For the first
two weeks after surgery, you will progress from a liquid diet
(i.e. soups, unsweetened juices and skim milk) to small amounts
of blenderized foods. After two weeks, you will progress to soft,
well-cooked, chopped or minced foods. Finally, you will advance
to small amounts of solid foods, with emphasis on healthy food
choices.
Gastric Bypass Diet -
Stage 1 (First Two Weeks)
1.
Eat
a variety of foods. Use the list below of
"Foods to Choose Most Often" to vary your daily menu.
2.
Eat six small
meals daily to avoid overloading the stomach pouch (e.g. 8am,
10am, noon, 2pm, 5pm, 8pm).
3.
Eat slowly.
Take at least 20-30 minutes to eat the measured 1/2 cut or
less portion. When you feel full stop.
4.
Choose
food high in protein. Protein is important
to help fight infections after surgery, for optimum healing
and to maintain muscle mass. Include foods such
as skim or 1% milk and yogurt, 1% or fat-free cottage cheese,
low-fat cream or blenderized soups, eggs and blenderized meat,
poultry and fish.
5.
Sips of fluids should
be consumed on a constant basis, but not during
meals. Drink liquides 30-45
minutes before eating and 1 hour after eating.
6.
Avoid
sweets and sugars. They aggravate the dumping syndrome. Symptoms
include bloating, nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, weakness,
sweating and rapid heartbeat.
7.
Supplement your
intake with a
chewable multivitamin/mineral supplement daily, 1000 mg elemental
calcium daily (e.g. three
extra-strength Tums taken with meals), ferrous fumarate twice
daily, and B12 (500 micrograms orally and monthly
injections as needed).
Types
of Foods
Choose
Most Often
Avoid
Milk and
Milk Products
As
tolerated, skim
or 1% milk, buttermilk. Plain or artificially sweetened yogurt.
Lactaid Milk
2%
and whole milk products. Sweetened yogurt, cream, ice cream,
icemilk, sherbet and milkshakes.
Breads
and Cereals
Cream
of wheat, cream of rice, infant cereals (i.e. Pablum), well-cooked
rolled oats. Small amounts of noodles or rice in blenderized
soups.
Sugar-sweetened
cereals. All breads and all cracker products.
Meat, Fish,
Poultry and Alternates
Prepare
by baking, broiling, poaching or boiling. Pureed fish, chicken,
turkey or infant meats. Fat free or 1% cottage cheese. Soft
boiled or poached egg. Tofu, added to soups.
All
fatty fish, meat or poultry, including bacon, salami, pepperoni,
luncheon meats, weiners and sausages. High fat cheeses. Eggs
cooked with added fat (i.e. fried eggs). All legumes (dried
peas, beans or lentils) Note:
Legumes seem to be tolerated if blenderized
in soups.
Fruits
and Vegetables
Pureed
unsweetened canned peaches, pears, apricots and applesauce.
Unsweetened fruit juice (may be diluted). Vegetable and tomato
juices. Pureed asparagus tips, beets, carrots, parsnips,
peas, string beans.
All
edible skins, membranes and seeds from fruits and vegetables.
All sweetened canned fruit. All sweetened fruit juices and
fruit
drinks.
Gas-forming vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts,
etc. Potato skins and salads. Note: Broccoli and cauliflower seem to be tolerated if blenderized
in soups.
Soups
Blenderized
soup, made into a complete meal. Beef broth, consommé and bouillon
can be used as a soup base or fat-free gravy.
Highly
seasoned and creamed soups, unless made with skim milk.
Fats
and Oils
In
small amounts. No more than 1-3 tsp daily. Margarine, vegetable
oil.
All
others.
Desserts
and Sweets
Baked
custard or pudding (artificially sweetened).
All
others.
Beverages
Water,
skim milk, herbal or weak tea, decaffinated coffee, club soda,
diet soft drinks ("flattened").
All
others, including alcohol,
regular soft drinks, sugared drink mixes, regular coffee and
tea.