Re: Introduction - Post -Op Diet

[Guest guest]

Yes, Yes, ! Please let us know your post-op diet and any

recipes. I'm sure this has helped you greatly in your healing, even

if those pesky mid-lines are off.

My surgery is scheduled for December 3 and I'm getting anxious about

the diet. Not so much that I'll lose lots of weight. More that I'll

be depressed without flavorful food!

> Also, I'd like to add that I have not lost any weight. It is

> possible. I'm a very inventive blender cook and I make extensive

use

> of nutritional supplements. If anyone wants the details please let

> me know.

>

> Best regards

>

[Guest guest]

Yes, Yes, ! Please let us know your post-op diet and any

recipes. I'm sure this has helped you greatly in your healing, even

if those pesky mid-lines are off.

My surgery is scheduled for December 3 and I'm getting anxious about

the diet. Not so much that I'll lose lots of weight. More that I'll

be depressed without flavorful food!

> Also, I'd like to add that I have not lost any weight. It is

> possible. I'm a very inventive blender cook and I make extensive

use

> of nutritional supplements. If anyone wants the details please let

> me know.

>

> Best regards

>

[Guest guest]

> Yes, Yes, ! Please let us know your post-op diet and any

> recipes. I'm sure this has helped you greatly in your healing, even

> if those pesky mid-lines are off.

I'd be glad to. First I'll give you some principles which have

served me well:

(1) Eliminate all sugary soft drinks, carbonated ( " fizzy " ) or still

they will only give you empty calories;

(2) Eliminate all caffeinated beverages, caffeine cuts your appetite;

(3) Eliminate constipation. Being constipated reduces your appetite;

(4) Quench your thirst only with water and don't fill-up on water

before having your liquid nutrition, drink water after your liquid

meal.

(5) Your liquid meals should be as thick as pallatable/possible. You

should aim for as nutritionally dense liquid as possible. Every gulp

should be as nutritious as possible;

(6) Don't thin down with water, use stock, evaporated milk, juice,

whole milk;

(7) Rather than strain your liquid meal, try and blend it smooth and

use thickshake straws instead of regular drinking straws. Straining

will remove fibre and nutrients;

(8) Add unflavoured protein powder to all of your liquid meals. I've

tried at least six protein powders and I've found " Designer Whey

Protein " to be the best. The " Natural " variety has very little

flavour. Designer Whey disolves quite easily and adds very little

thickness. Protein powder is _very_ important. Consider that one

level scoop of Designer Whey gives you around 24g of protein, that's

as much as a 3 oz. serving of steak. Calories are quite easy to get

in a liquid diet, it is protein that is harder to obtain. Your body

needs protein to repair and heal. I can recommend Netrition as a

reputable and cheap online vendor of protein powder and supplements

(I have no affiliation with Netrition, I am only a satisfied

customer).

See http://www23.netrition.com/designer_page.html

Designer Whey isn't well-suited to adding to juice instead try

Syntrax Nectar. It is 100% protein and tastes great mixed with water

or juice. Take a look at the flavours!

See http://www.netrition.com/syntrax_nectar_page.html

(9) Unless you are juicing fresh fruit and vegetables you are

unlikely to be getting all the vitamin C you require. Vitamin C is

vitally important for wound healing. Get a Vitamin C supplement that

is in small size capsules or tablets or powder form. Take at least

2g of vitamin C per day. This is much higher than the RDA

(Recommended Daily Allowance) but the RDA is not based on the needs

of a body that has undergone surgery.

(10) Avoid any of the powders that are meant to be mixed with milk

that you can get from the supermarket (most of these are made by

Nestle) they are mainly sugar and usually cocoa. They are marketed

as energy drinks or health drinks -- avoid them.

> My surgery is scheduled for December 3 and I'm getting anxious

about

> the diet. Not so much that I'll lose lots of weight. More that I'll

> be depressed without flavorful food!

My basic recipe is as follows:

1 can of uncondensed soup

1/2 can of (unsweetened) evaporated milk

1 serving of (flavour) compatible) nutriious ingredient

2 scoops of Designer Whey (Natural Flavour) Protein Powder

Note: Use uncondensed soups in preference to condensed because

condensed soups usually have thickener (starch) added making it

harder to thicken the soup with more nutritious ingredients.

