You will not hear it discussed in polite company, but a lower bowel obstruction is quite common. Adhesions or surgical scars often cause a blockage in your intestines. Mechanical obstructions caused by narrow, crimped or twisted sections of your intestines may also cause lower bowel obstructions. Once you recover from the obstruction, you might benefit from diet changes that can reduce the possibility of a recurrence. Consult a health care professional for advice about lower bowel obstruction treatments and your diet.
Treatment Diet
Unless your obstruction requires surgery, your health care professional normally treats a partial lower bowel obstruction with conservative interventions that help your bowels rest and recuperate. During treatment, you may be hospitalized and have a nasogastric tube installed temporarily. A pump, attached to the tube, evacuates your bowels above the obstruction. This removes gastric acids and gas, reduces abdominal pressure and relieves inflammation in your colon. With a conservative intervention, you receive nutrition intravenously until the obstruction clears. Then you progress to a liquid diet, followed by soft foods. To prevent a recurrence, you may need to modify your diet after your initial treatment.
Meal Modifications
To prevent future bowel obstructions, Pennsylvania Hospital's Joan Carnell Cancer Center recommends eating smaller meals. Several meals throughout the day instead of three large meals will put less stress on your bowels. Increased intake of liquids, including hot beverages, may also help your digestion and keep your bowels moving more effectively.
Dietary Fiber Modifications
People who have had lower bowel obstructions need to reduce the amount of fiber they consume, according to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Indigestible fiber can cause bowel inflammation and interfere with normal bowel movements, which may result in a new obstruction. Until your health care provider says that you can resume a normal diet, adopt a low-fiber, low-residue eating plan. MedlinePlus states that the fiber intake goal for a low-residue diet is less than 15 g per day.
Foods to Avoid
Foods that make your digestive system worker harder may contribute to the development of a bowel obstruction or a recurrence. Restrict your consumption of nuts, seeds, beans, whole grains and raw fruit and vegetables, according to Pennsylvania Hospital. Fried foods, vegetables that produce gas, such as cabbage and broccoli, and greasy foods also stay in your digestive tract longer and make it work harder.
Best Food Options
A low-fiber diet incorporates many cooked vegetables, meats and dairy products that you previously consumed, as long as you stay within daily fiber intake guidelines. MedlinePlus states that you can eat raw fruits such as watermelon, plums, peaches, bananas and papayas. Cooked vegetables choices include squash without seeds, eggplant, spinach, carrots, beets and potatoes. You can eat dairy products such as yogurt, cottage cheese, milk and even small amounts of hard cheese.
