Prehabilitation

Micronutrients for Preparing & Recovering from Orthopedic Surgery

Recommended foods, micronutrients, exercise for successful prehabilitation and recovery.

Multiple Authors, see citation.

Asante Health

October 1, 2026

6 min read

Musculoskeletal Health & Orthopedic Surgery

Food / Nutrient	Musculoskeletal Benefit	Mechanism of Action	Primary Source Reference
Turmeric (Curcumin)	Reduces arthritis & joint inflammation	Inhibits NF-κB, blocks COX-2 enzyme, reduces inflammatory cytokines	Funk JL et al., Arthritis Rheum. 2006; Kurien BT et al., Front Biosci. 2007
Cruciferous Vegetables	Joint and cartilage protection; detoxification	Activates detox enzymes, reduces inflammation, provides sulforaphane	Fahey JW & Talalay P, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1991
Brazil Nuts	Reduces joint inflammation, oxidative stress	Selenium-rich; reduces CRP levels and LDL cholesterol	Thomson CD et al., Am J Clin Nutr. 2008
Leafy Greens	Bone density and joint strength	High calcium, magnesium, and vitamin K for bone metabolism	Booth SL et al., Am J Clin Nutr. 2003
Legumes (beans, lentils)	Muscle and connective tissue support	High in lysine and magnesium; supports collagen synthesis and muscle recovery	Anderson JW et al., Arch Intern Med. 1999
Cocoa, Fresh Berries, Tart Cherries	Reduce DOMS, joint oxidative damage	Rich in polyphenols and anthocyanins; reduce oxidative and inflammatory biomarkers	Connolly DA et al., Br J Sports Med. 2006
Soy Foods, tempeh	Joint protection in women, cartilage support	Phytoestrogens mimic estrogen, which supports cartilage and joint lining	Messina M et al., Am J Clin Nutr. 1994

Food / Nutrient	Anti-inflammatory / Repair Benefit	Mechanism	Primary Source Reference
Spices, especially turmeric (curcumin), possibly oregano, bay leaves, marjoram, etc.	Systemic inflammation, DNA repair	Blocks NF-κB, induces apoptosis, antioxidant gene expression	Aggarwal BB et al., Biochem Pharmacol. 2007
Berries, tart cherries	Oxidative stress reduction and vascular inflammation	High ORAC score; inhibit lipid peroxidation and inflammation	Basu A et al., J Nutr Biochem. 2010
Greens	Endothelial function, oxidative repair	Rich in nitrates → nitric oxide; reduce blood pressure and inflammation	Hord NG et al., Am J Clin Nutr. 2009
Garlic	Immune modulation and inflammation	Enhances immune cells; reduces IL-6 and TNF-alpha	Rahman K, J Nutr. 2001
Tomatoes (lycopene)	Antioxidant and tissue repair	Lycopene neutralizes ROS, reduces DNA damage	Sesso HD et al., Am J Clin Nutr. 2003
Flaxseeds	CRP reduction and arterial inflammation	High in ALA and lignans; reduce CRP, LDL, and BP	Dodin S et al., J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005
Nuts	Tissue repair, anti-inflammatory benefits	Omega-3s, vitamin E, and polyphenols; reduce IL-6, CRP, TNF-alpha	Ros E et al., Arch Intern Med. 2008

3 cups of beans per day (e.g. ¼ cup hummus, ½ cooked beans)
3 servings of berries (e.g. ½ cup fresh or frozen or ¼ cup dried blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries) and/or other fruits (e.g. 1 apple, 1 orange, medium mango, ¼ cup tart cherries – all preferably unsweetened / no sugar added)
3 servings per day of whole grains (e.g. ½ cup oatmeal, buckwheat, millet, sourdough bread)
2 servings per day of greens (e.g. 1 cup raw or ½ cup cooked kale, spinach, mixed greens)
1 serving per day of cruciferous vegetables (e.g. ½ chopped cup of cauliflower or broccoli)
1 serving per day of omega-3 fatty acid from flaxseed (1 tablespoon ground or flaxseed oil) or contaminant-free-tested algae, or nutritional yeast
1 serving per day of nuts and seeds (e.g. ¼ cup nuts, 2 tablespoons of nut butter, preferably chunky or fresh ground and no sugar nor oil added)
1 serving per day of herbs and spices (e.g. ¼ teaspoon of turmeric, garlic)

60 oz per day of sugar-free beverages (e.g. water, matcha, green & hibiscus tea, peppermint tea, unsweetened coffee with no-sugar added soy milk [avoid dairy milks or creamers])

Vitamin B12: At least 2,500 mcg (ug) cyanocobalamin once a week (or 250 mcg daily) of vitamin B12 (e.g. supplemented with chewable, sublingual, seaweed, fortified nutritional yeast)
Vitamin D: 2,000 IU supplemental vitamin D3 or 15-30 minutes of midday sun (15 for those with lighter skin; 30 for those with darker skin)
At least 0.8g protein/kg from plant-based sources preferred (legumes, nuts, seeds, beans, tofu, tempeh, nut butter), soy milk, or secondarily from fish

Exercise once a day for 90 min of moderate activity (walking) or 40 min of vigorous activity (weight training, running, biking, swimming) as possible
Achieve 5,000 or more steps per day where possible (sufficient mobility post-injury)
Clock 7 or more hours of quality sleep per night