| Getting a total knee replacement requires major | | | | and other micronutrients. Nonetheless, depending on |
| surgery. In the operating room an eight inch incision | | | | the freshness of your food, the amount of |
| will be made in your leg so the doctor has room to | | | | processing, and the variety of your diet, it is probably |
| do his work. Whenever total knee replacement | | | | a good idea to take two of your usual one-a-day |
| occurs, there is a small risk of infection. Even though | | | | vitamin supplements each day, in the weeks leading |
| the doctors and his assistants take every precaution | | | | up to your hospital stay. |
| to prevent infection, you are in a hospital. And | | | | In addition, there are two other products you may |
| hospitals are full of sick people. | | | | want to consider for their immune boosting effect. |
| It is a normal precaution for knee replacement | | | | Echinacea is a well know, easily available, cold and flu |
| surgery for the doctor to prescribe antibiotics to be | | | | relieving product that has proven immune system |
| included in your intravenous, both during and after | | | | benefits. White blood cells are important components |
| the surgery for a few days. This helps protect you if | | | | in your total immune system and Echinacea has been |
| you have been exposed. But there are things you | | | | shown to both increase their number and their |
| can do to protect yourself. One of them is to ensure | | | | activity in study subjects. It also helps counteract an |
| your own immune system is humming along at a high | | | | enzyme released by bacteria that allows them to |
| level. | | | | penetrate human tissue. |
| There has been an explosion of books on boosting | | | | Lomatium dissectum (fernleaf biscuitroot) is a plant |
| your immune system. Several that do a good job of | | | | with a long traditional of medicinal use by Native |
| explaining how you can ensure your immune system | | | | Americans. It first came to the attention of western |
| is operating at optimum levels are "The Immune | | | | medicine when Ernst Krebs, MD of Carson City |
| System Cure", published by Kensington (2000), and | | | | noticed, during the great influenza epidemic of 1918 |
| "The Top 100 Immunity Boosters", published by | | | | that killed over 20 million people world wide, that the |
| Duncan Baird (2006). There are numerous others | | | | local aboriginal peoples, the Washoe, were recovering |
| available, check your local book store. | | | | more quickly than his other patients. Extracts of this |
| In general terms, you should know that your immune | | | | plant are now being used in the treatment of |
| system can be compromised if you are simply | | | | numerous viral diseases, including Hepatitis-C, AIDS |
| suffering from a deficiency in certain vitamins or | | | | and Pneumonia. Since respiratory problems are of |
| nutrients. The famous Recommended Dietary | | | | particular concern after surgery involving general |
| Allowance (now called Reference Daily Intake) was | | | | anesthetic, you might want to consider a regimen of |
| developed in the United States during World War II | | | | taking this product starting 3 or 4 days before your |
| to define the minimum allowance for "energy and | | | | surgery. |
| eight nutrients" that would meet the requirements of | | | | You should always discuss supplementation with your |
| 98% of the population. Note: these values were not | | | | doctor. Your case is different from everybody else's |
| the "optimum" levels, simply the amounts that would | | | | because you are an individual. However, there should |
| prevent deficiency diseases from occurring, with | | | | be no problem with taking your multi-vitamin |
| some additional safety margin. In most cases, | | | | supplement. And there is no problem in making an |
| optimum levels have not been determined for most | | | | effort to eat a varied diet, rich in fresh vegetables |
| vitamins and minerals. | | | | and fruits, with adequate sources of protein, all |
| The typical multi-vitamin has less than your required | | | | cooked as little as possible. Steaming, stir frying and |
| RDI of each item, frequently as little as 10% or less. | | | | roasting or grilling as opposed to deep frying or frying |
| It is expected that most of your vitamins and | | | | would be the preferred cooking methods. |
| minerals will come form your diet, and this is the | | | | Support your immune system, before you get into |
| preferred source, because fresh foods typically | | | | the hospital, so that it will support you while you are |
| include additional useful components such as flavinoids | | | | there, and after you get out. |