The Gastric Bypass Diet

Gastric bypass is a medical procedure which is performed for people who need drastic solution to obesity. Because of the changes with the digestive system, it is imperative to go through gastric bypass diet. That way, the body is still able to get sufficient nutrition without negating the supposed effects of the procedure.

With the gastric bypass diet, a person is able to perform normal physical functions, have sufficient amount of energy, while reducing the quantity of food that he or she eats. This type of diet involves healthy changes which results to weight loss and long term maintenance of the ideal physique. The best part is that doing this will also resolve a lot of other health problems like sleep apnea, high blood pressure, escalated cholesterol level and others.

Right after the procedure, patients are only allowed to consume clear liquids. It is also important to drink without using straw. Carbonated drinks are not allowed too. That way, there would not be extra gas which can make its way to the stomach. When gas reaches the stomach, it could lead to discomfort and pain.

Some people assume that gastric bypass diet will limit them to drinking only water. Truth is, there are other more delicious options like broth, fresh apple or grape juice and other translucent beverages. A few days after the surgery, it is recommended to drink protein liquids too. The good thing about protein drink is that this will help you feel full and enable you to build lean muscles while losing fat.

To take your gastric bypass diet to the next level, it is necessary to ask permission from your surgeon first. Usually, patients are allowed to eat pureed food once allowed by the physician. It is important to puree the food because the digestive system would not be strong enough to break them down. The more popular options include cottage cheese, scrambled eggs, pudding, yogurt, oatmeal and grits. Some patients easily lose their desire to eat those pureed options. So, they simply use the power of the blender to process other food like chicken or tuna to add variety to their diet.

The important thing is to allow the dietician or attending physician to specify the type of food to eat and the amount which can be ingested at a time. The doctor will provide the specifics depending on the body type of the patient and the size of the stomach pouch. Generally, the diet involves high protein diet with less fat and cholesterol. Eating pureed food will usually last for about 4 to 8 weeks. After this phase, the patient will be allowed to eat other types of food so long as this is done with proper regulation.

With this type of diet, it has to be kept in mind that the stomach would no longer be able to hold the same amount of food and water as it used to. When drinking during meals, the food intake may no longer be sufficient which could lead to malnourishment. On the other hand, forcing to hold both water and food might stretch the pouch size which leads to weight gain in the long run. Hence, the gastric bypass diet which will be prescribed by the physician should be followed accordingly, including the time and frequency of eating and drinking.