The Gastric Bypass Diet

After you have gastric bypass surgery, what you eat and how much you eat needs to change in order to accommodate the new structure of your digestive system. If you take care to closely follow the gastric bypass diet outlined by Dr. Dahiya after your surgery, you can ensure a healthy recovery process that helps you lose weight safely and effectively.

Purpose of the Gastric Bypass Diet

The gastric bypass diet is necessary for several reasons:

• To avoid complications and side effects
• To train you in eating smaller amounts of food that can be safely and comfortably digested in your smaller stomach
• To allow your stomach to heal without being stretched by food
• To help you lose weight and avoid gaining it

Your diet will begin with liquid foods. As you progress, you will gradually be able to eat more solid foods.

Things to Remember While on the Gastric Bypass Diet

Throughout the different phases of the gastric bypass diet, you will need to follow a few general rules to make sure you get the vitamins and minerals your body needs, while still keeping your weight-loss goals on track.

• Eat and drink slowly. Wait 30 minutes before or after each meal before you drink liquids. Take at least 30 minutes to consume food, and 30 to 60 minutes to drink one cup of liquid. Choose foods and beverages low in sugar and fat, and eat only the recommended amounts determined by Dr. Dahiya. If you eat or drink too quickly, you can cause a side effect called dumping syndrome, which causes nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, and vomiting.
• Chew thoroughly. Since the new opening that leads from your stomach to your intestine is now smaller, larger pieces of food can block this opening, causing abdominal pain and nausea. Taking small bites and chewing them to a pureed consistency will help you avoid this.
• High-protein, low-fat. Foods that are high in protein can help heal your stomach and re-grow skin and muscle, facilitating a healthy recovery. High-protein, low-fat foods are always a good option for your long-term diet, as well.
• Take vitamin and mineral supplements. One of the effects of gastric bypass surgery is that your body can’t absorb as many nutrients from your food as it used to. Because of this, you will need to take a multivitamin supplement every day. Talk to Dr. Dahiya about which type of multivitamin would be right for you, and whether additional mineral supplements might be necessary.

Establishing a New Lifestyle and a New You
Most of the post-operative complications associated with gastric bypass surgery occur when patients do not follow the gastric bypass diet correctly. If you take care to follow all post-operative and diet instructions outlined by Dr. Dahiya, you will be well on your way to losing weight, healing from surgery, and building a healthy foundation for your new lifestyle. Dr. Dahiya will closely follow-up with you to make sure you are recovering normally and eating correctly.
If you live in the Los Angeles, Orange County, or Riverside areas of California and have further questions about how gastric bypass surgery can change your life, please contact experienced bariatric surgeon Dr. Shyam Dahiya, MD today to schedule a consultation.