Dietary Treatment For Severe Burns

Burns -- tissue damage caused by heat, radiation, chemicals and other factors -- are classified based on their severity. Third-degree burns are the most severe type of burns, and they involve damage or destruction of your deepest layer of skin and your underlying tissues. Nutritional therapies are an important part of your burn treatment plan, but you should only use these natural treatment approaches after you have reviewed the risks and benefits with your doctor.

Severe Burns

Severe burns cause irreversible tissue injury. If you suffer a third-degree burn, numerous tissues may be affected, including your fat, muscle and bone. Affected areas will often appear charred or dry. Some of the most common signs and symptoms associated with severe burns include pain, blistering, swelling and scarring. In some cases, your burn may also lead to shock, infections and death. You may have no pain associated with severe burns, due to the destruction of your nerve endings.

Dietary Approach

Dietary changes are an important part of your severe burn treatment regimen. Phyllis A. Balch, a certified nutritional consultant and author of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," states that during your recovery, you should consume at least 100 g of protein per day and eat more vitamin- and mineral-rich foods to speed healing. A total daily caloric intake of 2,500 calories is appropriate if you're recovering from severe burns, notes Balch, as you body uses a significant number of calories for tissue repair. Drinking juices made from potassium-rich fruits, such as oranges, cantaloupes, kiwis and watermelons, and consuming healthy green drinks -- a blended drink comprised of green vegetables and spices -- may also help aid tissue repair.

Foods to Aid Burn Healing

Burns, including severe burns, may respond to specific foods that help boost your health and speed your wound healing. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, burn survivors may derive significant wound healing benefits from antioxidant-rich foods, such as tomatoes, cherries, blueberries, squash and bell peppers. Olive oil and other vegetable oils may be another helpful dietary inclusion to help speed your wound healing. Consider minimizing or avoiding your intake of alcohol, caffeine, red meat, trans-fatty acids and snack foods, such as cookies, cakes and other processed foods, as these foods may prolong your healing time and do not provide your body with the nutrients it needs to repair damaged tissues.

The Importance of Protein

Increased protein consumption is one of the most important dietary considerations if you have severe burns. Your protein needs increase for several reasons, including as a method to replace protein lost through your wounds and as a way to replace protein that that is being broken down in your muscles and used for energy production. Perhaps most importantly, though, increased dietary protein provides your body with the nutrients to build lost tissue. UMMC states that lean meats, tofu, cold-water fish and beans are appropriate protein sources for burn survivors, including those with severe burns.