Darnah Mercieca: 0:03

If you're preparing for explant surgery and you want to give your body the absolute best chance to heal and recover, then this episode is for you. This is Empowered Explant the podcast helping women ditch their breast implants with confidence. I'm D Merzica, board certified health and wellness coach and explant warrior. Today we're talking about the anti-inflammatory diet, why it's so important for women with breast implants, especially those experiencing BII symptoms, and how it can set you up for a smoother surgery and faster recovery. If you've been feeling fatigued, achy, foggy, headaches, just not really feeling like yourself, then this could really help. A quick disclaimer please know I'm not a medical doctor and this podcast does not constitute medical or mental health advice. I share from my personal experience, research and conversations with other people. If you're experiencing symptoms, pain, post-surgery complications or mental health concerns, please seek care from your medical provider or surgeon and please make any medical decisions in consultation with a qualified and experienced healthcare professional.

Darnah Mercieca: 1:19

If you have been here with me for a little while, you've definitely heard me talk about going on an anti-inflammatory diet. It's something I say a lot, I've mentioned it in a lot of podcast episodes and I realized that, although I talk about it a lot, I haven't really dove into the detail on what this means, what it is, so I thought now's a good time to share this. So I always recommend starting an anti-inflammatory diet at least three months before surgery. That's what I did. I think I started even earlier I'd have to check my journal notes but I think I started maybe four months, five months and then by three months. I was like very, very strict anti-inflammatory. And also women that I work with, women that I have coached through their journey, have done this too, and I have seen noticeable changes and results from this. And let me tell you why because it helps your body prepare by reducing inflammation. Duh, that is clearly what we're talking about. But it's especially important if you're already dealing with symptoms of breast implant illness. You know the foods that you eat can help your body start healing before surgery even happens. Okay, it's really cool what our bodies are capable of. And if toxins and BII symptoms are weighing your body down, this kind of diet can actually give you some relief, helping with energy digestion and overall wellbeing in the months leading up to your explant. And then there are a ton of benefits as you move into your surgery day, your recovery, and I'll talk about those later the benefits as you move into healing.

Darnah Mercieca: 3:19

But here's the thing it takes time for your body to respond. Inflammation doesn't go away overnight and your body especially chronic inflammation and your body needs time to respond, rebalance and start to repair. And this is why starting at least three months ahead is important, and I recommend that because if you only start a week or two before surgery, your body likely won't have enough time to really reduce inflammation and optimize your recovery. So what I'm saying is, the longer you give your body the right support before surgery, I think, the better your results will be afterwards, especially when it comes to things like scar healing, energy levels, detox and improvement of BII symptoms. That said, even though I do recommend starting earlier if you can, the good news is that starting an anti-inflammatory diet anytime, even just weeks or days before your explant surgery, will still be helpful for your body. If you're already on your recovery journey, it's not too late either. Every positive change you make in your diet will help your body heal and recover more efficiently. So, no matter where you are on your explant journey, my lovely, if you haven't began an anti-inflammatory diet yet, now is the time. Your next grocery shop is going to look a little different. Before we get into what to eat and what to avoid, let's pause for a moment and talk about inflammation.

Darnah Mercieca: 5:03

Inflammation is a natural response from your immune system when your body is trying to fight off something harmful, but when it becomes chronic, it leads to all kinds of problems. Chronic meaning ongoing, whether it's caused by toxins, silicone, mold, heavy metals or even just your body's response to having foreign objects inside. Inflammation exists in women with breast implants and can lead to symptoms of breast implant illness. For women with BII, this inflammation can cause symptoms like joint pain, fatigue, brain fog, digestive issues oh my gosh, the list goes on. There's so many more symptoms of BII and if you're not familiar, go and check out the symptoms list. I will link it in the description in the show notes. But there's a whole stack of symptoms and most of the symptoms of BII are actually also symptoms of inflammation. I also have a whole podcast episode on breast implant illness symptoms and this is super important for anyone that's diagnosed with an autoimmune condition, because chronic inflammation can worsen autoimmune symptoms. The main thing you need to know right now is that reducing inflammation is one of the best things you can do to support your body before surgery.

