Once you undergo bariatric surgery Orange County California (CA), it is important to know what to eat and what not to eat to achieve the best results. It is important to avoid certain types of foods after bariatric surgery to get the right nutrition and lose weight. When you go home from the hospital, you’ll be instructed to follow a diet after your surgery. This can be different from a pre-surgery diet. This is usually in three to four stages starting with fluids, then soft foods and finally food for life. In the first few months of your recovery from your weight loss surgery, you’ll work your way up from liquid consumption to solid foods.
Some patients make the mistake of thinking that once they are free to consume solid foods, they can eat whatever they like. Other people think that some foods are off their agenda for life and that they will peruse the baby food aisle for their entire life. Both beliefs are just misconceptions and most patients will tolerate most foods and aren’t always encouraged to do so. Read on to find out some of the most common foods to avoid after surgery.
Foods that have empty calories
After bariatric surgery, your stomach is just about the size of an egg. This means it will need enough nutrition by making wise dietary choices. You should avoid foods that provide no or little nutritional value. These include sweets, pastries, rice cakes, pretzels, and popcorn. Eating these foods can cause weight gain after surgery. Foods that are loaded with sugar or fried foods can cause dumping syndrome. This is a condition in which these foods get dumped in the colon quickly after eating them. Dumping syndrome can cause cold sweats, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea and so on.
Alcohol
Alcohol has a lot of calories and it will not be recommended as part of your diet after bariatric surgery. Just like any liquid, alcohol takes up a lot of space in your stomach and this space should be packed with nutritious food. In addition, the absorption of alcohol increases after surgery. This can lead to intoxication. Patients are directed to drink two liters of water without sugar or caffeine daily.
Dry foods
Since you are not drinking liquids after surgery, you may want to avoid eating dry foods. You should avoid dry food at least at the beginning of the final phase of your surgery diet. It may be difficult to swallow foods such as granola or nuts. You can also have regular cereal. However, you need to ensure it is softened by milk that is low in fats.
Rice, bread and pasta
After bariatric surgery Orange County CA, it is important to avoid starchy foods such as pasta, rice, and bread. These foods can form a paste in your throat that is very hard to swallow without fluids. In some cases, they can block your stoma. You do not have to reject these foods but it is best to avoid them at the beginning.
