A high-protein diet is recommended by many medical professionals for healing wounds or burns, because protein helps repair the body's organs and tissues. Lack of protein may decrease a person's immune system and his ability to heal from sickness and injuries. Eating a diet rich in protein from natural sources, and possibly from supplementation, may speed healing and decrease recovery time after surgeries, injuries or burns.
Step 1
Eat protein-rich foods, such as beef, chicken, turkey, fish, shellfish, eggs and cheese. Vegetarian protein-rich foods include beans, lentils and nuts. Eat at least one of these protein-rich foods with every meal and every snack on the high-protein diet. There is no specific recommendation for how much protein you should eat for wound healing, because recommendations are based on individual needs.
Step 2
Drink plenty of water to help your body digest and absorb protein from foods. Drink a minimum of eight 8-oz. glasses of water each day; more is recommended for wound healing. You may have lost your sense of thirst as a result of your wounds or burns, so drink often.
Step 3
Increase calorie consumption to help protein heal the body's wounds faster. Extra calories, which are used as energy by the body, are needed to help protein repair the body and regenerate tissue. Calories should be increased anywhere from 250 to 1,000 per day above your daily recommended intake, depending on your situation.
Step 4
Snack often so that you can take in extra calories and protein without feeling too full. Eat a snack between breakfast and lunch, lunch and dinner, and after dinner. It is much easier to eat more food when it is broken down into smaller meals than when it is in three large meals.
Step 5
Supplement your diet if you are not able to take in enough protein or calories. Supplementation can come in the form of enteral nutrition (tube feeding), protein shakes or nutritional shakes, such as Boost or Ensure, or by taking a multivitamin or amino acid pill.
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