Gastroparesis is a disorder that reduces your stomach's ability to empty out its contents. A healthy stomach contracts to transport food down to the small intestine, but when you have gastroparesis the muscles of your stomach wall work poorly or simply don't work at all, according to MayoClinic.com. As a result, digesting food becomes difficult and you are likely to experience symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. Although gastroparesis has no cure, making certain changes to your diet may help reduce symptoms.
Low-Fiber Foods
Some foods contain material that isn't digestible. You should avoid eating these foods when you have gastroparesis because the indigestible parts of the food will stay in your stomach for too long and may lead to bacterial overgrowth or form solid masses known as benzoars, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Benzoars can be especially dangerous if they block off food as it travels to your small intestine. To reduce your risk of complications, stick with tomato juice; well-cooked skinless vegetables such as beets, mushrooms, spinach and yams; and low-fiber grains such as pasta, egg noodles and white breads. Avoid eating all raw vegetables, and steer clear of cooked vegetables with skins such as broccoli, corn, celery, zucchini, beans and eggplant. Also avoid oatmeal, whole grain starches and fibrous meats.
Low-Fat Foods
Fats cause a natural delay in stomach emptying, so limit your intake of fatty foods such as whole-fat dairy products, creamy soups, organ and lunch meats, oil-packed fish, nuts, regular nut butters, mayonnaise, ice cream and sweets baked with large quantities of butter. Emphasize low-fat varieties of foods whenever possible. You can usually find lower-fat foods like skinless poultry, lean fish and beef, skim dairy products, fat-free gravies and low-fat creamy nut butters. Treats are also OK from time to time, but stick with low-fat ones such as frozen yogurt, angel food cake and gelatin.
Liquids
Gastroparesis symptoms can be mild, may be persistent and severe or may come in occasional bouts. You should generally be able to tolerate liquids and soft or pureed foods better than solids If your stomach emptying is ever significantly impaired. Most liquids quickly and easily leave the stomach. The Ohio State University Medical Center recommends starting with liquid or pureed foods as soon as your symptoms flare up, including nutritional supplement shakes to get the right amounts of protein and calories in your diet. Include soft foods when your symptoms subside, and chew everything as thoroughly as possible.
Meal Frequency
You may find that you have fewer digestive problems if you eat small and frequent meals. Less food in the stomach means you're less likely to become too full. Rather than two or three meals per day, aim for five or six meals split up into the same number of calories you would normally eat. An example of a small meal is half a sandwich with one-third cup of applesauce and a glass of water.
Feeding Tube
If your gastroparesis is so severe you can't even tolerate pureed foods and liquids, your doctor may recommend you have a feeding tube placed in your small intestine. A tube may be inserted through your nose or mouth or directly through your skin. A feeding tube is usually needed only on a temporary basis when symptoms are severe or blood sugar levels are out of control, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse.
References
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Gastroparesis
- Jackson Siegelbaum Gastroenterology: Gastroparesis; Frank W. Jackson, M.D.
- American College of Gastroenterology: Gastroparesis; Jean Fox, M.D., and Amy Foxx-Orenstein, D.O., FACG
- MayoClinic.com: Gastroparesis: Treatments and Drugs
- Ohio State University Medical Center: Diet for Gastroparesis