Example 1:

1 can of tomato soup

1/2 can (unsweetened) evaoprated milk

2 rashes bacon

2 scoops of protein powder

Chop bacon into small pieces, place into microwave safe container

(add 1/2 clove chopped garlic if you like the flavour) and cook.

Add can of soup and return to microwave oven

Add evaporated milk and protein powder and blend until smooth. Add

salt/pepper to taste.

Note: Always add protein powder and evaporated milk as a last step.

Don't heat up the liquid after adding protein powder, the protein

will de-nature and lose its nutritional value. Add protein last and

don't re-heat.

Example 2:

1 can corn chowder

1/2 can evaporated milk

1 can of tuna

2 scoops protein powder

Example 3:

1 can uncondensed chicken soup

1/2 can evaporated milk

1 cup mushrooms

2 scoops protein powder

If mushrooms are fresh cook first.

I have many more recipes, I'll contribute more later.

Smoothies and milkshakes are of course the other foundation of a

liquid diet. My tips for these are:

(1) Don't use falvoured syrups, the sugar will give you a false

feeling of satisfaction;

(2) Use whole milk, soy milk and (unsweetened) juice for variety;

(3) Add protein powder to all of your smoothies and milkshakes;

(4) Use fresh, (unsweetened) canned or frozen fruit in preference to

ice-cream. Ice cream has loads of sugar which gives you that false

satisfaction.

Example:

Whole milk

Frozen berry mix

2 scoops protein powder

Ensure and Enlive are good to use between liquid meals.

Just think about compatible falvours eg. cheese/bacon,

cream/mushroom, beef/tomato etc and make a liquid meal of them. You

can easily get all the fat and carbohydrates that you need from a

liquid diet, it is the protein that is harder to obtain that's why

you should use at least one type of protein powder.

Best of luck with your surgery and your recovery!

[Guest guest]

> Yes, Yes, ! Please let us know your post-op diet and any

> recipes. I'm sure this has helped you greatly in your healing, even

> if those pesky mid-lines are off.

I'd be glad to. First I'll give you some principles which have

served me well:

(1) Eliminate all sugary soft drinks, carbonated ( " fizzy " ) or still

they will only give you empty calories;

(2) Eliminate all caffeinated beverages, caffeine cuts your appetite;

(3) Eliminate constipation. Being constipated reduces your appetite;

(4) Quench your thirst only with water and don't fill-up on water

before having your liquid nutrition, drink water after your liquid

meal.

(5) Your liquid meals should be as thick as pallatable/possible. You

should aim for as nutritionally dense liquid as possible. Every gulp

should be as nutritious as possible;

(6) Don't thin down with water, use stock, evaporated milk, juice,

whole milk;

(7) Rather than strain your liquid meal, try and blend it smooth and

use thickshake straws instead of regular drinking straws. Straining

will remove fibre and nutrients;

(8) Add unflavoured protein powder to all of your liquid meals. I've

tried at least six protein powders and I've found " Designer Whey

Protein " to be the best. The " Natural " variety has very little

flavour. Designer Whey disolves quite easily and adds very little

thickness. Protein powder is _very_ important. Consider that one

level scoop of Designer Whey gives you around 24g of protein, that's

as much as a 3 oz. serving of steak. Calories are quite easy to get

in a liquid diet, it is protein that is harder to obtain. Your body

needs protein to repair and heal. I can recommend Netrition as a

reputable and cheap online vendor of protein powder and supplements

(I have no affiliation with Netrition, I am only a satisfied

customer).

See http://www23.netrition.com/designer_page.html

Designer Whey isn't well-suited to adding to juice instead try

Syntrax Nectar. It is 100% protein and tastes great mixed with water

or juice. Take a look at the flavours!

See http://www.netrition.com/syntrax_nectar_page.html

(9) Unless you are juicing fresh fruit and vegetables you are

unlikely to be getting all the vitamin C you require. Vitamin C is

vitally important for wound healing. Get a Vitamin C supplement that

is in small size capsules or tablets or powder form. Take at least

2g of vitamin C per day. This is much higher than the RDA

(Recommended Daily Allowance) but the RDA is not based on the needs

of a body that has undergone surgery.

(10) Avoid any of the powders that are meant to be mixed with milk

that you can get from the supermarket (most of these are made by

Nestle) they are mainly sugar and usually cocoa. They are marketed

as energy drinks or health drinks -- avoid them.

