Bowel Obstruction Diet Guide
Bowel obstruction is a condition in which adhesions, or bands of internal scar tissue, prevent the body from processing food. It can leave patients in excruciating pain and severely impact their quality of life. The good news is that modifying your diet is one of the immediate steps you can take for relief if you are having bowel obstruction symptoms.
Download our free Digestive Health Guide to learn more.
How to Relieve a Bowel Obstruction Through Diet
Strategically choosing the foods you eat can help alleviate symptoms, and the key lies in minimizing or completely eliminating fiber, depending on the severity of your condition. Fiber is found in plant foods, such as vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, legumes, and seeds. It is considered an indigestible carbohydrate. By reducing fiber in your diet, you lessen stool bulk and limit the amount of undigested materials that pass through your small and large intestines.
The following are the three main diet tracks for people with bowel obstruction and other digestive disorders. Use the above guide to help you decide which diet is appropriate for you.
Low-Fiber Diet
- Avoid any foods that make your symptoms worse.
- Cook vegetables to reduce the amount of gas they produce when you eat them.
- As your symptoms improve, bring a greater variety of foods back into your diet one at a time and in small amounts. This will help you identify any foods that you cannot tolerate.
Minimal Fiber Diet
- Transition to this track from the Low-Fiber Diet if obstruction symptoms get worse or begin occurring more frequently.
- This diet has less residue than the Low-Fiber Diet. If you continue to have abdominal or stomach pain and intestinal cramping with this diet, you may need to work with your healthcare team to lower your residue intake even more.
Liquid Diet
- You may need to follow this diet if you have severe symptoms with occasional vomiting after eating solid foods.
- This diet has little to no residue.
- Fluids are important for keeping your skin, eyes, and the lining of your mouth moist and for preventing dehydration.
- Avoid all solid foods when on a liquid diet.
While diet changes can help relieve your symptoms, they will not clear the obstruction, which can be life-threatening if untreated. To learn about treating bowel obstruction naturally and abdominal adhesions naturally, without surgery, please fill out our online Request Consultation form to schedule a free phone consultation with one of our expert therapists.
“If the information in this article sounds like it may relate to what you’re experiencing, the team at Clear Passage® Physical Therapy is here to help. Many people living with this condition simply want to know if there is a natural treatment option without drugs or surgery that could work for them. The good news is you don’t have to figure it out alone. You can request more information to speak with a knowledgeable team member who will review your situation and help you understand whether this specialized therapy may be a good fit. If you’re ready to move forward, you can also apply for therapy so the clinical staff can carefully review your health history and determine the best path toward relief. Taking a few minutes to reach out could be the first step toward getting answers—and possibly getting your life back.”