Importance of Burns Diet to Cure Burns

Medical Video: Nutrition after a burn injury

Burns are injuries to the skin caused by something hot, so that it burns the skin and leaves a wound. In the world, burns include public health problems, because an estimated 265,000 people died from burns suffered. According to the World Health Organization, the group that most often experiences burns is children. Burns are the 11th cause of the high mortality rate of children aged 1 to 9 years and is also the 5th cause of disability or physical deficiency in children.

Burns based on their severity

Burns are grouped according to the depth of influence of heat on the body, which is called the degree of burns, namely:

Degree I, namely the degree of burns that occur on the outer surface of the skin or parts of the epidermis of the skin and accompanied by dilation of blood vessels so that the burns appear reddish, dry, and arise pain or pain. An example is burning due to exposure to sunlight for too long.

Degree II, namely burns that occur in the epidermis and dermis of the skin and make the blood vessels under the skin accumulate and harden. In degree II, burns appear reddish, pain, swelling arises which contains fluid.

Degree III, in this third degree burn heat burns to the deeper surface of the dermis, which is subcutaneous tissue. It can be said that if you suffer from third-degree burns, then the person has damage to all skin and muscle cells, and blood vessels undergo clots.

Degree IVburns get worse and damage more and more tissue, such as muscles, tendons, and even bones. The patient will not feel anything because at this stage the damage has reached the nerve cell.

What is a burn diet?

Food and drinks are drugs that indirectly support the treatment of an illness, just like a burn. Choosing the right food source and arranging food is needed for burn patients to help with healing and recovery. In fact, it can be said that food is the main medicine in the treatment process. Basically people who experience burns have lost a lot of energy, therefore the food given to them must be high in energy and calories. So, it is not surprising if the burn patient has to consume at least 2500 calories a day.

Why do people who have burns have to go on a burns diet?

Choosing the right food not only returns the energy lost from burn patients, but also helps repair tissue damage that occurs. Without a good diet, burn patients will be even more critical, lack of energy, and tissue damage will get worse. Giving and composition of food also depends on the degree of burns suffered, the higher the degree of burns, the higher the need for nutrients.

What are the mandatory foods in a burn diet?

The following are general nutritional requirements for burn patients:

Protein

Patients with burns desperately need the amount of protein to help repair damaged tissue. Tissue damage makes a lot of protein disappear in the body. In addition, burn patients also lose a lot of energy and this causes the body to make protein as the main energy source, so that the proteins in the body of burn patients are very low. According to the Indonesian Dietetic Association, the protein needed by burn patients in a day is around 20-25% of total calorie needs. If protein requirements are not met, it will cause a decrease in the immune system, loss of muscle mass that is quite a lot, and slow the healing process.

Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a source of sugar that the body uses as the main energy source. The process of healing burns requires considerable energy, therefore it requires a lot of energy from the body to support this. Energy sources are obtained from carbohydrates, so patients with burns need as much as 50 to 60 percent carbohydrates from total calories in a day. If the needs of these burn patients are 2500 calories, then the amount of carbohydrates that must be consumed in a day is 312 to 375 grams. If carbohydrates are not met, then the energy produced will decrease, or even the body will take a source of protein - which should do tissue repair, as an energy source, a substitute for carbohydrates.

Fat

Fat requirements for patients with burns are not too high, such as protein and carbohydrates. Fat is indeed needed by the body for the healing process and as an extra energy reserve to increase the metabolic process. But too much fat eaten will actually have a negative impact on health. Too high fat causes inflammation in the body and lowers the immune system, so healing will be increasingly difficult. The amount of fat needed in a day is 15-20% of total calories. It is better to consume a good source of fat, namely foods with high unsaturated fats such as nuts, avocados, olive oil, and fish.

Vitamins and minerals

Not only macro nutrients are needed, but various micronutrients are also needed to speed up the healing process. Giving high amounts of vitamins A, B, C and D is highly recommended for burn patients. In addition, minerals that are also needed in sufficient quantities are iron, zinc, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Foods such as beef, beef liver, skinless chicken, are good sources of vitamin A, iron and zinc. While vitamin C can be obtained from various fruits.

Importance of Burns Diet to Cure Burns

Contents:

Medical Video: Nutrition after a burn injury

Burns based on their severity

What is a burn diet?

Why do people who have burns have to go on a burns diet?