It is understood that surgery is the most effective treatment for bowel cancer patients, however, some patients may experience bowel dysfunction after surgery, such as intestinal obstruction, constipation and diarrhea, which may affect patients’ nutritional status and adversely affect the treatment prognosis. Therefore, postoperative bowel cancer patients must pay attention to the coordination and regularity of diet, help patients improve their nutritional status by adjusting the structure and content of diet, enhance patients’ tolerance to treatment and help them recover as soon as possible. The transitional steps and related recipes that should be followed in the postoperative diet of bowel cancer patients are explained and exemplified here.
Transition steps of postoperative diet for patients with bowel cancer.
Step 1: Fasting
In the early stage after colorectal surgery, fasting is required. When the intestinal function is restored, the patient should drink water first, and then gradually transition to clear liquid food, liquid food, semi-liquid food and soft food.
Each meal can start from 50ml and gradually increase to 200-300ml.
Transitional diet should be at least 5-6 meals a day.
Step 2: Clear liquid food
Sugar and salt water or thin rice soup, thin lotus root powder, vegetable water, light broth can be eaten.
Start with 30-50ml and gradually increase the amount to 100-150ml.
This phase usually lasts about 1-2 days.
Without obvious symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal pain, you can transition to the next step with your doctor’s permission.
Step 3: Liquid food
Rice soup, lotus root powder, almond cream, rice paste, vegetable juice, and elemental enteral nutrients can be consumed.
Start with 50ml and gradually increase the amount to 100-150ml.
This stage usually lasts about 2-3 days.
Recipes
No obvious symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal pain, transition to the next step with doctor’s permission.
Note: Avoid gas-producing foods such as milk and soy milk.
Step 4: Semi-liquid diet with less residue
You can eat rice porridge, rotten noodles, lump soup, noodle flakes, wontons, mashed potatoes, egg custard, yogurt, tofu brain, lean mashed meatballs and melon and fruit vegetables (tomatoes, winter squash, pumpkin, zucchini, eggplant peeled), fruit puree, enteral nutrition preparation.
Start with 100ml and gradually increase the amount to 150-200ml.
This phase usually lasts about 1-2 weeks.
Recipes
No obvious symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal pain, transition to the next step with doctor’s permission.
Note: Vegetables and fruits with more dietary fiber should be eaten sparingly during this period, and care should be taken to avoid gas-producing foods such as raw radish, onion, sweet potato, beans, milk and soy milk.
Step 5: Semi-liquid or soft food
You can eat rice cakes, noodles, bread, soft rice, lean meatballs, boiled eggs, less residue vegetables (cauliflower, lettuce and other tender green leafy vegetables) and fruits.
Start with 150ml and gradually increase the amount to 200-300ml.
This phase usually lasts for about 2-3 months.
No obvious symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal pain, then you can gradually transition to the general diet.
Note: Pay attention to a light and digestible diet within 3 months, avoid stimulating, coarse fiber and greasy food (such as chili, pepper, celery, garlic, bamboo shoots, dried beans, fatty meat, doughnuts, cream cakes, etc.).
Step 6: General diet
Recipes