People are forced to consume liquid or soft diets for a variety of reasons, such as after dental work, surgery or due to illness. Solid food should be reintroduced to your diet gradually, according to "Foundations of Nursing," to prevent pain, nausea, gastrointestinal distress and bloating. How quickly you reintroduce solid food into your diet should be based upon your tolerance to the introduction of solid food and the amount of time that you were limited to a soft or liquid diet.
Step 1
Consult your physician to ensure that you are ready to start eating a solid diet. Eating solid foods too soon can lead to gastrointestinal distress, according to "Gastrointestinal Nursing."
Step 2
Eat a soft diet. Do this for two to three days if you were confined to a liquid diet. "Foundations of Nursing" explains that it is important to eat a soft diet for several days after being limited to a liquid diet to build up gastrointestinal tolerance to solid food.
Step 3
Consume only bland carbohydrates. Eat foods such as plain toast, unsalted crackers and plain rice for one to two days to prepare your stomach to break down solid foods.
Step 4
Incorporate steamed or boiled vegetables into your diet. You can now eat vegetables in addition to the bland carbohydrates for one to two days.
Step 5
Add bland lean protein. This could include plain chicken breast or turkey. Eat the lean, bland proteins for one to two days.
Step 6
Add raw fruits and vegetables. You can eat these foods for one to two days, in addition to the bland protein and steamed or boiled vegetables.
Step 7
Go back to your regular diet.
References
- "Gastrointestinal Nursing"; Graeme Smith and Roger Watson; 2005
- "Introduction to Medical-Surgical Nursing"; Adrianne Dill Linton; 2007
- "Foundations of Nursing"; Lois White, Gena Duncan and Wendy Baumle; 2010
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