Darnah Mercieca: 6:30

Let's dive into the specifics of the anti-inflammatory diet, and this isn't just about eating healthy although it is very healthy but this is a strategy to give your body the tools it needs to heal. So here are my tips on what foods to avoid and what to include. I'm going to start first with what to avoid or stop altogether, and this is because we can bring in the fun police and get this part out of the way. Okay, let's rip the bandaid off. So processed foods gone. These are loaded with chemicals, preservatives, artificial ingredients, and they all disrupt your body's natural systems. Things like fast food, prepackaged meals, snacks that are packaged and processed. They just wreak havoc on your body's ability to detoxify and heal and they are a major source of inflammation. So if you are buying food that is in packages, whether it's processed or you know, even, even vegetables that are pre-chopped and put into plastic, there's plasticides that you have to worry about. There's apparently. I saw an article recently about chemicals that are sprayed onto pre-cut vegetables for them to maintain their freshness and color, and we are ingesting all of that. So processed foods are definitely a problem.

Darnah Mercieca: 8:03

Refined sugar, which is basically just legal crack Sugar, is one of the most inflammatory substances we can eat. It's also one of the most addictive. It causes blood sugar spikes, increases insulin resistance and also disrupts gut health. Cutting out refined sugars like in candies and desserts and soda and even in yogurt and salad dressings I mean, they really put sugar in a lot of products these days. So you know, I really recommend checking out the labels and keeping your eye out for any added sugar. But it's going to cutting this out is going to help your body get back to a balanced state. You're going to notice improvements in energy, skin health and even mood when you reduce sugar intake. That is once you get over being really angry about cutting it out and you get through those withdrawals All right.

Darnah Mercieca: 9:04

Next up is gluten. For many women, gluten can be a hidden source of inflammation, especially if there's a sensitivity or autoimmune condition involved. Definitely, you know if you've got symptoms of breast implant illness. I would be cutting out gluten because quite often you know if your body is sensitive to the breast implants. If you're already dealing with inflammation, you've probably got some gut health issues going on. Gluten is just not going to be helping your cause, even if you don't know it, to necessarily be too much of an issue. Removing gluten can reduce bloating, joint pain and even brain fog. So this can make a difference before surgery, for sure, and definitely after surgery. So I would just play with that. I would remove that and see how you feel. I am gluten intolerant. I have a gluten sensitivity and I found out when I was 15 and I was in and out of hospital a lot as a kid, with gluten being an issue. So I'm a big advocate for gluten-free living and for especially removing gluten when you are doing any kind of anti-inflammatory or gut health or detox reset.

Darnah Mercieca: 10:24

Next, I'm sorry to all of my cheese and milk lovers, but we're going to cut dairy Dairy can trigger inflammatory responses, especially if your body struggles to process lactose and casein, so it's just another one of those that I recommend cutting out when you're doing any kind of anti-inflammatory, detox or gut health reset. So cutting dairy for some people can lead to clearer skin, better digestion, less congestion, which can improve how you feel going into surgery. But even if you don't see those results before surgery, you'll kind of reap those benefits after surgery in your recovery and healing. I wonder if you can guess what the next one is. I'm going to give you a little moment and just think about it. What do you think I'm going to say? And okay, I'm going to see if you're right.

Darnah Mercieca: 11:20

The next one is alcohol. Yep, this is one that can be difficult for some and it can be easy for others, but I remember, before my explant surgery, I had my surgery at the end of 2021. So you know, we were in lockdown, uh, earlier that year. I was living in Germany with my partner at the time and my mom and we had curfew and like all sorts of things. So I just remember there was a lot of alcohol. And then I decided, three months before my surgery, four months-ish before my surgery, to cut out alcohol and I went cold turkey too. I was very, very serious about getting healthy again and I was not going to let something like alcohol be the thing that slowed me down in my recovery. So I cut it out and it was a challenge, especially because my boyfriend and my mom were still drinking and I was watching that like basically on a daily basis and I was having to say no and it was really tough. But one of the best things I ever did for myself, even ongoing, I continued to cut out alcohol after my surgery into my recovery for several months and even to this day, nearly three years after my explant. I drink very rarely now, so you know it can be really challenging and I really do empathize with that. It's tough and it is a huge blessing as well to be met with this challenge of making this kind of lifestyle change.

