If you just had surgery, this is a great time to start eating healthy. A healthy diet can promote healing and speed your recovery. Your surgeon may outline a specific diet and you should follow your post-operative instructions. For example, specific recommendations are available after gallbladder surgery. If specific dietary instruction are not provided, you might be asking what can I eat after surgery?
I always recommend a heart healthy diet. American Heart Association has excellent resources to get you started. Certain foods should be avoid early after surgery (24-48 hours) particularly high fat foods. It is just not a good idea to go out to dinner the same day after gallbladder or other abdominal surgery. Binge eating just after surgery will make you feel miserable. Stick to light meals and liquids for the first few days.
What are good foods?
- Whole wheat bread
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Baked lean meat — chicken, fish, turkey
What are foods I should avoid?
- Red meat
- Processed foods
- Milk and dairy
- Fried foods
How do I avoid constipation?
Hydration and avoid narcotic pain medications. Drink plenty of water or electrolyte rich drinks, such as Gatorade G2 or VitaminWater. Sometimes fluids are not enough and you might need to talk to your surgeon about other medications to get thinks moving. One gentle laxative is Miralax.