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Diet for hernia
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
Diet for hernia is the basis of recovery. Let's consider the basic principles of therapeutic nutrition, prohibited and permitted products, an approximate diet.
The disease is one of the most common, the treatment of which involves surgery and a long recovery period. It is a protrusion of the viscera together with the parietal leaflet of the abdominal cavity through a small defect in the muscular layer of the peritoneal wall under the skin. There are many types of pathology: femoral, inguinal, umbilical, postoperative, esophageal hernia, vertebral, strangulated.
For example, in the case of inguinal, the sac is located in the inguinal canal, and in the case of femoral - along the large vessels on the inner side of the thigh. In the case of umbilical, the sac exits through the umbilical ring, in the case of diaphragmatic - through the opening in the diaphragm. Damage to the peritoneum occurs as a result of injuries to the abdominal walls. Intestinal obstruction and chronic constipation are also factors that provoke the disease. In order to avoid the described situations, it is recommended to review your diet.
Hernia Treatment with Diet
Treatment of hernia with diet involves reviewing the diet. Diet therapy is considered a key measure to achieve a positive treatment result. Proper food consumption allows you to eliminate such disorders as heartburn, nausea, pain behind the chest, which provoke many diseases, including hernia. The diet should be based on simple rules:
- Avoid foods that cause bloating.
- Consumption of thermally processed foods.
- Fractional meals (at least 5-6 times a day).
- Avoid overeating and avoid eating 3 hours before bed.
- Eating gentle food.
As a rule, the doctor makes the correction, focusing on the characteristics of the patient's body. This approach allows you to achieve the maximum positive result in a short time. Regardless of the type of hernia, spicy and fatty foods that irritate the gastric mucosa and make the esophagus heavier are necessarily excluded from the diet. Fried foods have a negative effect on the digestive system and can cause pain in the diaphragmatic area. In this case, pain can be localized in the heart area, which is mistakenly perceived as symptoms of another disease.
Any alcoholic beverages, strong coffee and tea are prohibited. This is because they increase the acidity in the esophagus, causing discomfort. It is necessary to minimize the consumption of bakery products, fermented milk drinks, cabbage, peas and grapes. At the same time, for better absorption of food, it is recommended to sleep in a position where the head of the bed is slightly raised.
In addition to changes in diet, physical exercise is necessary for rapid recovery of the body. This prevents the progression of the disease and prevents obesity. Complex therapeutic exercises are not a burden on a weakened body, since they do not cause harm, but only strengthen, restore and correct muscle mass.
The essence of the diet for hernia
What is the diet for hernia and what are the basic rules of diet therapy? So, the treatment is aimed at restoring the normal functioning of all body systems. For these purposes, proper, that is, healthier nutrition, which involves giving up unhealthy food, is perfect.
You will have to completely reconsider your attitude to food. You need to eat often, but in small portions, that is, adhere to the fractional principle. Particular attention is paid to the drinking regime. Water starts the metabolism process and speeds up the recovery process. All dishes must undergo thorough heat treatment. It is advisable to boil, bake, stew or steam food. Solid food must be thoroughly processed in order not to irritate the intestinal mucosa and not cause increased gas formation, flatulence or constipation.
Various spices, seasonings, sauces, marinades and salt are not used during treatment. Since they affect the acidity level and can cause a number of unfavorable symptoms from the digestive organs. All food should be fresh, rich in vitamins, minerals and microelements.
Diet for hiatal hernia
The therapeutic diet for pathological protrusion of the esophagus is aimed at eliminating painful sensations and restoring the body in the postoperative period. It is impossible to cure this disease only with proper nutrition or medications. Surgery allows you to completely eliminate the defect.
Basic principles of therapy:
- Avoid foods that chemically or mechanically irritate the mucous membrane.
- Fractional nutrition to normalize intra-abdominal pressure.
- Avoiding foods that cause reflux and increased gas formation.
