Digestive Health Guide for Bowel Obstruction

Clear Passage Physical Therapy
Digestive Health Guide
General Guidelines
• If you peel foods and remove seeds, you will reduce the amount of fiber.
• Meat, dairy and eggs do not have fiber and are a good source of protein.
However, avoid lactose-containing drinks if you have problems with milk
products.
• Do not force food; eat only as much as you are comfortable consuming.
• Chew all solid foods well; relax and enjoy what you eat.
• Keep a food journal. Write down which foods may make you nauseated,
bloated or give you cramps.
• Stay hydrated. Health professionals suggest drinking up to 64 ounces of
water per day. Remember “8 by 8” (8 glasses of 8 ounces of water)!
• Eat small, frequent meals and snacks. Eat every two or three hours, rather than having three larger
meals.
• Avoid fatty and greasy foods. These are much more difficult to digest and may stay in your stomach
longer, causing greater discomfort.
• Avoid gas-forming foods such as gassy vegetables (e.g. beans, broccoli, cauliflower), carbonated
drinks and chewing gum.
Did You Know?
Fiber became a household word in the 1970s when Dr. Denis Burkitt, a man nicknamed the
Fiber Man, and his colleagues made “the fiber hypothesis,” which states that fiber can prevent
certain diseases. Through their work in Africa, they discovered that diseases that were common
in Western cultures were not common there. These included heart attacks, high blood pressure
(cardiovascular diseases), obesity and diabetes.
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