Nutritional counseling is often a beneficial tool after having a sleeve gastrectomy in Dallas, as it will be necessary to re-think the way that you have approached food. One benefit of the gastric sleeve is that it does not affect the small intestine, therefore reducing nutritional insufficiencies due to malabsorption. However, because the post-procedure capacity of the stomach is severely reduced, attentiveness to nutritional value, intake of lean proteins, as well as vitamins and supplements are required to avoid becoming malnourished.
Immediately after surgery, until two to three weeks post-procedure, patients remain on a diet of clear liquids. In the first few days, a patient can take only 1 or 2 ounces at a time, and gradually working upwards from there. It is important to increase the amount very gradually, because overdoing it will lead to nausea and vomiting. During this time foods such as applesauce or gelatin will be introduced, and caloric intake will gradually increase from 50 to 700 calories per day.
Over the next few months post-procedure, the doctor will advise patients on the introduction of more solid foods, with an emphasis on lean proteins, starting with chicken. Patients are advised to avoid sweets and processed foods, and to limit their diets to lean proteins, whole grains, as well as vegetables and fruits. During this period, daily caloric intake reaches 600 to 800 calories per day, with meals of approximately 4 to 6 ounces. Liquids should be taken between meals, not with meals. Due to the limited amount of calories that will be part of your diet after Gastric sleeve, it is important to take daily multivitamins and nutritional supplements, such as Calcium, Iron, and Vitamin D to avoid malnutrition.
