What to Eat and What to Avoid After Laparoscopic Surgery?

Food preferable to eat after laparoscopy

After going through this major surgery, it is essential to eat healthy to recover faster. Since eating the right food can avoid conditions like high blood glucose and constipation. Additionally, they are also necessary for increasing the protein content in your body to heal faster. Thus, the required food choices are: 

Start with a liquid diet.

It is good to only have a liquid diet after going through the surgery. However, if the physicians find it okay to eat regular food, you can progress with it. The liquid diet food contains all clear liquid varieties of food like soup or broth, milk, curd, pudding, etc. 

In addition to these, you can also include cream of rice, creamy soup after straining it, custard, and sherbet. Make sure to avoid food with seeds and nuts. However, if you are lactose intolerant, choose lactose-free options.

Fiber is a must

Please include as much fiber as possible. It is essential for the healing process. High-fiber food not only helps in recovery but it also helps in preventing complications like constipation. Constipation is prevalent after the surgery. It is highly annoying as it increases the pain and even the chances of hospitalization again.

So, add fiber food supplements, such as psyllium husks, and add high-fiber food to your diet. Obtaining fiber from a natural way is proven better. High-fiber food includes:

• Whole grain bread: Eat bread that contains whole grain and are dark in color. Refined bread is not a good source of fiber.
• Fruits: Fresh fruit contains high amounts of fiber and vitamins.
• Cereals: Every cereal is not rich in high-fiber content. Make sure to check the label before buying it. It should contain high fiber and low sugar. Look that your cereal contains fiber with a name on it. Some famous breakfast names are cream of wheat or oatmeal.
• Vegetable: One of the most excellent sources of fiber is vegetables. Moreover, you can purchase it frozen or fresh.

Avoid food that can cause constipation.

Constipation is the common complication that you can suffer after surgery. This complication mainly occurs because of painkillers such as opioids. This medication is frequently used in the days after the surgery for releasing the pain. 

However, some food helps in preventing the condition of constipation. In contrast, other foods can make constipation worse. Foods that can cause constipation are:

• Cheese: Cheese is rich in fat.
• Processed food: Processed food has a high fat and sugar content and a little bit of fiber.
• Red meat: Beef and other types of red meat are rich in high saturated fat.
• Dried or dehydrated foods: Some examples of dehydrated foods are beef jerky, dried fruits, prunes, and specific potato chips.
• A dairy product like milk: Avoid milk and other full-fat dairy product like sour cream and ice cream.
• Sweets: Try avoiding sweets like candies, cakes, pastries, and additional sugar content.

Fresh fruits and veggies

Fresh fruits and veggies are high source of fiber and nutrients. Both the content are essential for recovery and are always advisable by the doctor after surgery. However, it does not mean that canned or frozen food is terrible. But try to make out what is right and what is wrong. For example, take fresh broccoli and ignore processed food like canned broccoli soup. 

Eating a larger quantity of fruits and vegetables can increase the gas problem, which is often very embarrassing. But they usually pass within two or three days. However, if the complication increases to abdominal cramping, then reduce the intake level. You can also use a gas reliever such as Beano or Gas X.

Low-fat dairy products

Dairy products can be an excellent source of healing after surgery as they contain a lot of protein. But many people experience constipation after consuming dairy products after surgery. There are also cases which show dairy product enhances the secretion inside the lungs. This secretion may result in chronic cough. Therefore, it is best to avoid the dairy product. 

If you can continue consuming dairy products without becoming sick, then consider low-fat dairy products. These products include yogurt, cottage cheese, and skim milk. Avoid low-fat cheese for better protection.

Lean protein for a diet

You will find lean protein in lean meats like turkey, pork, and chicken. Seafood also contains a high source of lean protein. However, avoid red meat as it has a high amount of saturated fat, and it is capable of triggering constipation.

If you don’t eat meat and is a pure vegetarian, there are options other than meat from where you can get protein. You can eat beans, tofu, nuts, tempeh, and texturized vegetable protein.

Conclusion

It is essential to know what to eat after laparoscopic surgery to stay fit and happy. However, eats as your body demands. Everybody reacts differently and naturally heals at a different pace. So, it is essential to listen to your body. Remember the things you are consuming should be healthy. And if there is any problem relating to your health, consult your doctor.