A comprehensive list of beneficial foods and vitamins to assist in making the tattoo process as easy on your body during and after your appointment as possible.
Getting a tattoo can be a fun and memorable experience. but it does come with important steps to make sure you remember it for having a good experience and not a bad or embarrassing one. One of these steps is making sure you don't go in to your appointment with an empty stomach. The following is a list of nutritional foods that can help you get through the tattoo process.
Water
Water is important, water is your friend, water is about 60% of what you are and you probably don't drink enough of it. Proper hydration before and during your tattoo helps keep your skin refreshed and helps maintain your skin's elasticity. According to Biodermis.com when the skin is damaged, such as when getting tattooed, your blood rushes oxygen and other necessary nutrients to the wound site. If you are dehydrated while this is happening, less oxygen will be delivered by the blood which then causes a slower wound healing process and greater chance of infection setting in due to the prolonged healing time. So proper hydration the days leading up to and day of your appointment are crucial!
Carbohydrates
According to Read Inside Out, carb loading on things like pasta, rice, bread, and oatmeal is a good strategy before your appointment. You can also find carbohydrate rich foods in beans, corn, and potatoes. These foods can assist with cutting down that peckish feeling during the tattoo process and can help keep your energy up.
Protein
Protein is an amino acid that is an essential building block of your body. Protein helps in the development and repair of both muscle and skin tissue. According to Everyday Health some of the best protein rich foods to eat are nonfat greek yogurt, beef, fish, chickpeas, chicken breast, peanut butter, black beans, eggs, and even almonds. Protein can also help keep your energy level up, which in turn, can help keep you from passing out during the tattoo process.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an ascorbic acid and is necessary for the growth, development and repair of all body tissues. This makes it the perfect candidate to help expedite the healing process and take care of your skin before and during your tattoo appointment. According to WebMD, some good Vitamin C rich foods to consume before your appointment are orange juice, cantaloupe, red pepper, cooked broccoli, kiwi, and tomato juice. Some other Vitamin C rich foods are kale and lemons. You can also opt to take Vitamin C supplements a few days before and day of your appointment as well.
Zinc
Zinc is an important factor and vitamin in the growth of cells, building proteins, healing damaged tissue, reducing swelling and inflammation, and supporting a healthy immune system. According to Harvard University the best zinc rich foods are shellfish, beef, poultry, pork, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and fortified breakfast cereals such as Frosted Mini Wheats. You can also opt to take Zinc supplements the days leading up to and day of your appointment. Fair warning; high doses of Zinc can cause nausea and even vomiting, so be mindful of how much you're putting in your body.
Hope this list helps you out on your next tattoo appointment and helps you to be more prepared going forward. If you have any questions regarding your specific diet and health concerns before a tattoo, please consult your doctor. Have a day.