Diet After Hiatus Hernia Surgery

Diet After Hiatus Hernia Surgery: Foods to Eat & Avoid

Recovering from hiatus hernia surgery is a journey. What you eat plays a huge role in healing. The right diet protects your surgical repair. It also helps you feel better faster. This guide will walk you through simple dietary steps after your operation and make your recovery smoother and clearer.

Why Diet Matters After Hiatus Hernia Surgery

• After surgery, your digestive system needs time to recover. The swallowing muscles and the food pipe sphincter are healing.
• Large meals, hard textures, or irritating foods can cause discomfort, bloating, or reflux.
• Taking the right foods in the right way helps your body heal faster and reduces pain or irritation.

A special diet helps in three key ways:

Reduces Swelling: Soft foods are easy to digest. They prevent bloating and gas.

Prevents Strain: Liquid and soft foods put less pressure on the new repair. This lowers the risk of complications.

Manages Symptoms: It helps control heartburn, reflux, and discomfort as you heal.

How Your Eating Plan Progresses After Surgery

Healing after hiatus hernia surgery is gradual. We advise you to follow staged eating—from liquids to soft foods, then normal foods as tolerated:

Clear & Full Liquids for 7-10 Days

Focus on liquids that are smooth with no lumps or solid food particles. You can start with

• Water and herbal tea
• Coconut water
• Whey water
• Buttermilk
• Thin custards or yogurts
• Milkshakes and milky coffee
• Clear broths and soups
• Low-fat milk or milk alternatives
• Vegetable & Fruit Thin juices (avoid citrus fruits like orange, lemon, etc.)
• Smoothies without seeds or pulp

Tips for This Phase:

• You must sip slowly throughout the day.
• You must never use a straw. Sucking can bring air into your stomach.
• You must stop if you feel a vomiting sensation.
• You must always avoid carbonated or fizzy drinks (Coke, Pepsi, etc.).
• You must never try to gulp the liquids.

Soft & Pureed Foods for Next 10 days

Once liquids feel comfortable, introduce soft foods that require minimal chewing:

• Pureed soups
• Mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes
• Scrambled or soft-boiled eggs
• Stewed fruits like bananas or applesauce
• Soft-cooked vegetables (pureed or well-mashed)

How to Prepare Your Meals:

• Cook foods until very soft.
• Use a blender or food processor.
• Add broth, water, or low-fat milk to achieve a smooth, lump-free texture.
• Tips for This Phase:
• Begin the practice of eating only three small meals a day
• Continue having high-protein liquids in between meals
• Learn to eat your food very slowly
• Develop a habit of putting your fork down between each bite
• You must try to chew your food at least 30 times before you swallow
• Your every meal should last at least 20 minutes

Soft & Moist Solid Foods After 3 Weeks

As swallowing improves, you can move to:

• Well-cooked pasta and rice
• Tender fish and chicken (finely shredded)
• Cooked carrots, brinjal
• Soft fruit (no skins)

Transitioning Back to a Regular Diet

Moving to normal foods should be slow and gradual. Start after 4 weeks of surgery or as per our tailored recommendations.

• Week 4: Introduce soft, solid foods like soft-cooked pasta, moist ground meat, and soft-cooked vegetables. Continue to avoid all risky foods.
• Week 6+: You may slowly try one new "regular" food at a time. Pay close attention to how your body reacts. If a food causes pain or heartburn, stop and try it again later.

Listen to your body. It is your best guide.

It is essential to realize that everyone is different and that people progress at their pace. It would be best to listen to your body's reaction to the diet. If you feel uneasy, uncomfortable, or heavy, it is better to take a step back and retry the diet later.

There is a possibility that certain things need to be added or omitted depending on the surgery and your comorbidities, like diabetes or high blood pressure.

You can contact us if you are looking for a specialized and customized diet plan. We can arrange a telephone consultation with our dedicated nutritionists, and they will be happy to guide and assist you. Our team of nutritionists will tailor your 7-day GERD diet for an acid reflux plan and assess the response on a regular basis.

Recovery Timeline After Hiatus Hernia Surgery:

Most people return to a regular diet about 4-5 weeks after surgery. However, it's important to:

• Listen to your body's signals
• Progress at your own pace
• Consult with your nutritionist if you experience any discomfort
• Make adjustments based on your individual response

Golden Rules for Eating After Surgery

1. Eat Small, Frequent Meals
You must develop a habit of having 5-6 tiny meals a day. This prevents overfilling your stomach.

2. Eat Slowly and Chew Thoroughly
You must put your fork down between bites. Chew your food until it is almost liquid. This does most of the digestion work for your healing stomach.

3. Sit Upright While Eating and After
You must always eat sitting up. Avoid going to bed at least 1 hour after food. This uses gravity to keep food down.

4. Stay Hydrated, But Not During Meals
Drink plenty of fluids between meals. Avoid drinking large amounts 30 minutes before and 60 minutes after eating. This prevents your stomach from becoming too full.

Foods to Limit Even After Recovery:

To keep acid reflux away for good, it helps to watch what you eat long-term.

You must try to limit:

• Fried and fatty foods like burgers and fries.
• Chocolate.
• Minty foods and drinks.
• Alcohol, especially red wine.
• Citrus fruits like lemon or orange
• Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, lentils, and peas.

Customized Diet Plans at Habilite Clinics

At Habilite Clinics, our team of dedicated nutritionists can:

• Create customized dietary plans after hiatus hernia surgery.
• Provide telephone consultations for ongoing support.
• Assess your body's response and adjust the diet plan accordingly.
• Address specific dietary needs based on comorbidities like diabetes or high blood pressure.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation and discuss your GERD treatment options and personalized diet plan.