all costs. After all, for so many years we’ve been led to believe that surgery is completely out of our control—so why waste time worrying about it?  But, the truth is you’re far more in control of the outcome of your procedure than you may realize. Today, then, we’re talking about why this is the case and breaking down four major surgeries that benefit greatly from proper preparation with clean presurgery nutrition.

 

How can I increase my chances of a safe surgery and healthy recovery? 

Whether you’re going in for a hip replacement or a hysterectomy, preparing for major surgeries with proper presurgery nutrition makes all of the difference in the world when it comes to how fast (and how well) your body recovers. Modern medical research points to the fact that fasting from midnight is an outdated, non-evidence-based practice that should instead be replaced with instructions to fast with a clear, complex-carb rich presurgery drink. Doing so decreases your risk of surgical site infection, decreases your risk of post-op nausea and vomiting, and increases your chance of a swift, strong recovery. Below, we break down four major surgeries that can be made less stressful and more successful by preparing with CF Protein and ClearFast PreOp.

 

  1. Hip Replacement

Just around 330,000 hip replacements are performed in the U.S. each year. During the procedure, your surgeon will remove any parts of your hip that are damaged and replace them with artificial joints to help improve your mobility and function. Getting strong in the weeks leading up to your hip replacement procedure is key—especially as it comes to how well your body is able to recover. We recommend incorporating CF Protein—a clean, plant-based protein drink specifically formulated to help strengthen your body before surgery—into your presurgery nutrition plan in the weeks leading up to your procedure. Then, replace the old-school “nothing from midnight” fast with a fluid fast with ClearFast PreOp in the window leading up to your hip replacement. Just be sure to finish your final bottle of ClearFast two hours before your procedure is scheduled. 

 

Why we love ClearFast for hip replacement:

The Vitamin A in ClearFast PreOp helps with healthy tissue function—and drinking ClearFast before your hip replacement greatly reduces your risk of developing an infection at the surgical site, so you can get back to life as quickly as possible. 

 

  1. Knee Replacement

The U.S. sees 720,000 knee replacements annually, making it one of the most common major surgeries. During a knee replacement procedure (also known as arthroplasty), your surgeon will remove damaged bone and cartilage from around your knee area and replace it with an artificial joint. Preparing for your knee replacement with CF Protein in the weeks leading up to your procedure will help ensure your body is nourished and strong before going under anesthesia—while drinking ClearFast PreOp in the hours leading up to your procedure will reduce your risk of infection and PONV. 

 

Why we love ClearFast for knee replacements 

Surgical site infection is one of the most common risks associated with arthroplasty. Preparing for surgery with a clean, complex-carb-rich PreOp drink has been proven to greatly reduce a patient’s risk of developing a surgical site infection. 

 

  1. Hysterectomy

A hysterectomy is a procedure that removes a woman’s uterus (and sometimes fallopian tubes and ovaries as well). From cancer to fibroids, there are a number of reasons a woman may need to undergo a hysterectomy—each year, about 500,000 hysterectomies are performed in the U.S. We recommend anyone undergoing a hysterectomy ask their doctor about incorporating CF Protein and ClearFast PreOp into their presurgery plan for an improved surgical outcome, enhanced recovery, and reduced overall stress. 

 

Why we love ClearFast for hysterectomies:

The complex carbs in ClearFast PreOp make for an enhanced recovery upon waking from anesthesia—allowing hysterectomy patients to get out of the hospital and home sooner. Plus, because ClearFast is all-natural, gluten-free, free of colored dyes, and free from simple sugars and fat, it’s the perfect clean presurgery nutrition option for patients who are particularly focused on health and wellness, as many hysterectomy patients are.

 

  1. Heart Bypass

When it comes to major surgeries, a heart bypass—or a coronary bypass—is near the top of the list, with about 395,000 of these procedures performed annually in the U.S. The point of a heart bypass is to redirect blood flow around a blocked artery in your heart to improve overall blood flow to your heart muscle. This is often accomplished by taking a healthy, unblocked blood vessel from your chest, leg, or arm and using that to redirect blood flow in the heart. 