Darnah Mercieca: 13:19

Alcohol it puts stress on your liver. There's a good reason why we cut this out. It puts extra stress on your liver. Okay, and your liver? Let me tell you it's already working hard to detox your body and it's likely not doing its job. Your body would likely be overloaded with toxins. Your detox system is probably not functioning even close to as well as it should be, and so alcohol is just putting such a burden on your system. It also dehydrates you, which is certainly not what you want going into surgery. It's just so important to be well hydrated and to support your detox system and organs as much as possible going in to surgery, and I think that all of this prep, getting rid of everything that I just talked about on this list, really made a big difference for me in my recovery post-op. So just keep that in mind. But look, food can still be delicious, and if you are in a bit of a cycle of eating a lot of processed foods or gluten and dairy and refined sugar and all of those things and dairy and refined sugar and all of those things, this shift can really bring back your appreciation for whole foods and bring back your taste buds. You'll be able to really taste fruits and vegetables again. So, on that note, there's a lot of positives here.

Darnah Mercieca: 14:55

Let's talk about what to include. First up, leafy greens. Kale, spinach, arugula and other dark leafy greens are some of the most nutrient dense foods you can eat All right. So they are packed with vitamins and minerals and antioxidants, and they actively work to fight inflammation in your body. Making sure you're getting these greens in your diet regularly will help reduce oxidative stress, which improves your skin health, digestion and your energy levels. They are powerful powerful, so get them in your.

Darnah Mercieca: 15:35

Next up, healthy fats. Now these are foods rich in omega-3s, like avocados, olive oil, walnuts, flax seeds and fatty fish. Good quality wild fatty fish like salmon, are known to lower inflammation. Healthy fats are so important for brain function and hormone balance and joint health, and so they're just really essential in the lead up to surgery, and omega-3s also help your body absorb fat soluble vitamins and nutrients, which play a key role in your healing. So you're going to be getting those from the other foods that you're eating, like the leafy greens and some other foods that we're going to talk about in a moment but the fats are going to help your body really absorb those key nutrients.

Darnah Mercieca: 16:26

The next one is probably not very surprising to you, but this is berries and fruits. Now, all fruits are amazing, but I like to focus more on getting low sugar fruit intake. So blueberries, strawberries, citrus fruits, watermelon, pears, apples there are so many amazing fruits. They're going to help neutralize free radicals, which is just going to reduce inflammation throughout your body. Plus, you get a little natural sugar, so you're welcome. This is going to help give you an energy boost, uh, without spiking your blood sugar. So they're going to be a great snack when you need a lift.

Darnah Mercieca: 17:13

But you want to avoid processed foods and you can also include them in salads and smoothies and all sorts of things. So, no surprise, but fruits amazing, and you're going to want to add herbs and spices like ginger, turmeric, garlic and cinnamon. Those four are such powerful anti-inflammatory ingredients, so do yourself a favor grab some of those. Start adding them to your meals, to your smoothies. And garlic and ginger also can boost your immune system, which is great coming into winter time right now, into fall and winter. But also your immune system is so important as your body preps for surgery and, you know, during surgery recovery, having a strong, healthy immune system is, it's just so important. It makes a big difference. So you could even start making those little like healthy shots, you know, and just start slamming those every morning. Speaking of shots, no, remember we cut out the alcohol.

Darnah Mercieca: 18:18

Hydration Staying hydrated is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to reduce inflammation. It helps flush out toxins, support your lymphatic system and helps with digestion. So you're going to really want to get that water intake going and you can also add in things like herbal teas and infused water which is great Coconut water. Just really keep that hydration going Because you know, going into surgery, it's so good for your skin. It also helps you flush all of those nasty like medications and and the anesthesia out of your system after surgery. So, yeah, I know, know, start drinking more water. I need to start drinking more water.

