Dietary considerations after gallbladder removal

Cholecystectomy is a method to treat cholecystitis, and special attention should be paid to diet issues after cholecystectomy. Avoid eating greasy and spicy foods. Also, you need to fast for one or two days after the operation. When you can eat, choose liquid food.

1. After the operation, the gastrointestinal tract is stimulated, peristalsis is reduced, liver function is inhibited, and bile secretion is reduced, which will affect the function of the entire digestive system. Therefore, strict fasting should be followed for 1 to 2 days after surgery, and various nutrients should be supplemented by intravenous drip. From the third day onwards, liquid diet can be given depending on the situation, such as rice soup, soy milk, lotus root powder, fruit juice, etc., and then gradually changed to skim milk with sweet bread, rice porridge, tofu soup, jujube paste rice paste and pasta, etc.

2. Within one month after surgery, the intake of fatty foods should be reduced, and high-fat and fried foods should be avoided. Some people think that once the "lesion" is removed, they can change their previous low-fat diet. This is wrong. After gallbladder removal, the function of regulating bile discharge into the intestine will be lost, and the ability to digest fat will be weakened accordingly. Especially when digesting a large amount of fatty food in a short period of time, it is beyond the body's ability and will cause abdominal distension, diarrhea and indigestion. Reducing fat intake mainly means not eating or eating as little fatty meat, animal offal, egg yolks and fried foods as possible. It is also not advisable to eat all kinds of high-fat, high-calorie "fast food". Try to use less animal oil when cooking and add an appropriate amount of vegetable oil. Dishes should be mainly steamed, stewed, or served cold. Eat less stir-fried dishes. In particular, avoid spicy and irritating foods and do not drink alcohol, which can reduce the adverse stimulation to the bile duct.

3. Gradually increase nutrition. One month after cholecystectomy, the diet should also be light and necessary nutritional supplements should be strengthened, which will help the patient recover soon. After several weeks of adaptation and compensation, the common bile duct connecting the liver and small intestine gradually stretches and expands, replacing the gallbladder's function of storing bile. If there is no abnormality in digestive function, you can eat a normal diet. You can increase your protein intake appropriately and eat some foods with higher quality protein. You should eat some lean meat, seafood, and legumes every day, and it would be better if you can drink a glass of milk. If you are not used to eating dairy products or fish, you can eat more soy products and mushrooms to make up for the lack of animal protein. In principle, it is not advisable to consume too much fat and cholesterol after cholecystectomy, but there is no need to restrict fat excessively, because a certain amount of fat in the intestines is necessary to stimulate bile secretion, expand the volume of the common bile duct, and maintain smooth bile duct flow. In addition, eating more high-fiber and vitamin-rich foods is also very beneficial for patients' postoperative recovery.

4. Increase the frequency of meals appropriately. You should be careful not to eat too much at each meal, especially within 3 to 6 months after surgery. It is best to have 4 meals a day. Eating small and frequent meals can reduce the burden on the digestive system and is conducive to recovery after surgery. It is best to eat some vinegar every day, because vinegar will enhance the stomach's digestive ability and regulate the acidity and alkalinity in the intestines, which is beneficial for the bile to play a role and promote the digestion of fatty foods. Drinking tea regularly and eating more fresh fruits and vegetables can also help digestion and absorption of food.