How diet can help burn victims

Victims of serious burns need to pay attention to their diets to make sure that the healing process is being helped, not hindered. There are certain foods to avoid and certain foods that will help. Here is expert advice to guide you.

A diet rich in vitamins and minerals can help the body restore damaged tissue and help prevent infections.  In order to promote healing and tissue repair, it is essential for victims of extensive burns to have a well-balanced diet that provides extra calories, protein, vitamins and minerals. A diet that provides extra calories, protein and zinc is needed for tissue repair. Zinc, found in seafood, meat, poultry and, in slightly lesser amounts, in eggs, milk, beans, nuts and whole grains is essential for wound healing. It also bolsters the body's immune defenses to fight infection. Include vitamin C in the diet to build and maintain healthy skin and ward off infection.

• Burn victims also require extra fluids, sodium and potassium to replace those substances that seep out through damaged skin.
• Tea, coffee and other caffeinated beverages should be avoided; they have a diuretic effect that accelerates fluid loss.
• Alcohol should also be avoided because it, too, dehydrates the body; it also lowers immunity.

Make sure you ingest foods high in protein and zinc to help the body heal from a serious burn. This includess lean meat, poultry, fish and shellfish. You also must stay hydrated with water, fruit juices and food rich in vitamin C. These steps will help you on your path to recovery.