Post

 Surgery  Diet  
To  be  followed  1-­‐‑2  days  or  until  digestion  improves  
 
 
The   purpose   of   this   diet   is   to   let   your   gut   rest   after   surgery.     Many   of   you   have  
just   had   extensive   surgery   in   your   gastrointestinal   tract,   and   eating   certain  
foods   such   as   high   fat   and   high   fiber   foods,   may   be   too   much   for   your   gut   to  
handle   immediately   after   surgery.     As   your   gut   heals,   you   will   be   able   to  
incorporate  more  high  fiber  foods  and  healthy  fats  into  your  diet.    Start  with  
small  amounts  of  fiber  and  fat  after  you  are  having  regular  bowel  movements  
and   no   longer   have   pain   with   eating.     Take   it   slow.     As   you   heal,   you   can   get  
back  to  a  healthy,  higher  fiber  diet.      
 
Key  Factors:  
•   Eat  small  meals  every  3-­‐‑4  hours  (4-­‐‑5  daily).    Avoid  overfilling  your  stomach.  
•   Eat  foods  that  are  easy  to  swallow  and  digest.  
•   Avoid  drinking  through  a  straw  and  don’t  chew  gum  or  tobacco.      
•   Take  small  bites  and  chew  foods  to  a  liquid  (30-­‐‑60  chews  per  bite).  
•   Avoid  gas-­‐‑forming  foods  (ex:    beans,  broccoli,  cauliflower,  etc).  
•   Avoid  adding  sugars  and  high  sugar  foods.  
•   Avoid  alcohol,  smoking,  and  caffeine.  
•   Include  a  good  source  of  protein  in  every  meal  (animal:    chicken,  fish,  turkey,  
yogurt;  plant:    tofu,  nut  butter)  
 
What  to  include:  
•   Well  cooked  vegetables,  boiled  or  steamed,  and  fruit  with  the  skin  and  seeds  
removed  (in  water  not  syrup)  
o   Best:  
§   Peeled  and  deseeded  cucumber,  zucchini,  summer  squash  
§   Carrots  
§   Greens:    kale,  spinach,  arugula  
§   Radish  
§   Green  beans  
•   Vegetable  juices  
•   Weak  tea  (green,  oolong,  white,  or  herbal)  
•   Soups,  especially  broths  (no  creamed  soups)  
•   Lean,  tender  meats  such  as  poultry,  whitefish,  and  shellfish  that  are  steamed  
or  baked  with  no  added  fats  
•   White  rice  (1/2  cup  portion  per  meal  max)  
•   Coconut  oil,  olive  oil,  avocado  oil  in  small  amounts  (1  tsp.)  (coconut  oil  will  
be  the  easiest  to  digest)  
•   Spices:  turmeric,  ginger,  cinnamon  
•   Drink  half  of  your  body  weight  in  ounces  in  non-­‐‑caffeinated  fluids  daily  
•   Greens  powder  (Phytoganics)  
•   Protein  powder    
o   Pea  protein  (non-­‐‑GMO,  organic  –  Now  Foods  Pea  Protein  powder  is  
easy  to  digest  and  affordable)  –  plain  flavored  
•   Probiotic  foods:    yogurt  (if  you  tolerate  dairy),  sauerkraut  juice,  miso  soup  (if  
you  tolerate  soy),  kombucha  
  
What  to  avoid:  
•   High  fat  foods  (fried  foods,  fatty  meats,  avocado,  olives,  oils,  butter,  
margarine,  nuts,  seeds,  nut  butters  –  small  amounts  may  be  tolerated  –  see  
“what  to  include”)  
•   Red  meat  
•   Dairy  (organic  yogurt  may  be  ok  if  you  tolerate  dairy  –  sheep  or  goat  may  be  
better  tolerated)  
•   Raw  vegetables  
•   Fresh  fruit,  fresh  berries  
•   Dried  fruits  
•   Vegetables  that  make  you  gassy  such  as  broccoli,  cabbage,  cauliflower,  
cucumber,  green  peppers,  and  corn  
•   Very  fibrous  vegetables  such  as  celery,  celery  root,  and  avocado  
•   Whole  grain  brans  and  cereals  
•   Whole  grain  breads  and  crackers,  consider  avoiding  gluten  containing  grains  
(rye,  wheat,  kamut,  and  barely.    Better  options  include:    white  rice,  quinoa,  
millet,  buckwheat,  teff,  and  amaranth.  
•   Pickles,  sauerkraut,  and  similar  foods  (the  sauerkraut  juice  may  be  tolerated  
and  is  a  good  source  of  probiotics  (healthy  gut  bacteria))  
•   Spices  such  as  hot  pepper  and  garlic  
•   Added  sugars  and  high  sugar  foods  (these  greatly  increase  
inflammation!)  
•   Seeds  and  nuts  
•   Highly  seasoned,  cured,  or  smoked  meats  and  fish  
•   Fried  foods  
•   Juices  
•   Consider  avoid:    dairy,  eggs,  gluten,  soy  
 
 
   
Example  Menu  
 
Breakfast   1  scoop  Now  Foods  Pea  Protein  Powder  mixed  with  
Stewed  apples  with  cinnamon  (peeled)  
Snack   1  scoop  Now  Foods  Pea  Protein  powder  with  unsweetened  
(optional)   almond  milk,  cinnamon,  vanilla  extract,  boiled  and  peeled  
peach  
OR  
Plain  coconut  yogurt  
Lunch   3  slices  organic  turkey  breast  or  chicken  breast  
Steamed  kale  (remove  the  fibrous  stem)  
Steamed  until  mushy  carrots  with  nutmeg  and  cinnamon  
Snack   1  scoop  Now  Foods  Pea  Protein  powder  with  unsweetened  
almond  milk,  cinnamon,  vanilla  extract,  boiled  and  peeled  
peach  
½  cup  plain  coconut  yogurt  
Dinner   Baked  salmon  with  coconut  amino  acids  
Steamed  spinach,  steamed,  peeled  zucchini  
White  rice  (1/2  cup)  
2  tsp  coconut  oil  
¼  tsp  turmeric  mixed  with  rice  and  coconut  oil