Darnah Mercieca: 19:13

All right, those are my high level recommendations, but I thought it would be helpful for you to have a complete list of the foods to eat and avoid. So while I was planning this episode, I put a little something together for you. You can download my free anti-inflammatory diet cheat sheet, which is a quick reference list that you can print and you can pop it on your fridge that tells you what to eat and what to avoid. This way, you can make sure your grocery list and your recipes align with foods that'll help you reduce inflammation and get your body in the best possible shape for healing. You can grab it at eatlist. empoweredxplant. com.

Darnah Mercieca: 20:00

Now stay with me for the last few minutes here, okay, please, because I got some important things to share with you. Still, in case you don't know, there are certain herbs and supplements that you'll have to stop consuming within a couple of weeks before surgery. Your surgeon should give you a list, but things like turmeric, cinnamon, ginger and garlic like those things I mentioned earlier that are good for you should be avoided within a week or two before surgery because of blood thinning. So just keep that in mind. Okay, when we're talking a month or more before surgery, these are beneficial to include, but if you're starting this, if you're starting an anti-inflammatory diet very close to your surgery or during your recovery. Please don't start loading yourself up with those herbs. Make sure you check with your surgeon what is recommended and what you have to stop taking and eating before surgery and during your recovery.

Darnah Mercieca: 21:14

I'll say this again for those in the back who might like leaving things to the last minute by making these changes at least a few months in advance, if you can, even though it might not sound super fun, you're reducing the overall inflammatory load in your body. This means less swelling, quicker recovery and a reduced risk of complications after surgery. You want more benefits? Okay, I got them for you. Eating these foods, which are rich in antioxidants, healthy fats and any inflammatory properties, will help your cells regenerate faster, meaning better skin and scar healing. These nutrients support collagen production, reduce oxidative stress and promote tissue repair. There will also be improvements in your gut health, hormones and energy levels, all of which help healing. And if you have BII symptoms, this can also help bring some relief while you wait for your explant surgery. Or you might not notice much difference outwardly. If your symptoms are really bad, maybe you don't feel that different, but trust me, this will make a difference internally and for anyone diagnosed with or at risk of an autoimmune condition. Like I mentioned earlier, autoimmune diseases often flare up in response to inflammation, and the foods you eat can either fuel the fire or calm it down. And look, I get it.

Darnah Mercieca: 22:53

Changing your diet isn't always easy. It's actually mostly never easy. It can feel like one more thing to deal with when you're already prepping for surgery and juggling life and just getting ready for this big change that's happening in your life. But trust me, even small shifts can make a huge difference in how you feel before surgery and how well your body recovers afterward. It's not about being perfect. It's about making better choices one step at a time. So if you have to go slow, go slow. Print out the shopping list, go and grab a few of the items that are on the eat list and add them to your meals this next week.

Darnah Mercieca: 23:42

There's a lot of different ways that you can move into this without it feeling overwhelming, and you know if you mess up, it's no big deal. Just get back on track. You know, if you eat something that's on the do not eat list, that's not the end of the world. This is just about working towards making decisions that are really in support of the outcome that I know you want and that's the thing, the outcome that I know you want, and that's the thing I know you want to heal. And I know you want to feel healthy and I know you want to recover as quickly as you can and you want to detox as quickly as you can. So start making choices that support that now. Your body will thank you for it later.

Darnah Mercieca: 24:27

Thank you for spending time with me today, for spending the sunset with me today. If you're watching this on YouTube, you would have seen that this room started very bright and sunny earlier and now the sun has set, so it's officially my dinner time. If you found this episode helpful, please share it with a friend or anyone you know who's on this journey, or even women, you don't know. Sharing just really helps more women find the support they need and the answers they need. Happy grocery shopping and I will see you here next week. Brestie week Breasty.