Have you ever been told that you can't eat anything solid? This sometimes happens as a requirement for certain medical procedures and has nothing to do with weight loss diets. Here we explain what the liquid diet consists of.
If you've ever had surgery, you know that it's common for your doctor to order you not to eat anything solid for at least 12 hours before surgery. This is called a “liquid diet” and may also be prescribed for certain medical tests that require you to not have food in your stomach or intestines. One of these tests may be a colonoscopy, which is done to check your colon for polyps (pre-cancerous lesions that may not cause symptoms) or to detect other abnormalities. If you don't eat solids for a certain number of hours, your intestine will be cleaner (a liquid diet doesn't leave residue in the gastrointestinal tract) so your doctor can clearly see what's inside.
In some cases of gastrointestinal infections where nausea, vomiting or diarrhea occurs and in the case of certain surgeries, a liquid diet is recommended after the operation for a few days to allow the intestine to rest.
Remember that a liquid diet should only be followed during the days stipulated by your doctor. These are some of the foods your doctor will recommend to keep you hydrated and energized:
- Water and pulp-free fruit juices (such as apple juice)
- Vegetable broth or chicken broth
- Sodas or soft drinks (preferably clear ones)
- Tea and sometimes coffee, without cream
- Jelly
- Sport drinks
Sometimes red liquids are not allowed. Your doctor will tell you.
Don't adopt this diet to lose weight. It has not been designed for this purpose and your body needs other nutrients. So if your problem is excess weight, better visit a qualified nutritionist.
PRONAPRESA
"Because prevention is better than cure"
