It used to be that people spend more time at home or in the hospital in order to recover from an illness. Now, it becomes a badge of modernity that people leave the hospital right after surgery; or they report to work two days after giving birth. This is one of the travails of modern life; we do not allow our body to rest and recover.
Our body is like a complex machine, thus proper maintenance should be provided to achieve its length of service – or what we call optimal health. Every time this machine breaks down – when we are ill – is a signal for us to slow down, rest and recuperate. The period of recuperation varies from kind of sickness one has suffered and the age of the patient. The younger the patient the faster the recovery, however, all individuals requires the same needs during recuperation stage.
These are the important elements of a good recovery:

1. Enough sleep
During recovery the body needs rest for the cells to replace themselves. Sufficient sleep every day will strengthen the function of the immune system, it also gives the body time to produce new cells, especially blood cells, repair injured cells and rejuvenate itself. Sleeping before midnight is the most beneficial since it follows biological rhythms. It is advised that a person in convalescence should get at least 10 to 12 hours of sleep every day to speed up the chances of recovery.

2. Good nutrition
Eating right is an essential element of recovery. Food should be selected comprehensively and that means there should be no partiality for a particular kind of food.  A good diet must be as organic as possible because all the nutrients came from natural foods; synthethic nutrients contain rich in chemical that could harm the body’s natural constitution. Besides the comprehensive and organic selection of food, it should also contain more fibers, proteins, vitamins and minerals.

3. Drinking sufficient amount of water
Drinking enough water aids in patient’s fast recovery because water is the carrier for nutrients and metabolism waste. People with illness particularly need more water than normal people. It is recommended to drink two to four liters of water daily.

4. Regulated physical activities
The period of recovery also means that the patient’s physical movements are regulated. A simple exercise or any mental activity will easily tire the body and mind. Thus, daily activity should be proportionate to the energy level of the patient.

5. Minimal Stress
A good time for recover also means patients are free from worries or stress from work which can greatly affect the healing process.