Bariatric Diet: Recovering From Surgery

A person that underwent a bariatric surgery must strictly observe a bariatric diet. This is to ensure that the bariatric surgery performed will heal fast and work well to the patient.

Bariatric Surgery 101

Bariatric surgery is performed on patients with malignant obesity. These are the cases of obesity that are life threatening. The person has lost control of his eating. This may be more of a psychological problem. The patient has lost the ability to feel full.

Should You Try Bariatric Surgery?

Bariatric surgery is not a solution that the doctors will recommend to everybody. To date, only relatively few individuals have undergone this surgery. The rate of pre-operative and post-operative complications is high. This is the reason why the patient must seriously think before deciding whether to have the operation or not. Thorough discussions with the surgeons must be done in order for the patient to know all the relevant information pertaining to the operation.

After bariatric surgery, the patient will have a very small stomach. The amount of food that it can accommodate is significantly less than before. Bariatric diet must be observed properly in order to avoid the life threatening complications of surgery.

The Bariatric Diet

In a bariatric diet, the first week must include only fully nutritious liquids. The patient must sacrifice a lot and adhere to a liquid diet. Intake must be in small amounts at a time. The frequency of intake can be often in order for the patient to absorb more nutrients.

The new stomach after the surgery can accommodate an amount that is less than an ounce. The patient should not take more than this amount or he will risk complications that maybe life-threatening.

During the second week the diet can include soft solid foods. This period is more intricate than feeding a baby. Make sure that the food includes items that are rich in protein so that the patient will not feel very weak. The drastic amount in the reduction of food intake will naturally make the body weak.

Protein especially from plant such as soya can help alleviate this form of hunger. In eating a small amount of food, the patient must give himself about 30 to 60 minutes to finish one serving. It is recommended to use baby spoon to make sure that the amount taken is very small. Chew the food thoroughly as if the digestive system is not working.

The patient can start with hard-boiled eggs and cottage cheese diet after the first week of surgery. Make sure that foods rich in carbohydrate are avoided. This includes chips, potatoes, rice, bread and pasta, among others.

Carbohydrate rich foods can expand the stomach and can cause blockage that may result in dangerous complications. It is also advisable to stay away from foods with lactose. This is also difficult to digest. Lactose-rich foods can also cause diarrhea, gas pains, vomiting and cramps.

The patient should focus on protein rich foods and vegetables and fruits at the start. It is beneficial if the protein comes from plants. Vegetables are also very good. Have them steamed and cut them into very small pieces before eating. Make sure to chew the vegetable properly.

After taking vegetables, have some fruits to supplement your diet. Start with very small amount of food per serving. After some time, slowly add food items that you feel the stomach can already accommodate. Have some steamed fish and chicken but make sure that stomach have recovered fully when you do this.

Recovery Process for Bariatric Surgery

The recovery from a bariatric surgery is a long-term process. Bariatric diet has to be observed for a very long time. After one year, the patient may find that he has shed weight significantly. The diet will have to be supplemented with vitamins and minerals to make sure that the body will be strong. The patient will have to strictly observe his diet even after fully recovering from the surgery. This is in order to maintain an ideal weight and avoid returning to the past dilemma of obesity.