 

Why we love ClearFast for heart bypass surgeries:

While risks associated with heart bypass are low, your risk of complications can be greater if you’re in poor health. Drinking CF Protein in the weeks leading up to your procedure and implementing a healthy presurgery nutrition plan help to ensure you’re in the strongest state possible as you enter anesthesia, which ultimately increases your chances of a smoother recovery. Plus, drinking ClearFast PreOp in the hours leading up to your coronary bypass procedure greatly reduces your risk of surgical site infection

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

Categories
Presurgery Nutrition

What is a Presurgery Nutrition Plan & Why Does it Matter?

The key to recovering from surgery stronger—and getting back to life faster—often lies in the steps you take before your procedure. One major player in this regard? Your presurgery nutrition plan. Today, we’re talking all you need to know about presurgery nutrition plans: what they are, why they matter, and how they can help you recover faster. Read on for a complete breakdown. 


What is a presurgery nutrition plan?

A presurgery nutrition plan is simply modifications you make to your meals leading up to your procedure. Making changes to your diet—whether it be cutting out certain items or adding in extra nutrients before surgery—can play a major role in how well and how fast you recover. As with all of your presurgery efforts, just be sure to consult your physician before making any major changes. 


Why does a presurgery nutrition plan matter?

If there’s one thing we repeat often here at ClearFast, it’s the idea that the stronger you enter surgery, the stronger you recover. Think of surgery like a major athletic event—it puts a ton of stress on your body, and a better performance often revolves around better preparation. While the old-school mentality tells us all we need to do to prepare for surgery is fast from midnight and lock down a day-of ride home, we’re now learning that a presurgery nutrition plan (along with replacing the old-school instructions to fast from midnight with a complex-carb-rich liquid fast instead) actually leads to safer surgeries and stronger recoveries. The truth is that many patients need to change or supplement their diets in the weeks leading up to surgery in order to best prepare their bodies for surgery—just as someone would need to make specific modifications to prepare for a marathon. 


What are the requirements of a presurgery nutrition plan

The specific requirements of a presurgery nutrition plan will vary from patient to patient, which is why it’s important to always consult your doctor. Sometimes, this may mean making major changes to your diet (to lose or gain weight, for example). Other times, you may simply need to make minor changes to optimize your nutrition levels. To help you on your quest for a healthy, balanced presurgery diet, our in-house nutritionist has designed a handful of presurgery nutrition plans for patients based around specific activity and mobility levels. You can download the one that best applies to you below:


  • Preop sample menu: Limited Mobility or Low Activity
  • Preop sample menu: Moderate Mobility & Average Activity
  • Preop sample menu: Full Mobility & Highly Active





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Overall, a better bounce back often starts with a tailored presurgery nutrition planLearn more about how it can improve your surgery experience and recovery—or reach out to the ClearFast team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all! 

Categories
Presurgery Nutrition

Immunonutriton for Patients and Providers

At ClearFast, we’re all about empowering patients with the information they need to have better surgery experiences and stronger recoveries. Part of that empowerment process often means breaking down medical jargon and industry buzzwords in a way patients can understand and act upon. Today, then, we’re talking about the latest medical buzzword: immunonutrition. Read on to learn what it is and what in the world it has to do with your health journey.

What is immunonutrition?

Essentially, immunonutrition involves activating our body’s immune system through the intake of specific nutrients. “Immunonutrition” is an umbrella term used to describe nutrients that affect the immune system. This includes things like glutamine, antioxidants, and n-3 (omega 3) fatty acids. Nutrients that fall under the category of immunonutrition can inhibit inflammation, improve or increase immune function, enhance T-cell function, and decrease the body’s inflammatory response.

What does immunonutrition have to do with surgery?

