Removal of the appendix is an invasive procedure. The operation is performed under general anesthesia and usually takes about an hour. After anesthesia, the patient must be observed in the hospital for at least a few days. During this time, the medical staff makes sure that the meals they eat are easily digestible. After the appendix has been removed, the diet must also be followed after leaving the hospital. Eating properly prepared meals has a positive effect on the healing process of the postoperative wound and reduces pain. What should the patient’s diet look like after the procedure? When it comes to the appendix, the diet must be chosen very carefully.
Appendicitis – diet after surgery is a must
When we get gruel or pudding for breakfast after a surgical procedure, we are usually dissatisfied. Nevertheless, after surgery performed under general anesthesia, we must follow a diet. Easily digestible meals have a positive effect on the functioning of the intestines. At the same time, they provide the body with the necessary nutrients. After surgery, care should be taken to ensure that the patients’ meals are rich in protein. This component is the basic building block of the body. When it is lacking in the diet, the body becomes weak and regenerates more slowly. An easily digestible diet must be rich in vitamins and minerals. For this reason, it should be differentiated. People who do not follow the doctor’s instructions after the procedure may have problems with abdominal pain, indigestion, diarrhea or vomiting. And so that recovery does not take forever, it is not worth the risk. Especially since light foods can be tasty and nutritious. All you need to do is prepare them properly.
Appendicitis – diet after surgery
People who have undergone appendectomy must follow an easily digestible diet for at least a dozen or so days. After the procedure, patients should eliminate bloating products and foods containing a large amount of fat from their diet. After surgery, you should limit the amount of fiber you eat. For this reason, for the time of recovery, you need to eliminate rye bread, cruciferous vegetables and hard fruit from your diet. It is worth noting that fiber plays a very important role in the digestive process, so you have to eat it after the treatment, at least in small amounts. For the proper functioning of the intestines, patients after leaving the hospital should reach for very ripe fruit, vegetables without the skin, and various types of groats and rice.
Appendicitis diet – what is allowed to eat?
After appendectomy, you must follow an easily digestible diet. In the first days after the procedure, patients should follow a diet called gruel-mush. Dishes such as jelly, pudding, gruel or cream soups do not cause digestive problems. In addition, they are easy to eat, which is especially important in people who are very weak after surgery. An easily digestible diet is based on low-fat, low-fiber products. These include white rice, wheat bread, selected types of groats and dairy products. After the appendix has been removed, a large amount of protein should be supplied to the body. This component supports the wound healing process and is essential for the proper functioning of the body. In the case of an easily digestible diet, protein is provided in the form of cottage cheese, boiled eggs, poultry cold cuts or non-fatty fish. After the surgery, you must not forget to eat vegetables and fruits. These products provide a lot of valuable vitamins and minerals for the body. For the vegetables to be easily digestible, it is worth peeling them before eating them. Fruit, on the other hand, is best rubbed or mixed. When on an easily digestible diet, choose soft and ripe fruit.
Below is a list of products on the basis of which you can prepare valuable, easily digestible dishes.
- Wheat bread,
- biscuits,
- rusks
- groats,
- rice,
- Herbs,
- spinach,
- pumpkin,
- tomato (only skinless),
- carrot,
- beetroot,
- green beans (only young),
- butter,
- eggs,
- poultry,
- veal,
- rabbit,
- non-greasy beef,
- tuna,
- Cod,
- pike perch,
- trout,
- pollock.
Products not recommended after the procedure
An easily digestible diet involves many sacrifices. People who need to use it, first of all, should not eat fatty and fried foods. Chops or pancakes prepared in deep fat are difficult to digest. On top of that, they have a lot of calories. Instead of them, after an appendectomy, it is worth reaching for steamed or baked in a special bag. Properly seasoned, they taste as good as those fried in a pan. We have already mentioned that an easily digestible diet limits the amount of fiber you eat. Therefore, when using it, avoid whole grains and raw vegetables and fruits. For some time after the treatment, whole grain bread should be replaced with wheat bread. People who have undergone surgery from the menu must eliminate legumes. Pea,
Below are products that are not recommended to be eaten on an easily digestible diet.
