How Should Nutrition Be After Bariatric Surgery?
Bariatric surgery is an obesity treatment method that has become increasingly popular in the world and in our country. The aim of bariatric surgery is to reduce the absorption of nutrients taken into the body through the gastrointestinal system. It is very important for the patient after bariatric surgery. Because if the criteria recommended for bariatric treatment are not followed, fat accumulation in the body may occur again. For this, adequate amounts of nutrients and energy items should be taken after bariatric surgery.
Which Foods Should Be Preferred in Bariatric Nutrition?
Which Foods to Choose in Bariatric Nutrition The most important nutrient to be preferred after surgery is proteins. Every meal must have a nutrient that is a source of protein. Daily consumption of 130 grams of carbohydrates is very important for your physiological balance and blood sugar control. As a carbohydrate, your goal should be to stay away from simple sugar and to prefer whole grain sources with low glycemic index. Not consuming fried or roasted dishes should be among the main issues you should pay attention to. In addition, well-cooked meals with cooking techniques such as boiled, steamed, grill, oven should be your priority. You should not use too much spice and hot spice in your cooking. Avoiding sugary, acidic, alcoholic and caffeinated liquids is another point to be careful about.
Importance of Nutrition in Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment method for people who cannot achieve a sufficient weight loss with medical treatment and lifestyle changes, who have complications caused by obesity, and who are at high risk for mortlite and morbidity. Obesity surgery is examined in three separate categories: malabsorptive procedures, restrictive procedures and combination procedures.
People who undergo a restrictive procedure have less risk associated with long-term diet, while patients undergoing a malabsorptive procedure are at greater risk. Nutritional deficiencies that occur in people after surgery are due to many reasons and are very common. One of these reasons is preoperative weight loss and the other is poor diet quality. In addition, changes in digestion and absorption and incompatibility in the supplementation program can be counted among these reasons. In this regard, post-operative nutritional therapy should be maintaining sufficient hydration within a period of one to eight weeks, providing the required amount of nutrients, and taking sufficient protein for recovery.
What are the Points to Consider About Nutrition After Bariatric Surgery?
Some nutritional habits need to be changed after bariatric surgery. These habits must also be adapted to the treatment applied. Adequate and balanced nutrition should be taken care of. This is extremely important in terms of protecting muscle mass in excessive weight loss. In addition, you must complete your food and drinks in accordance with your stomach capacity. In addition, you will need to make a nutrition plan in order to prevent complications that may occur due to the diet applied after the operation. For this, you should definitely avoid behaviors that will make you gain weight again in your diet.
Diet Lists To Be Applied After Bariatric Surgery
After the surgery, the appetite of the patients is largely eliminated. Even small bites create a feeling of satiety in patients. In this respect, a special nutritional program is applied for patients to adapt much more easily to this new working order of the upper digestive systems that have been structured by surgery, to avoid some vital protein, vitamin and mineral deficiencies in the long term and to prevent weight gain again. This nutrition program will consist of initially liquid, then mash and then the transition to soft and solid nutrition. Fluid consumption is of great importance for patients. Although fluid intake is difficult in the first few months, fluid intake will increase further in the following periods.
After the necessary controls are made on the first postoperative day, water consumption is started. On the second day, liquid without sugar, grains, caffeine and carbonates is taken. To give examples of these liquids, foods such as unsweetened and grainy compote juices, unsweetened lemonade, filtered and seasoned vegetable juices, lean and diluted meat or chicken broth can be given as examples. The important thing here is to provide body hydration and stimulate the activation of the gastrointestinal system according to the treatment. Therefore, a daily fluid consumption of 1500-200ml should be targeted. On the third day, in addition to the liquid diet, a diet that includes liquid foods such as grainless and blenderized soups, yoghurt, milk, ayran, kefir and protein supplements. Here, a daily protein intake of at least 60 grams is aimed. Depending on the toleration status, this liquid diet is applied for approximately 10-14 days.
The next step is the puree diet. In this diet, there are protein sources such as cheese, eggs, minced meat, fish, chicken, and unshelled fruit and vegetable purees. After this puree diet, which is applied for about a week, in the fourth week of the surgery, eggs, minced meat, omelet, chicken, fish and vegetables can be consumed in a well-cooked and very soft form. Here, what food to consume, how much and when is prepared individually by the dietician.
After the eighth week, a gradual nutrition plan is usually completed and a normal nutrition plan is started. In this context, a nutrition program of 700-1000kcal is prepared for the patient right after the general condition of the patient is evaluated.