> My surgery is scheduled for December 3 and I'm getting anxious

about

> the diet. Not so much that I'll lose lots of weight. More that I'll

> be depressed without flavorful food!

My basic recipe is as follows:

1 can of uncondensed soup

1/2 can of (unsweetened) evaporated milk

1 serving of (flavour) compatible) nutriious ingredient

2 scoops of Designer Whey (Natural Flavour) Protein Powder

Note: Use uncondensed soups in preference to condensed because

condensed soups usually have thickener (starch) added making it

harder to thicken the soup with more nutritious ingredients.

Example 1:

1 can of tomato soup

1/2 can (unsweetened) evaoprated milk

2 rashes bacon

2 scoops of protein powder

Chop bacon into small pieces, place into microwave safe container

(add 1/2 clove chopped garlic if you like the flavour) and cook.

Add can of soup and return to microwave oven

Add evaporated milk and protein powder and blend until smooth. Add

salt/pepper to taste.

Note: Always add protein powder and evaporated milk as a last step.

Don't heat up the liquid after adding protein powder, the protein

will de-nature and lose its nutritional value. Add protein last and

don't re-heat.

Example 2:

1 can corn chowder

1/2 can evaporated milk

1 can of tuna

2 scoops protein powder

Example 3:

1 can uncondensed chicken soup

1/2 can evaporated milk

1 cup mushrooms

2 scoops protein powder

If mushrooms are fresh cook first.

I have many more recipes, I'll contribute more later.

Smoothies and milkshakes are of course the other foundation of a

liquid diet. My tips for these are:

(1) Don't use falvoured syrups, the sugar will give you a false

feeling of satisfaction;

(2) Use whole milk, soy milk and (unsweetened) juice for variety;

(3) Add protein powder to all of your smoothies and milkshakes;

(4) Use fresh, (unsweetened) canned or frozen fruit in preference to

ice-cream. Ice cream has loads of sugar which gives you that false

satisfaction.

Example:

Whole milk

Frozen berry mix

2 scoops protein powder

Ensure and Enlive are good to use between liquid meals.

Just think about compatible falvours eg. cheese/bacon,

cream/mushroom, beef/tomato etc and make a liquid meal of them. You

can easily get all the fat and carbohydrates that you need from a

liquid diet, it is the protein that is harder to obtain that's why

you should use at least one type of protein powder.

Best of luck with your surgery and your recovery!

[Guest guest]

Wow! I'm impressed, . You really have this stuff down to a

science!

Maybe the hospital dietitians should take you on as a consultant.

(No offense to the hospital dietitians, or any others, out there. But

the two ladies who came in to counsel me offered very little, nothing

that I didn't know, and had never heard of the zippies -- which, it

turned out, I didn't need, since I wasn't wired or banded. When I

offered them a sampling of what they'd sent me to " eat, " they

declined. Which is a shame, because all but the applesauce was so

salty that I couldn't down it, and I'm a salt-lover. And no, it

wasn't my taste buds acting up, either.)

In another instance, a vegetarian friend was in another hospital, and

the staff desperately wanted my friend to eat. It had been made clear

that this person was vegetarian. I wasn't there to help with one meal

choice -- which offered tomato soup, chicken soup and vegetable beef

soup. Which do you think they chose for a vegetarian? Chicken soup!

(Yes. I pitched a fit.)

Cammie

[Guest guest]

Wow! I'm impressed, . You really have this stuff down to a

science!

Maybe the hospital dietitians should take you on as a consultant.

(No offense to the hospital dietitians, or any others, out there. But

the two ladies who came in to counsel me offered very little, nothing

that I didn't know, and had never heard of the zippies -- which, it

turned out, I didn't need, since I wasn't wired or banded. When I

offered them a sampling of what they'd sent me to " eat, " they

declined. Which is a shame, because all but the applesauce was so

salty that I couldn't down it, and I'm a salt-lover. And no, it

wasn't my taste buds acting up, either.)

In another instance, a vegetarian friend was in another hospital, and

the staff desperately wanted my friend to eat. It had been made clear

that this person was vegetarian. I wasn't there to help with one meal

choice -- which offered tomato soup, chicken soup and vegetable beef

soup. Which do you think they chose for a vegetarian? Chicken soup!

(Yes. I pitched a fit.)

Cammie