Surgery can spark a systemic inflammatory response that ultimately puts high metabolic demands on a patient and can lead to a depletion of their essential nutrient stores. In layman’s terms? Surgery can weaken your immune system and leave you vulnerable to infection and other dangerous complications. In fact, infection is the most common cause of mortality following surgery—so it makes sense that physicians and medical professionals take every step possible to avoid it. Immunonutrition, then, tries to address this issue by controlling your immune response by providing your body the nutrients it needs to avoid vulnerability and infection following surgery. 

How is immunonutrition administered?

Because patients struggle to meet nutritional requirements during the post-op period (thanks to issues like post-op nausea and vomiting, among other factors), immunonutrition is administered enterally (i.e. via the GI tract), through a feeding tube. 

If you want to take immunonutrition into your own hands, however, you can start by ensuring your body has the fuel it needs to go under the knife strong and recover faster. Our plant-based protein drink can be consumed in the weeks leading up to surgery, and CFpreop, our presurgery drink, can be consumed up to two hours before surgery. We also recommend working both into your recovery routine to ensure your immune system is strong as you recover.

What nutrients are included in immunonutrition formulas?

While immunonutrition includes a number of nutrients, the most common nutrients found in enteral immunonutrition medical formulas include: 

  • Omega 3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: These may inhibit inflammation and enhance T helper cell function.
  • Antioxidants: Antioxidants protect against oxidative stress—including stress brought about by surgery when the body releases oxidants in response to inflammation.
  • Amino Acids: This category includes things like Glutamine (an important nutrient for cell division and one that improves gut carrier function) and Arginine (which stimulates nitric oxide synthesis, growth hormone production, and increases T helper cell count).

For those who want to take immunonutrition into their own hands, CFprotein is chock-full of Omega 3 and anti-inflammatory nutrients, helping you build up your strength and protect your immune system before you go under anesthesia. 

So, does immunonutrition work? 

While immunonutrition has promising potential to reduce length of hospital stay and reduce the risk of infection by helping patients avoid malnourishment and a weakened immune system, it’s important to note that research on the efficacy of immunonutrition is inconclusive (due to variations in immunonutrient feeding mechanisms, amounts patients were fed, the timing of patient feeding, and an array of other individual factors). 

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Ready for a better bounce back? Learn more about ClearFast Preop here—or reach out to the ClearFast team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all! 

Categories
Presurgery Nutrition

Diabetes and Surgery: Can I Drink ClearFast PreOp if I’m Diabetic or Should I Fast?

If you’re one of the over 30 million people in the U.S. who is diabetic, you might be wondering about diabetes and surgery—and whether or not ClearFast Preop is right for you—as you prepare for your procedure. After all, pre-op fasting—coupled with the massive amount of stress that’s often brought on by surgery—can make controlling your blood sugar all the more difficult. So how, exactly, do you safely prepare your body for surgery as a diabetic so you can enter into and wake up from anesthesia in the strongest state possible? Today, we’re talking all you need to know about the role a proper presurgery drink can play in enhancing a diabetic’s surgery experience. Read on for some seriously empowering information!

 

Should diabetics fast before surgery?

Recent clinical studies and findings from numerous medical professionals show that fasting before surgery actually adds stress and can decrease the safety of patients preparing for surgery. This is particularly true as it relates to diabetes and surgery—as diabetic patients are often the most adversely affected by prolonged fasting (more on this later!). 

 

Why is fasting before surgery risky for diabetics?

A prolonged fast sends your body into a catabolic state—which ultimately means your body uses up its limited hepatic glycogen stores when it needs energy before surgery and then moves on to breaking down healthy fat and muscle tissue as an alternative energy source. This isn’t ideal for the everyday patient, let alone for a patient who is managing diabetes. For the diabetic, this translates into serious complications like perioperative hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia and/or ketoacidosis.

 

Are there other risks I should be aware of when it comes to diabetes and surgery?

