If you’re suffering from an abdominal hernia, you may need to pay special attention to your diet. There are a lot of foods that can cause your hernia to grow bigger and ache more than it usually does, so it’s imperative to avoid such foods if you don’t want to go for a surgery anytime soon.
And even if you get your hernia treated through a surgery, you’ll still need to pay attention to your diet to ensure that you don’t get the problem once again. In order to help you, we’re here to talk about 5 foods that anyone with an abdominal hernia must avoid. Let’s get started:
#1. Low-fiber foods
A lower than needed intake of fiber can cause constipation, which may, in turn, increase the pressure on your abdominal walls, thus aggravating your abdominal hernia. White bread, white rice, white pasta, meat proteins and pancakes made from refined flour are some of the items that you need to avoid. Fruits and vegetables with little-to-no pulp, and salad dressings without seeds should also be avoided.
#2. Fats
Dairy products, oil, butter, cream, and other sources of fat can also aggravate your hernia. This is especially true if you’re lactose intolerant and feel gassy after consuming foods from the categories mentioned here. Fatty pieces of meat also fall in the same category. The more bloated you get after eating this stuff, the more will be the chances of your abdominal hernia being aggravated. So avoid fats as much as possible.
#3. Acid and gas producing foods
Acidic fruits and vegetables like oranges, grapefruits, lemons, cranberry, and their juices fruits are a big NO for people suffering from an abdominal hernia. This has been suggested by many prominent medical brands. Onions, garlic, tomatoes, sauces (made of anything) are also to be avoided. Same applies to gas producing foods as well, which includes all spicy foods, fried foods, and processed foods. The principle here is the same as that of fats – bloating is not good!
#4. Alcohol, coffee, and tea
Your consumption of alcohol, coffee, and even tea can also cause problems with an abdominal hernia. These are all drinks that cause bloating, and even decaffeinated coffee can be problematic. Especially when it comes to coffee and alcohol, you must avoid drinking them before eating anything. A coffee or pint of alcohol consumed on empty stomach increases acid secretion and makes your hernia ache.
Even more surprising is the fact that Mint-tea, which is often used to soothe the stomach ache, can actually irritate your hernia rather than soothing if you’re overly generous with the quantity.
#5. Carbonated beverages
Items high in added sugars, particularly soft drinks and carbonated beverages, are also the worst enemies of your hernia as they lead to weight gain. Added sugars contribute little-to-no nutrients, but they certainly make you obese by allowing secretion of excessive carbs and bad bacteria in your body. Weight gain is a big problem, and if you’ve an abdominal hernia it can be an even bigger problem. The size of your hernia may grow, and the pain and other symptoms associated with it may also grow. So the more distance you keep from added sugars the better.
Conclusion
Avoiding these types of foods can save your abdominal hernia from worsening. But despite following all these things if you feel pain in your hernia, don’t make any delay in seeing the doctor. The pain and growth in the size of bulge are signs that blood supply to some tissues of the abdomen is being blocked. Seek urgent medical treatment (and even surgical repair, if needed) in that case.
