Before and After Surgery: Your new diet for life. This hand out is given to ALL patients. It is especially good for patients with gallstones, as well as those with hemorrhoids, anal fissues. But everyone benefits from this information.Special Considerations for you and your family --because you’re not in this alone.
To improve your diet, add foods that contain more dietary fiber. You can include some or all of the following:
1. Whole-grain foods (such as bran cereals) and breads (those made with whole wheat grains).
2. Fresh fruits (including the skin and pulp).
3. Dried or stewed fruits (such as prunes, raisins, or apricots).
4. Root vegetables (such as carrots, turnips, or potatoes).
5. Raw or fresh vegetables, such as cabbage. (Lettuce is actually low in fiber.)
Eating bran cereal in the morning is often the easiest way to obtain fiber. All-Bran, 100% Bran, Bran Buds, oat bran, oatmeal, and Raisin Bran are some of the high-fiber cereals presently available. Bran can cause rumbling intestinal gas and even some mild cramping, so it should be eaten in small amounts at first. The amount can be increased as the body gets used to it. The goal should be one to two large, soft, formed stools a day.
You should also try to follow these dietary rules:
1. Drink plenty of liquids, including fruit or vegetable juices and water. Drink at least six cups of water or fluid a day.
2. Eat slowly. Chew your food thoroughly. This allows the saliva and digestive juices of the stomach, liver, and pancreas to break down food more easily. It may also help prevent problems from developing in the lower digestive tract. Never eat in your car, at your desk, in front of the TV or ‘on the run’ where you tend to eat fast and not chew your food.
3 Eat your meals at regular intervals.
4. Add Metamucil or the generic “Psyllium” available at Trader’ Joe’s to your diet for the rest of your life. Look at the labels of the food you buy. Buy only high fiber products, for example Milton’s Whole Wheat Bread has the highest fiber content.
5. Cut out snacks, unless it’s fresh fruit or somethine else that is high fibre, low fat.
6. Watch spicy foods. If you feel sick, don’t eat them.
7. For gas, take GasX.