In addition to hyperglycemia and/or ketoacidosis, things like post-op nausea and vomiting (something nearly one in three patients experience when waking up from surgery), increased stress (something we all experience before and after surgery), and a decrease in activity level after surgery can make managing your blood sugar all the more difficult as a diabetic. Minimizing your risk of these complications, then, is key when we’re talking about diabetes and surgery. One proven way you can do so is by talking to your doctor about implementing a liquid fast with ClearFast Preop in place of the traditional “from midnight” fast. 

 

Why should I consider drinking ClearFast Preop in place of fasting?

Any diabetic knows that prolonged fasting is one of the quickest ways to throw your blood sugar completely out of whack (add stress hormones and pre-surgery anxiety on top of that and you’ve got a recipe for disaster when it comes to diabetes and surgery). According to an array of medical studies, pre-op carb-loading for diabetics is actually one of the safest, most effective ways to manage blood sugar levels before, during, and after surgery. Here’s how it works:

 

  • It protects your critical glycogen stores: By providing your body the complex carbs it needs for energy, drinking ClearFast before surgery helps to ensure your body isn’t using up all of those important glycogen stores. This ultimately helps you proactively manage your blood-sugar levels, rather than being at the mercy of a from-midnight fast (and the negative side effects such a fast can have on your health as a diabetic).

 

  • It takes into account a diabetic’s ongoing nutritional requirements: Let’s face it—fasting for hours upon hours isn’t exactly a practical option for diabetics, who have constant and critical nutritional requirements. By working ClearFast into your surgery prep routine and closely monitoring your blood sugar levels as part of the prep process, you’re working with—rather than completely ignoring—your body’s critical nutritional requirements. 

 

  • It reduces your chance of preop complications:  Fasting before surgery for diabetics can mean a dangerous drop in blood-sugar levels, which ultimately leads to complications like hypoglycemia and even ketoacidosis. Preparing your body for surgery with ClearFast helps to reduce the risk of your body using up all of those important glycogen stores and ultimately ending up in one of these two risk-prone states. 

 

  • It reduces your chance of post-op complications: Numerous studies have found that pre-op carb-loading with a complex-carb-rich, clear preop drink like ClearFast can reduce your risk of post-op insulin resistance and post-op infections—as well as reduce the occurrence of post-op vomiting (all of which make managing your blood-sugar difficult, posing particular danger for those with diabetes). These same studies have found the fasting-from-midnight instruction to be antiquated and even unsafe, especially in regards to the development of post-op insulin resistance. In fact, according to a lecture published in PubMed, “The increased uptake of glucose in non-insulin-sensitive cells is involved in the development of several of the most common postoperative complications, including infections and cardiovascular problems. Many of the perioperative treatments in use are outdated, and modern care involves a multimodal approach with several treatments, such as preoperative carbohydrate treatment instead of overnight fasting.”

 

Just like this finding states, when we’re able to avoid or reduce the risk of these complications through preop carb treatment, we end up with a much easier and shorter recovery period—which ultimately means getting to go home (and getting back to your life!) much quicker.

 

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Overall, when it comes to diabetes and surgery, we recommend talking to your doctor about replacing the from-midnight fast with ClearFast Preop liquid fast instead. With her approval, you can order ClearFast Preop here—or reach out to the ClearFast team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all! 

Categories
Presurgery Nutrition

Vegan Protein Pre Surgery Nutrition

Chances are you’ve heard us talk about presurgery nutrition before—and, today, we’re so excited to help you add to that all-important presurgery nutrition plan with a clean protein drink. The newest member of the ClearFast family of products, CF Protein was formulated to finally offer patients a high-quality replacement for “junk” protein supplements and chalky protein milkshakes. Today, then, we’re talking all you need to know about this powerhouse clean protein drink—including how it helps you bounce back better after surgery. Read on for an empowered operation!

 

  1. We developed our clean protein drink to complete your presurgery nutrition plan.

ClearFast started with ClearFast PreOp, our original presurgery drink designed to take in the hours leading up to surgery, replacing the old-school “fasting from midnight” approach. When we added to our family of products, then, we wanted to create something that was just as high-quality and clean as ClearFast PreOp, but that was designed to drink the days and weeks leading up to a procedure, helping patients complete their presurgery nutrition plan. 