It is necessary to completely exclude carbonated drinks, yeast-based baked goods, milk, cabbage, peas, and grapes from the diet, as they cause flatulence. Dishes such as semolina porridge, rice, or boiled eggs can cause constipation, so it is worth limiting their consumption. During treatment, it is necessary to avoid apples, citrus fruits, sour berries, fried meat, smoked meats, and sausages, seeds, fatty cottage cheese, and cheese.
The basis of the diet should be porridge - oatmeal, buckwheat, millet, barley. They need to be well boiled, eaten with a minimum amount of salt and oil. As for fermented milk products, the possibility of their use depends on the individual characteristics of the patient's body. Of the meat and fish dishes, lean meats (chicken, turkey) and boiled fish are suitable. Do not use spices or breadcrumbs during cooking. Of the vegetables, only cabbage is prohibited, the rest should be eaten, as they are rich in essential vitamins and minerals. You should be careful when choosing fruits, the safest are bananas, soft pears and baked apples without the peel. Even with careful adherence to the recommended treatment, do not forget that after eating you need to walk a little so that the esophagus can digest the food. Overeating at night is contraindicated.
Diet for hiatal hernia
Elderly people most often face dietary restrictions due to a hernia of the esophageal opening of the diaphragm. Since this age category is at risk for developing the disease. The disease is not particularly dangerous or fatal, but when it is detected, it is necessary to carefully restore health. The main feature of the disease is that it can be treated not only surgically. The operation is performed when the neoplasm reaches large sizes and interferes with normal life.
The main symptom of the disease is heartburn, chest pain, and difficulty swallowing. These symptoms appear due to the protrusion of the peritoneal organs through the esophageal opening of the diaphragm into the chest. Treatment involves refusing to eat foods that cause flatulence and constipation. Bowel movements should be without difficulty, that is, treatment is aimed at normalizing the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
During treatment, you should avoid:
- Fat
- Fried
- Spicy
- Smoked meats
- Salty
- Spices
- Sweets
- Sour foods and juices
- Alcohol
- Carbonated drinks
- Strong tea and coffee
They increase the acidity level of the esophagus, increasing painful symptoms in the esophageal opening of the diaphragm. It is necessary to minimize the consumption of fermented milk drinks and bakery products. Before eating, it is recommended to drink one tablespoon of unrefined oil. At the same time, after eating, it is forbidden to lie down to rest, it is better to walk in the fresh air or do something around the house, but avoid increased physical activity.
You need to eat often and in small portions, that is, adhere to the principle of fractional nutrition. Particular attention should be paid to the process of cooking. It is best to bake, boil or stew, that is, cook with a minimum amount of oil and fat. During the day and especially before bed, you need to drink water with increased acidity, as it reduces the acidity of the esophagus. It is best to sleep on the right side, as this body position minimizes the possibility of acid from the esophagus getting into the sternum.
Diet for sliding hernia of the esophagus
Proper nutrition for sliding hernia of the esophagus helps reduce pain and speed up the body's recovery. The disease refers to a congenital or acquired hernia of the esophageal opening, which can be fixed and non-fixed. The pathology occurs when a hernial sac forms in the upper part of the stomach. Genetic predisposition, weakened muscles of the diaphragm and esophagus, sudden increase in pressure, injuries - all these are factors that provoke the disease.
Therapeutic nutrition is aimed at reducing painful symptoms, but only with the help of surgical intervention can the disease be completely eliminated.
Prohibited products:
- Carbonated drinks, alcohol, strong tea and coffee.
- Baked goods made from white flour with yeast.
- Legumes and soybeans.
- Bran, seeds, nuts.
- Fresh and pickled cabbage, raw beets, apples, sour berries.
- Spicy, salty, marinades, fatty meat and fish.
- Coarse porridges.
During periods of exacerbation, you should avoid potatoes, white rice, pasta, hard-boiled eggs and any other foods that cause constipation.
