Any surgical procedure on your digestive system is bound to have some repercussions on your ability to process food after the operation. Regardless of whether your surgery was to correct colon cancer, Crohn's, colitis, or any other number of diseases that can affect the large intestine, know that the fastest path to recovery is following a step-by-step dietary approach to reacclimate your system to handling "normal" food. While the process might seem burdensome, following the steps in full is the fastest path toward correcting the digestive system, according to the American Cancer Society.
Instructions
1. Begin your recovery process with adherence to a clear liquid diet. A clear liquid diet consists of consuming only those foods you can see through, with the exception of tea. Foods that are permissible when following this diet include: gelatin, broth, strained soups, sports drinks (such as Gatorade), clear carbonated beverages (like Sprite or 7-up), fruit juices (without pulp), and popsicles. Follow this diet for a few days after surgery until you feel up to eating more regular foods.
2. Begin eating some easy-to-digest solids in addition to the permissible foods of a clear liquid diet. Refined flour products are fairly mild on the digestive system and contain little to no fiber that could irritate the colon following surgery. Also add in items like tender, low-fat meats and dairy products to provide a more complete nutritional approach while still taking it relatively easy on your large intestine. Permissible foods during this stage include dinner rolls, saltine crackers, hot cereal, white rice, all types of noodles, ice cream, milk, yogurt, and cream soups.
3. Return to your normal diet after a few weeks on the plan listed in step two. Even though you are officially recovered, you may still need to avoid certain food types that are likely to irritate the colon. These foods include those exceptionally high in fat, greasy, fried, or trigger gas (broccoli, beans, and the like).
4. Keep a food journal listing the foods you are consuming and your resultant symptoms, so you can more easily identify and remove problem foods to keep yourself as happy as possible after colon surgery.