- Whole wheat bread,
- Brown rice,
- cookies and cakes (especially with cream),
- chocolate,
- cocoa,
- peanuts,
- seeds,
- dry fruits,
- plums,
- cherries,
- cabbage,
- pea,
- radish,
- beans,
- cucumber,
- onion,
- Garlic,
- mushrooms,
- fatty cheeses,
- pork,
- fatty fish,
- ketchup,
- mustard,
- vinegar,
- spicy spices (e.g. chilli, cayenne pepper).
The most important principles of an easily digestible diet
An easily digestible diet helps patients recover from digestive system diseases. Its rules are strictly defined and should be followed. Otherwise, it may take much longer than anticipated to recover. To facilitate digestion after appendectomy, patients need to eat smaller meals but more often. Importantly, the last of them should be consumed at least 2 hours before bedtime. When following an easily digestible diet, eat foods steamed or boiled in broth. Immediately after the appendicitis has undergone surgery, it is forbidden to eat fried dishes. Especially in deep fat. People who have had an appendectomy have to avoid hot spices. Hot peppers and cayenne pepper can irritate the stomach walls and intestines.
Appendix . Diet after surgery – how long does it take?
Appendectomy is associated with hospitalization. After surgery, patients must stay in the hospital for at least 2 days. During this time, he is served various kinds of gruel and cream soups. After leaving the hospital, the patient must continue the diet. Minimum for a period of 2 weeks. In the first week after the treatment, it is worth reaching for pudding, jelly, mashed fruit and light creams. In time, in addition to gruel, you can eat other dishes. Soups, meatballs, steamed fish or stewed rabbit will definitely work for you.
Appendicitis diet – recipes
When following an easily digestible diet, you should eat foods low in fiber. After surgery on the appendix, you should also avoid eating high-fat foods. However, it is worth paying attention to the fact that in the case of an easily digestible diet, not only the type of consumed products is important, but also how we prepare them. Lean pieces of poultry meat become heavy with fat when frying in a pan, making them heavy. While on a diet, it is better to steam them or cook them in vegetable broth. People who like their meat browned can prepare it in the oven, but only on condition that they put it in a bag or baking bag beforehand. Similarly, you can prepare lean pieces of fish. To make the vegetables easy to digest, you need to cook them. Below are recipes for simple dishes for people after the procedure.
Cottage cheese with tomato
Components:
- light cottage cheese,
- tomato,
- a little salt and pepper.
Preparation:
Cut the tomato with a knife in several places and then scald it. After a few seconds, put it in cold water. When the skin starts to peel off the tomato, peel it. Put the reduced fat cottage cheese into a bowl. Remove the seed from the nests of the tomato and cut it into small cubes. We add it to the cheese. All gently season and mix. We eat without additives or with a wheat roll.
Vegetable soup
Ingredients:
- young carrot,
- a few pods of young green beans,
- 2 potatoes,
- half a parsley,
- half a teaspoon of butter,
- Dill,
- salt and pepper.
Preparation:
Peel the carrots, parsley and potatoes. Then we cut them into small cubes. Cut the hardened ends from the pods of the beans. Then we cut them into centimeter pieces. Melt the butter in a pot and put the chopped vegetables on it. Then pour a lot of water over the whole thing. Put the chopped dill into the pot. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. But remembering that we cannot eat too much spices. When the vegetables are soft, blend the soup into a smooth cream.
A sweet, sugar-free cocktail
Ingredients:
- ripe apple,
- orange,
- half a soft mango.
Preparation:
Peel all fruits carefully. Additionally, fillet the orange. Put all the fruit into a tall jug and mix it. It is best to drink the cocktail immediately after preparation, as it may stratify over time.
The appendix in children – gruel-mush diet
Children, when they are sick, prefer to eat yoghurt and cereal with milk. After the appendix has been removed, you must follow an easily digestible diet, regardless of age. After the surgery, it is worth giving the youngest yoghurts, but rather the unsweetened ones. When it comes to flakes, let the little ones only eat corn flakes. For a child’s dinner after the surgery, rice gruel or mixed vegetable soup with poultry meatballs will be good. After an appendectomy, you must not eat sweets. When the child demands something sweet, you can serve him pudding, jelly or a ripe, peeled apple. Before serving, it is also worth rubbing the fruit.