Raw after abdominal surgery...too soon???

[Danika]

Hi there,

About 3months ago I had abdominal surgery to remove a large non cancerous tumor. Prior to the surgery I had been vegan and approximately 70% raw. I had no trouble at all tolerating lots of raw fruits and veggies.

Well, 3months post surgery and I find I get bloated soooooooo easily and just can't seem to digest my raw food as easily (I have gone back to raw now for over 1 month). I went for a lymphatic drainage massage approx 2wks ago and also had a colonic a few days ago.

I then saw my (conventional) doctor on Friday and she said it might be a result of surgery and that I should eat soft, non-ruffage type foods (i.e., cooked oatmeal etc.).

I still believe that raw is the way to go. Has anyone had this experience??? Has anyone had to alter their raw diet after surgery???? Any insight would be greatly appreciated :)

[barose]

Have you tried smoothies? I would recommend mono food smoothies (ie. just berries and water) to start. The fact that its already broken down and no crazy food combining would probably help right now - at least until you heal more.

What do you normally eat?

[Danika]

Thanks for your reply. I had tried smoothies - had one with mango banana and apples. Found it to be too rich or heavy. Seems like mangos, bananas, grapes, dates, cherries, pears...make me feel so uncomfortable. Can get away with a peeled apple or two - granny smith seems to work the best.

I had been eating raw fruits, veggies, almond butter. I had also tried food combining.

I am thinking that a water fast for a week or so might help me heal my intestines??? I am so desperate because I know the value of raw since I had been so successful previously. I think maybe a fast will just flush all the remaining toxins out and give my body a chance to heal

[luckitri]

Slippery elm bark powder is known to be very soothing to intestines as well as keeps stuff moving through in a gentle way. Take as a tea. (1 TBLSP or 1 TSP to 1 cup hot H2o) If you are adverse to the mucilaginous texture you may wish to just have 1 teaspoon. Controversial on this board but personally I am into what works. When I give it to someone with SAD tastebuds I add cinnamon and honey but a green smoothie type person should have no problem with the mild flavor. The healers I learned this from said that there is no way you could ever ingest too much of this gentle product. You can get it in gel capsules which I would not recommend for several reasons but most importantly they can get stuck up in your intestines and that is something you do not want especially in your currently fragile condition. Try for a bulk source or remove it from the capsules if you have no other option. HFS's near communities of the elderly usually have the bulk in stock as the elderly have discovered that this item works so well for them.

[Danika]

Luckitri, thank you for the advice. I will give it a try.

[tanawana]

Try the smoothies without so many ingredients. Start with just banana and water for example?? Nuts or even almond butter can challenge even others at times, so that's not a surprise. Raw veggies can be tough too. Blended soups is the next best thing. Juicing is a good thought too. Again stick to simple juices. Just the Granny Smith and maybe a little celery to cut the sweetness if needed. A cheap wal-mart juicer can get ya started.