Recommendations:
- The diet should include enveloping foods that help normalize digestion - these are boiled porridges.
- Lean varieties of fish and meat are ideal. They can be boiled, baked, or steamed.
- Boiled vegetables are good for the gastrointestinal tract. Of the fruits, you can eat peaches, pears and bananas.
- In the postoperative period, a liquid diet is used, which consists of vegetable broths, soups and broths.
Diet for hiatal hernia
Treatment of the digestive organs and gastrointestinal tract is based on reviewing eating habits. This also applies to the treatment of hiatal hernia. Treatment is similar to the principles of nutrition for other types of esophageal and gastrointestinal tract lesions. This type of disease is an expansion of the esophagus near the stomach of the diaphragm, through which the lower parts of the esophagus and part of the stomach can shift into the chest. The disease is chronic, the treatment of which can be both conservative and surgical.
As a diet therapy, table No. 1 is used, which is used for the treatment and prevention of ulcerative diseases and lesions of the duodenum. Meals should be fractional, overeating, fasting and eating food 3 hours before bedtime are prohibited.
The menu should be balanced, and the products should be high-quality, natural and fresh. A properly composed menu minimizes pain after surgery and eliminates ailments during conservative therapy. Food should be soft and mushy, this will prevent flatulence and constipation. On the first day after surgery, only drinking is allowed, but in the future it is necessary to adhere to a drinking regimen (at least 2 liters per day). Fried, spicy, salty, pickled and smoked foods are strictly prohibited. The patient needs to eat light porridge, lean fish and meat, vegetables and fruits.
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Diet for diaphragmatic hernia
Healthy nutrition for eliminating diaphragmatic hernia is a set of measures that occupy an important place in the overall treatment plan. As with any other gastrointestinal tract disease, frequent meals are necessary, but with a significant reduction in portion sizes. You need to give up fatty, fried, spicy, salty and smoked foods. Such food increases the secretion of gastric juice, which is best avoided with this ailment. Alcoholic drinks and carbonated drinks are prohibited.
Drinking regimen is of great importance in the process of diet therapy. You should drink at least two liters of purified water per day. In the first half of the day, it is not recommended to eat legumes, corn, cabbage. Physical activity is not recommended after eating, but you should not lie down either. Particular attention should be paid to food with a high protein content: cottage cheese, fish, egg white, boiled meat. Vegetable oils (sea buckthorn, sunflower, olive) and fish oil have positive properties for the body and digestive tract, but they should be taken before meals.
Diet for spinal hernia
Diet therapy for spinal hernia refers to conservative treatment methods. This disease brings a lot of inconvenience and painful sensations, complicating any movement. Treatment consists of several rules, let's consider them:
- Drinking regime
The diet should include purified fresh water. You should avoid carbonated drinks, strong coffee, tea, and juices with dyes. Such drinks do not replenish the water balance, causing a water deficit in the body. This affects fragile joints, intervertebral discs, and cartilage.
- Vitamin therapy
The spine and the entire skeletal system of the body need vitamins A, B, C, D and microelements: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, which must be present in the diet. They can be obtained from fermented milk products, meat, fish, fresh vegetables and fruits.
- Vitamin A – fish, eggs, liver, fruits (peaches, melon), vegetables (pumpkin, carrots, artichokes).
- B vitamins – beef liver, brain and heart, seafood, fish, fermented milk products, barley, buckwheat, bananas, avocado.
- Vitamin D – fish oil, milk, eggs, butter. Sunbathing promotes the production of vitamin.
- Vitamin C – vegetables, berries, fruits, greens and citrus fruits. Does not accumulate in the body, so its supply must be replenished daily.
- Calcium – cheese, nuts, seeds, red beets, wholemeal corn flour.
- Magnesium – legumes, cucumbers, cottage cheese, cheese, seeds.
- Phosphorus – fish, lettuce, peas, soy, cheeses.