 

  1. All-natural ingredients matter.

At ClearFast, we’ve always prided ourselves on being a patient-forward company. Our goals are to empower patients, improve lives, enhance surgery experiences, and—above all—formulate with purpose. Our original ClearFast PreOp drink was formulated by a board-certified anesthesiologist who cares about patients and their well being. She saw patients were having a problem maintaining a from-midnight fast—and also realized that sending patients into surgery dehydrated and on empty stomachs wasn’t a great approach—and formulated something that has since been proven to enhance surgery experiences all around. Honoring her patient-forward and “formulate with purpose” approach is at the core of all that we do—and, for us, that meant developing a clean protein drink using only the highest quality, all-natural ingredients. 

 

  1. CF Protein was specifically designed to help strengthen your body in the weeks leading up to surgery.

Undergoing surgery malnourished can cause serious complications like infection and pneumonia. Supplementing a healthy diet with our clean protein drink in the weeks leading up to surgery can help you build a solid foundation for your upcoming procedure. We formulated CF Protein to give your body all of the support it needs at it prepares to endure the stress of surgery. (PRO TIP: You can even drink CF Protein after surgery to help your body gain strength and recover faster.)  The ingredients that help prepare your body for surgery include:

 

  • Plant Protein: A complete protein (containing all nine essential amino acids), yellow pea protein is easily digestible and a good source of iron.
  • Omega 3: The chia seed oil in CF Protein is rich in omega 3 essential fatty acids and contains high levels of antioxidants for skin and cell protection.
  • Turmeric: A natural and powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, turmeric gives CF Protein its vibrant color.
  • L-Citrulline: This amino acid aids in muscle recovery and boosts nitric oxide production.
  • Vitamins & Electrolytes: The natural fruit juices in CF Protein are rich in Vitamin A & C, potassium and calcium for a healthy boost.
  • Complex Carbohydrates: Complex carbohydrates are proven to reduce post-op loss of muscle mass.

 

  1. Incorporating plant-based protein into your diet in the weeks before procedure can enhance your surgery experience.

It’s simple, really: the stronger you go under anesthesia, the stronger you recover—and our clean protein drink was designed to help you undergo anesthesia in the strongest state possible. CF Protein offers patients therapeutic nutrition that’s proven to help patients bounce back better Some of its key benefits and features include:

  • Improves post-surgical metabolic function
  • Supports the hyper-metabolic state needed for the healing process
  • A high quality protein and fat source—full of vitamins and minerals
  • Easily digestible and gentle on the stomach
  • Easy to consume if experiencing nausea, vomiting, or low appetite after surgery
  • Prevents the loss of muscle mass (high levels of glutamine)
  • Promotes tissue rebuilding

 

  1. The key to a successful surgery is in your preparation. 

Seeing improved surgical outcomes (reduced risk of infection, shorter length of stay, faster recovery, etc.) comes down to incorporating healthy life choices in the months and weeks before you go under the knife. Start exercising more, quit smoking if you currently do, cut back on alcohol consumption, and take up de-stressing techniques like meditation or yoga. Drink 1-2 bottles of CF Protein each day the week before your surgery to help strengthen your body, and drink ClearFast Preop in the hours before your procedure for an improved—and empowered—surgery experience!

 

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Ready for a better bounce back? Order CF Protein here—or reach out to the ClearFast team at support@drinkcf.com if you have any questions at all! 

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Presurgery Nutrition

4 Outpatient Procedures You Should Prep for with ClearFast Preop

It can be easy to write-off outpatient procedures as “no big deal”—but the truth is any procedure, no matter how minor it may seem, puts major stress on your body. Whether you’re going in for wisdom-teeth removal or a meniscus repair, preparing for outpatient procedures with proper presurgery nutrition makes all of the difference in the world when it comes to how fast (and how well) your body is able to recover. Today, then, we’re breaking down the top outpatient procedures that are made so much better by adding ClearFast PreOp to your presurgery plan—read on for our top four picks. 


