After suffering through a hemorrhoidectomy, you might be understandably concerned about your upcoming bowel movements. Although there is no guaranteed way to remain pain-free following such a surgery, a proper diet can help alleviate some measure of your suffering--speeding up the healing process and allowing you to move on with your life as quickly as possible.
Hemorrhoidectomy
Hemorrhoids are a fairly common condition suffered by an estimated 50 percent all all Americans at one point or another in their lives. A hemorrhoid is characterized by swelling and inflammation of the veins located in and around the anus. While many hemorrhoids resolve with natural treatments, some require surgery. A hemorrhoidectomy is a medical procedure designed to surgically remove the hemorrhoids.
Hemorrhoidectomy and Diet
Regrettably, a hemorrhoidectomy is not a pain-free procedure. As you might expect, your visits to the bathroom during the recovery process can be unpleasant occurrences. Diet becomes important at this point to normalize bowel function, reducing the possibility of complications while relieving some discomfort. Additionally, relieving stress of the intestinal tract can help to speed recovery post-surgery.
Hemorrhoidectomy Diet
While some can get away with following a solid food diet following a hemorrhoidectomy, many individuals would be wise to stick to a liquid diet following surgery. In addition to following a liquid diet, you should also keep your fiber intake fairly high during this period to prevent straining while in the bathroom, as this could result in complications. Note that although you are following a liquid diet, you should still attempt to eat a relatively normal amount of calories to assist in the healing process.
Sample Liquid Diet
High-quality meals are easy to prepare while on a liquid diet. Just combine milk (or water and powered milk) in a blender with protein powder and a variety of fruits to make a moderate calorie shake that contains an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals. To supplement your fiber needs, consider adding in a scoop or two of a powder fiber supplement like Metamucil.
Liquid Diet Tips
If you are looking for easy ways to increase the caloric content of your shakes, consider adding in additional scoops of powered milk, natural peanut butter or a splash of olive oil with each shake. Olive oil has a fairly neutral flavor and is high in unsaturated fats, and at 120 calories per tablespoon, it can help you provide your body with the nutrition you need to heal quickly so you can resume your normal lifestyle.
