Healing Starts with Nutrition: Discover Nutritional Support for Patient Recovery

Published in Wound Care on September 26, 2023

Updated November 2024

Pressure Injury Prevention Day is Thursday, Nov. 21. Proper nutrition is essential for normal cellular activity and becomes even more critical when the body is healing from a wound, such as a pressure injury. That is why evaluating a patient’s nutritional status is a key component of the wound care process in any healthcare setting.

Prioritizing nutrition in wound care not only improves patient outcomes but also enhances overall care quality and satisfaction. Effective wound healing can reduce hospital stays, lower the risk of complications, and decrease healthcare costs. By integrating nutritional assessments and interventions, healthcare providers can ensure comprehensive care that supports faster recovery and better health for their patients.

Linda Murray By Linda A. Murray, RN, MA, PMC-Health Informatics, Enterprise Account Executive, Abbott Nutrition

Why Does Nutrition Matter?

When a person has a wound, whether it be a pressure injury, surgical wound, or burn, nutrition is a particularly important part of healing. When a person loses 10% of their lean body mass, which is everything but the fat on their body, wound healing is impaired, and at 20%, wound healing is stalled. When wound healing is stalled, this can lead to a chronic non-healing wound if not addressed.

Eating balanced meals rich in protein and other essential nutrients plays a critical role in helping your body’s tissues heal. When your body is healing from a wound, the demand for certain nutrients may increase. Sometimes even a balanced diet with the right calories may not be enough to help a wound heal. The goals of proper nutrition are to provide essential nutrients needed to support collagen formation and to maintain body composition, including lean body mass.

According to the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel (NPIAP) guidelines, the use of oral nutritional supplements high in protein, arginine, zinc, and antioxidants for those with stage 2-4 pressure injuries.

How Nutrition Helps

Protein builds new skin and muscle. Help heal wounds by including protein-rich foods throughout the day. Try for 25 to 30 grams at each meal and snack occasion.
Arginine — increases blood flow and is a building block for proteins
Glutamine — supports the immune system and promotes new tissue
HMB — slows protein breakdown and enhances tissue growth
Hydrolyzed collagen — helps stimulate internal collagen formation
Micronutrients — Zinc, vitamins C, E, B12 are important in the wound-healing process

Maintaining muscle and organ tissue is vital for normal healing, and proper nutrition plays a significant role. If you do not receive proper nutrition, your body may use muscle protein for energy.

Help Your Body Build New Tissue After Injury and Surgery

Juven 2 Per Day This is where Juven comes in! JUVEN® has been clinically shown to support wound healing by enhancing collagen formation in as little as two weeks. Juven® offers a unique blend of the key ingredients to help promote wound healing, build lean body mass, and support immune system health. Use Juven in addition to a complete, balanced diet.

Juven is a light, refreshing drink, which has a blend of key wound healing ingredients that go beyond basic nutrition. Adding Juven® can help replenish nutrients needed for wound healing, and only two servings per day can help promote lean body mass to support wound healing.

How to Consume Juven

Juven is best when mixed with 8 to 10 fluid ounces of water or other liquid at room temperature.
Juven can be mixed with fruit juice, yogurt, applesauce, ice cream, or other foods and beverages to add variety.
Juven can be mixed ahead of time — Store in a clean container and consume within 4 hours if kept at room temperature, or 24 hours if stored in a refrigerator. Use within 24 hours.
Juven is available in fruit punch and orange flavors. Juven offers an unflavored option, which is best when mixed with food.

Linda A. Murray, RN, MA, PMC-Health Informatics is an Enterprise Account Executive for Abbott Nutrition. For more information on Juven and Abbott Nutrition, please visit their vendor partner page on the members-only portal.

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