  1. Wisdom Teeth Removal

Just around 10 million wisdom teeth are removed in the U.S. each year (ouch!). Wisdom teeth typically come in between the ages of 17-25 and can cause an array of oral issues, which is why about 85% of people end up having to have them removed. We break down our top tips for preparing for wisdom teeth removal here, but one of the most impactful ways you can prepare your body for wisdom teeth removal is by drinking ClearFast PreOp in the window leading up to your procedure. 


Why we love ClearFast PreOp for wisdom teeth removal: 

It greatly reduces your risk of post-op nausea and vomiting—which, let’s be honest, is never fun when your mouth is painful as ever and chock-full of gauze-filled craters. Plus, because ClearFast PreOp offers medical-grade hydration, it makes IV sticks much easier (hydrated veins are far easier to find and less painful to “stick”), which is a major plus for younger patients. It’s also been proven to reduce pre-surgery nerves and anxiety—another major plus for young patients who might be nervous about going under anesthesia for the first time. 


  1. Rotator Cuff Repair

Responsible for keeping your upper arm bone within the socket of your shoulder, the rotator cuff is a group of tendons that’s particularly subject to athletic and work-related injuries. Rotator cuff injuries are often seen in those who repeatedly perform overhead motions with their arms—think: tennis players, baseball players (particularly pitchers), or even painters and carpenters. 


Why we love ClearFast PreOp for rotator cuff repair: 

According to a 2015 study, controlling blood glucose levels is one of the potential ways medical professionals can improve rotator cuff repair healing rates—and drinking ClearFast PreOp does just that (by providing your body the complex carbs it needs for energy rather than fasting-from-midnight, drinking ClearFast before surgery helps to ensure your body isn’t using up all of those ever-important glycogen stores. This ultimately helps you proactively manage your blood-sugar levels.) Plus, ClearFast greatly reduces your risk of surgical site infection and enhances your overall recovery—ensuring athletes and workers can get back to their daily activities quicker. 


  1. Meniscus Repair 

If you’ve ever played a contact sport, chances are you’re familiar with this one. Think of your meniscus as shock absorbers that help keep your knee cap stable—a torn meniscus can lead to instability of your kneecap, immobility of your knee cap, and incredible pain. Patients under the age of 30 often need meniscus repair as a result of an acute athletic injury—such as a blow to the knee (during soccer, football, or hockey contact, for example), over-rotation of the knee from a quick pivot (like when an athlete changes directions in soccer or basketball), or hyperextension of the knee (landing wrong after a jump).


 A “popping” feeling in the knee followed by immediate pain and swelling are telltale signs of a meniscus tear. While Grade 1 and Grade 2 tears can often repair themselves overtime with rest and proper icing techniques, a Grade 3 tear will unfortunately require minor surgery. 


Why we love ClearFast PreOp for meniscus repair:

The Vitamin A in ClearFast PreOp helps with healthy tissue function—and drinking ClearFast before your meniscus surgery greatly reduces your risk of developing an infection at the surgical site,  so you can get back to the field, court, or rink as quick as possible!


  1. Lumpectomy

Beginning at the age of 40, the rate of breast cancer diagnosis in women begins to increase. If your cancer is small and early-stage, your doctor may recommend a lumpectomy rather than a full mastectomy. A lumpectomy is an outpatient procedure where your surgeon will remove abnormal or cancerous tissue from your breast, taking some healthy tissue with it as well (as opposed to a mastectomy, where the full breast tissue is removed). The procedure itself typically takes anywhere from 15-40 minutes, and recovery time is right around two weeks. 


