Gastroparesis

Gastroparesis is a condition when your stomach is slow to empty food into your intestine and causes bloating after you eat. Other symptoms are nausea and vomiting. There are some helpful changes you can make to how you eat.

  1. Eat small meals. Large meals take longer to empty your stomach. Eat snacks if you need to get enough calories.
  2. Choose low fiber foods:
    Eat white bread instead of whole wheat.
    Avoid bran based cereal.
    Choose canned or cooked fruit instead of fresh fruit and avoid fruits with skin or seeds.
    Choose cooked vegetables instead of raw vegetables.
    Avoid nuts, dried beans and legumes
  3. Limit fat.
    Avoid fatty meats such as brats, hotdogs, breaded and fried/greasy meats.
    Limit cheese
    Go easy on gravy, butter, margarine, cream based sauces, dips, sour cream and dressings.
    Limit nuts and nut butters.
    Limit rich sweets such as cake, cookies and pie.
    Limit rich snacks such as chips and rich snack crackers
  4. Help your body with digestion by chewing foods very well. Try going for a gentle walk after eating. Stay upright for a couple hours after eating.
  5. Control blood sugars if you have diabetes. High blood sugars makes gastroparesis worse.
  6. If small, low fiber, low fat foods don’t work it may be necessary to eat a more liquid-like diet.
    Blenderized or pureed meats, fruits, vegetables, casseroles
    Baby food items
    Liquid nutritional drinks such as Ensure, Boost, Equate and/or Carnation Instant Breakfast
  7. If you are still experiencing intolerable discomfort or unplanned weight loss then discuss with your doctor. It may be helpful to have your diet evaluated and get nutrition recommendations by a registered dietitian .

Sources

-University of Virginia Healthy System, Digestive Health Center www.GInutrition.virginia.edu
Click on Patient Education Materials on the left side of page. Then scroll down to gastroparesis.

- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/digestive-diseases/gastroparesis/Pages/facts.aspx

- Nutrition 411 http://www.nutrition411.com/articles/gastroparesis-guidelines-tips-and-sample-meal-plan

- Association of Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders, Inc. http://www.agmd-gimotility.org
Then scroll down to Nutrition Central