The importance of a burn diet to heal burns & bull; hello healthy

Burns are sores on the skin caused by something hot, thus burning the skin and leaving wounds. In the world, burns are a public health problem, because it is estimated that as many as 265 thousand people have died because of the burns they suffered. According to the World Health Organization, the group that most frequently experiences burns is children. Burns are the 11th cause of the high mortality rate for children aged 1 to 9 years and also the 5th cause of disability or physical disability in children.

Burns based on severity

Burns are classified based on the depth of the effect of heat on the body, which is known as the degree of burns, namely:

Degree I, namely the degree of burns that occur on the outer surface of the skin or the epidermis of the skin and is accompanied by dilation of blood vessels so that the burn looks reddish, dry, and causes pain or burning. An example is a burn from too long exposure to the sun.

Degree II, namely burns that occur in the epidermis and skin dermis and make blood vessels under the skin accumulate and harden. In grade II, burns look red, painful, swollen in them filled with fluid.

Degree III, in this third degree burn, the heat burns to the deeper surface of the dermis, namely the subcutaneous tissue. It can be said that if you suffer from third degree burns, the person will experience damage to all skin and muscle cells, as well as blood vessels experiencing clots.

Grade IV, burns get worse and damage more and more body tissues, such as muscles, tendons, and even bones. The patient will not feel any taste because at this stage the damage has reached the nerve cells.

What is the burns diet?

Food and drink are medicines that will indirectly support the treatment of a disease, just like burns. Selection of food sources and proper dietary arrangements are needed by burn patients to aid in healing and recovery. In fact, it can be said that food is the main drug in the treatment process. Basically, people who have burns have lost a lot of energy, therefore the food given to them must be high in energy and calories. So, do not be surprised if burn patients must eat at least 2500 calories a day.

Why should a person who has burns go on a burns diet?

Selection of the right food not only restores energy lost from burn patients, but also helps repair tissue damage that occurs. Without a good diet, burn patients will become increasingly critical, lack of energy, and the resulting tissue damage will get worse. The provision 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 the burns diet?

The following are general nutritional requirements for burn patients:

Protein

Patients with burns crave adequate amounts of protein to help repair damaged tissue. Tissue damage makes a lot of protein lost 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 protein in the burn patient's body is very low. According to the Indonesian Dietitian Association, the protein needed by burn patients in a day is around 20-25% of the total calorie requirement. If protein needs are not met, it will cause a decrease in the immune system, lose a lot of muscle mass, and slow down the healing process.

Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are a source of sugar that the body uses as the main source of energy. The process of healing burns requires a large amount of energy, therefore it requires a sufficient amount of energy from the body to support this. The source of energy comes from carbohydrates, so burn patients need as much as 50 to 60 percent of carbohydrates from the total calories in a day. If the needs of the burn patient 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, the energy produced will be reduced, or the body will even take a source of protein - which should do tissue repair, as an energy source, instead of carbohydrates.

Fat

Fat requirements for burn patients are not as high as protein and carbohydrates. Fat is needed by the body for the healing process and as extra energy reserves to increase metabolic processes. But eating too much fat will actually be bad for health. Too high fat causes inflammation in the body and lowers the immune system, making healing more difficult. The amount of fat needed in a day is 15-20% of total calories. Better to eat good sources of fat, namely foods high in unsaturated fats such as nuts, avocado, 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. Meanwhile, vitamin C can be obtained from various fruits.