Do you feel very full even after eating a small amount of food? Do you have stomach pain, nausea, or even vomiting? If you have these symptoms all the time, you may have a condition called gastroparesis. Don't be alarmed when you hear this, this is a problem that many people have. Let's talk about it simply today.
What exactly is gastroparesis?
Simply put, gastroparesis is a condition in which your stomach, or stomach, empties more slowly than usual. Doctors also call this 'delayed gastric emptying'. This can cause things like feeling full after eating, nausea, and stomach pain. This can also prevent you from getting the calories, vitamins, and minerals you need.
There is no specific "gastroparesis diet" for this. But if you make some changes to the way you eat and the things you eat, you can greatly reduce the discomfort you feel. Your doctor may refer you to a dietitian. They can then develop a diet plan that is right for you. Let's look at some common things that can be done.
Let's change the way we eat and prepare food.
Our main goal should be to provide your body with the exact nutrition it needs while reducing your symptoms. While not everyone will have the same results, these tips should help you.
- Increase the number of meals and reduce the amount of food you eat at one meal: Instead of eating a large meal at once, try eating 4-6 small meals a day. This will help your stomach empty faster because you won't be eating too much at once. A small meal is usually about 1 or 1½ cups of food.
- Eat nutritious foods first: Eat something nutritious before you feel full. Don't fill your stomach with empty calories like desserts and snacks.
- Blend your food and drink it: This is a very important tip. Liquids empty your stomach faster than solid foods. So, put your food (whether it's meat, fish, or chicken) in a blender with a little water, fruit juice, milk, or broth to make a liquid and drink it.
- Reduce Fiber and Fat: Both of these delay stomach emptying. If possible, avoid eating more than 2-3 grams of fiber at a time. Try to keep your total fat intake to 30-50 grams per day.
- Add more liquid fats: Sometimes, liquid fats are easier to digest than solid fats. This can be a good solution if you're on a calorie deficit.
- Chew your food thoroughly: Solid food is difficult for your stomach to digest. So, before you swallow, you should chew your food thoroughly, like mashed potatoes .
- Drink plenty of water and fluids: Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Dehydration can make nausea worse. If you are vomiting frequently, your doctor may recommend that you drink something with sugar or electrolytes, such as Jeevani.
- Solid foods in the morning, liquids later in the day: Eating a small amount of solid food in the morning and switching to liquid foods (e.g., soups, smoothies) for the rest of the day can help. If your symptoms are severe, your doctor may recommend that you go on an all-liquid diet for a while.
Let's stay away from these foods and drinks for a while.
Some foods can make your symptoms worse. The table below explains this further.
| What to avoid | Description and examples |
|---|---|
| High-fat solid foods | Processed meats like sausages, hot dogs, and any fried or greasy foods. Choose low-fat or fat-free options. |
| High-fiber foods | These are difficult to digest. Sometimes the fibers can clump together and form a lump in the stomach. This is called a bezoar. For example: raw fruits (apples, berries, coconut, oranges), raw vegetables (cabbage, corn, beans, potato skins), whole grains, nuts and nut butters, nuts such as lentils, and chickpeas. |
| Hard-to-digest foods | Hard-to-digest meats like steak, anything with skin. |
| Dairy foods | You may have difficulty digesting the sugar lactose in milk. Instead, use lactose-free milk or something like soy milk. |
| Alcohol and smoking | Both of these further slow down the rate at which the stomach empties. |
| Carbonated drinks | The air bubbles in drinks like soda can make your stomach feel fuller. |
Drinking a large amount of liquid at once can also make you feel full. So sip water slowly while eating.
So, what should we eat?
You may have to experiment with different foods to find what works best for you, but here are some foods that your doctor may recommend.
| Food type | Things you can eat |
|---|---|
| Starches | White bread, white pasta, crackers. |
| Grains | White rice, instant oats, low-fiber cereals. |
| Protein | Chicken, fish, tofu, lean beef, smooth nut butter (1-2 tablespoons). |
| Fruit | Peeled, boiled, or canned foods. Examples: applesauce, bananas, peaches, pears, cantaloupe. |
| Vegetables | Well-boiled, peeled vegetables. For example: carrots, zucchini, pumpkin, bell peppers, peeled sweet potatoes or potatoes. |
| Dairy foods or alternatives | Skim milk, soy/rice/almond milk, low-fat cheese, yogurt, pudding. |
| High-calorie drinks | Fruit juices, milkshakes, protein smoothies, nutritional drinks. |
A few more important tips
- Sit up straight: Sit up straight while eating and for at least an hour after eating. Do not recline. This will reduce pressure on your stomach.
- Take a short walk: Taking a short walk after eating can reduce symptoms.
- Keep a food diary: Write down what you eat each day and how you feel after eating it. This will help you understand which foods are causing you discomfort.
The relationship between gastroparesis and diabetes
This is a very important point. If diabetes mellitus is not properly controlled, it can also cause delayed emptying of the stomach. The reason for this is that when blood sugar levels are high for a long time, it damages the nerves. This also affects the nerves in the stomach.
Therefore, if you have diabetes, it is essential to talk to your doctor and ensure that your blood sugar levels are well controlled.
Take-Home Message
- Gastroparesis is a condition in which the stomach empties later than normal.
- Instead of eating a lot at once, eat small meals several times a day.
- Reduce foods high in fat and fiber as much as possible.
- Liquid foods are easier to digest than solid foods. Chew and crush food thoroughly before swallowing.
- Keep a food diary to find out what foods are difficult for you.
- Before making any dietary changes, be sure to talk to your doctor.
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