Go for this before going under

Q: I’ll have to be put under general anesthesia for surgery next month. Is there anything I can do to offset the side effects?

Dr. Wright: Start taking milk thistle (Silybum marianum) now. Take it right up to the day before your surgery, and pick it up again as soon as you can after the surgery. The longer you’re under, the more likely you’ll experience side effects. Milk thistle reduces the risk by minimizing impact of general anesthesia on the whole body—especially the liver. The amount you should take depends on how long you’ll be under the knife. For surgery up to two hours, 600 mg a day is sufficient. Continue that dosage for two weeks after surgery. Anything over that, go for 800 mg a day and continue for two to three months after the surgery.