Why we love ClearFast PreOp for lumpectomies:

The complex carbs in ClearFast PreOp make for an enhanced recovery upon waking from anesthesia—allowing lumpectomy patients to get out of the hospital and home sooner. Plus, because ClearFast is all-natural, gluten-free, free of colored dyes, and free from simple sugars and fat, it’s the perfect presurgery nutrition option for patients who are particularly focused on health and wellness, as many lumpectomy patients are. 


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

Categories
Presurgery Nutrition

Introducing CF Protein: An All-New Plant Protein Drink Designed to Take Your Surgery Nutrition Plan to the Next Level

If you’ve spent any time browsing the ClearFast website or scrolling through our social media channels, you probably know we’re all about arming patients with the knowledge and resources they need to take control of their procedure. Today, then, we’re so excited to announce one other tool in our arsenal: all-new CF Protein! A plant protein drink that’s as tasty as it is effective, today we’re talking all you need to know about the newest addition to the ClearFast family. Read on to learn all about this plant-based protein powerhouse. 


What is CF Protein and what’s in it?

CF Protein is an all-natural plant protein drink that’s made from high quality ingredients specifically formulated to drink in the days and weeks leading up to surgery. It’s chock-full of tons of healthy, nutrient-dense ingredients and designed to deliver a powerful pre-procedure punch. Ingredients in our all-new plant protein drink include:


  • Yellow pea protein: for its complete protein (containing all nine essential amino acids), promotes muscle growth, easily digestible, good source of iron, allergen free.
  • Chia seed oil: for significant amounts of omega-3 essential fatty acids, its anti-inflammatory properties, and high levels of antioxidants for skin and cell protection.
  • Coconut water concentrate: for electrolytes to promote hydration (potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium), blood pressure regulation, trace vitamin C to assist in wound healing.
  • L-Citrulline: for aid in muscle recovery, increased protein synthesis, boosted nitric oxide and growth hormone levels.
  • Mango juice concentrate: for vitamins C and A, high in potassium and calcium, promotes insulin stability, may lower cholesterol levels, a rich source of antioxidants.
  • Turmeric: for reduced inflammation, hepatoprotective, antiplatelet aggregation, antioxidant, antimicrobial.
  • Maltodextrin: for reduced loss of muscle mass, decreased anxiety and hunger, improved nitrogen balance.
  • Lemon juice concentrate: for increased feelings of satiety, to help curb cravings.
  • Filtered water: for hydration, less stress and/or anxiety, and decreased pain perception
  • Stevia: for lower blood sugar, decreased cellular insulin resistance, increased cellular insulin sensitivity.

Why did you develop CF Protein?

Thanks to modern medical research and effective ERAS programs, we now know that fasting from midnight and arranging a ride home aren’t enough to prepare for your procedure. Patients need to mindfully prepare for surgery in the days and weeks leading up to their procedure, and part of that preparation involves having a solid surgery nutrition plan in place. Why? Ultimately it comes down to the fact that how strong and healthy your body is going under anesthesia is directly connected to how well (and how fast) you’re able to recover. Because of this, the same seasoned anesthesiologist who developed our flagship presurgery drink product developed CF Protein as therapeutic nutrition to support patients young and old on their individual surgery prep and recovery journeys. 


Additionally, other options on the market aren’t plant based and all-natural, aren’t specifically designed and intended for presurgery use, and/or aren’t easily and readily available for purchase online—so we designed our plant protein drink to address all of those issues, because we believe patients deserve the best.


Who is your plant protein drink for and when should they use it? 

CF Protein is for any patient who needs therapeutic nutrition to supplement their diet leading up to surgery. It’s also great for patients after surgery who can’t eat or have difficulty eating solid foods but who still need to get in complete nutrition in order to heal (oral surgery patients are just one great example of this). Because it’s all-natural and extremely nutrient dense, though, our plant protein drink is also great for everyday nutrition. 


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Overall, what you do before you go under the knife has everything to do with what happens after—and CF Protein is just one simple, proactive step you can take to help ensure a faster, smoother, stronger surgery recovery. 


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

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