Most of us have had a cut, scratch or scrape sometime during our life. These wounds usually heal quickly and remain free from infection. Other wounds may be more serious and require medical intervention. Fortunately, what you eat will promote wound healing and fight off infection. Here are some nutrition tips to consider:

• Include a variety of healthy foods and fluids in your diet.
• Make sure you get plenty of protein, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrate, and fats for proper wound healing.

Choose proteins such as meat, eggs, milk, cheese, beans and lentils, nuts or seeds.

Include citrus fruits and leafy green vegetables high in Vitamin C. Yellow fruits and vegetables, eggs, fish and dark green vegetables will be a great source of Vitamin A.

Take in carbohydrates such as cereals, breads, rice and pasta.

Use cooking oils, meats and dairy products (milk, yogurt or cheese) as good sources of fat.

• Drink plenty of water and other unsweetened beverages to stay well hydrated.
• If you have diabetes, it will be important to control your blood sugar in order to recover and heal.

A registered dietitian can develop an individualized eating plan with optimized amounts of calories, protein, fluid, vitamins and minerals specific to your needs.