When Health doesn’t go to Plan
Healing Isn't Linear
When our health suddenly takes an unexpected turn—whether through surgery, illness, injury or another life event—it's easy to become frustrated with our body. We often expect healing to follow a straight path: each day a little better than the last.
The reality is far more complex.
Over the past few weeks of my own recovery, I've been reminded just how many systems have to work together for healing to occur. It's not simply a matter of waiting for a wound to close or a bone to mend. Healing is a coordinated process involving inflammation, the immune system, the gut microbiome, hormones, the nervous system, sleep and nutrition. Each system influences the others, and they don't always recover at the same pace.
One of the first things that happens after an injury or surgery is inflammation. We often think of inflammation as something we should eliminate, but in the early stages of healing it plays an essential role. Inflammation is the body's way of signalling that repair is needed. It brings specialised immune cells and nutrients to the injured area to begin rebuilding damaged tissue.
As a naturopath, I made a conscious decision to stop one of my anti-inflammatory supplements around the time of surgery. While these supplements can be very helpful in managing chronic inflammation, immediately after surgery I wanted to allow my body to mount the inflammatory response that is necessary for wound healing and tissue repair. There is a time to support inflammation, and there is a time to help resolve it.
At the same time, many of the things that accompany surgery can challenge other aspects of our health. Fasting before an operation, reduced food intake afterwards, nausea, antibiotics, pain medication and reduced movement can all affect the gut microbiome. Considering that around 70% of the body's immune tissue is associated with the gastrointestinal tract, it's not surprising that our digestion, immunity and even our mood can feel different during recovery.
Poor gut function doesn't stay confined to the digestive system. It can influence sleep quality, hormone regulation, nervous system function and our ability to absorb the nutrients needed for repair. Add disrupted routines, less physical activity and the emotional impact of being temporarily limited, and it's easy to see why recovery can feel like two steps forward and one step back.
Then there's the increased nutritional demand. Healing isn't passive—it requires raw materials. Every new collagen fibre, every repaired blood vessel and every regenerating tissue depends on an adequate supply of protein, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and plant compounds. If our intake is reduced because we don't feel like eating, or our digestion isn't functioning optimally, it becomes even more important to focus on nutrient-dense foods and, where appropriate, targeted supplementation.
This is why healing isn't linear. Your body isn't working on just one job—it's managing inflammation, coordinating immune responses, restoring the gut microbiome, balancing hormones, regulating sleep, supporting the nervous system and repairing damaged tissue, all at the same time. Some days one system will seem to be making progress while another lags behind, and that's entirely normal.
Rather than expecting your body to "bounce back", try asking a different question:
"What does my body need from me today to support the work it's is already doing?"
Sometimes the answer is rest. Sometimes it's a nourishing meal. Sometimes it's gentle movement, hydration or simply patience.
Healing isn't about forcing the process. It's about giving your body the best possible environment to do what it has evolved to do.