- Manganese – natural cheeses, bananas, walnuts, seaweed, onions, animal and poultry offal, almonds, egg yolk.
- Overweight
Very often, extra pounds cause damage to the musculoskeletal system. Excess weight increases the pressure on the vertebrae and intervertebral discs, squeezing the nerve roots. This disorganizes the metabolism in the body and disrupts biochemical processes. As a result, normal blood supply and functioning of the spine are disrupted. In this case, the diet is aimed at normalizing weight.
The first rule is to eat every 3 hours, but in small portions, there should be 5-6 meals a day. Overeating and eating before bedtime are prohibited. The menu should contain many vitamins and minerals, and a drinking regime is mandatory. Bad habits such as smoking and abuse of alcoholic beverages, strong tea and coffee have a negative impact not only on the general condition of the body, but also on the health of the spinal column.
Diet for intervertebral hernia
The diet for intervertebral hernia is aimed at strengthening the skeletal system. The body needs to be saturated with useful vitamins and microelements. During the treatment, products that worsen the patient's condition are excluded. This category includes alcoholic beverages, fried and spicy foods, white rice, margarine and butter, bakery products, tomatoes.
The spine requires a full and constant supply of vitamins and microelements. For normal functioning, it needs calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, which can be obtained from food or medications. The diet should include fruits and berries (bananas, pears, apples, raspberries, blueberries), vegetables (asparagus, pumpkin, all types of cabbage, lettuce), legumes, nuts, fish and seafood, lean meat, broths (vegetable, meat, fish).
In addition to vitaminization, with intervertebral hernia it is recommended to eat often (5-6 times a day), but in small portions. The last meal no later than 3-4 hours before bedtime. Do not forget about drinking, it is allowed to drink purified water, fresh natural juices, herbal decoctions and compotes.
Diet for spinal hernia
A therapeutic diet for a herniated disc is used in case of metabolic and nutritional disorders of the intervertebral discs. A therapeutic diet is as important as drug therapy or physical exercise. By including healthy food in the menu, you can help stop the pathological process and prevent possible exacerbations. Let's consider the basic principles of nutrition during treatment:
- At least two liters of purified water per day.
- Food rich in proteins, vitamins and microelements.
- Reducing daily caloric intake in case of excess body weight.
- Avoidance of foods that irritate the gastrointestinal tract.
Protein-rich foods speed up the regeneration process. On average, an adult needs 60-100 g of protein per day, but with some concomitant diseases, protein consumption is limited. This microelement, like collagen, is part of the intervertebral discs, making them elastic and durable. Therapeutic nutrition allows you to strengthen muscles during the period of restorative physical training. A special place in the menu should be occupied by fresh vegetables and fruits, cottage cheese, lean poultry, eggs, natural cheeses.
Diet for inguinal hernia
A special menu used for inguinal hernia is used both before and after surgery. This helps to avoid complications and speeds up the recovery process. The duration of diet therapy depends on the type of surgery performed and the characteristics of the patient's body.
- On the first day after surgery, the energy value of the diet should not exceed 1000 kilocalories, and the amount of liquid up to 2 liters. Food should be liquid or semi-liquid, but rich in vitamins. It is worth sticking to a fractional diet. Patients are recommended to drink herbal decoctions, weak meat and vegetable broths, natural berry or fruit juices, soft-boiled eggs, kissels and jelly.
- In the following days of treatment, the caloric content can be increased. But the therapy should be aimed at preventing increased gas formation and bloating. To do this, you need to eat in small portions. The menu should include fruit and berry juices, kissels and jellies, soups on vegetable broth with cereals, herbal decoctions, boiled or steamed fish, mashed porridges and non-acidic fruit drinks.
- Gradually add products to transition to a physiologically complete regime. At the same time, the energy value increases. In addition to the above dishes, cream soups, steamed dishes, cottage cheese, fermented milk drinks, baked apples, fruit puree are added to the menu. This allows you to avoid complications that may arise after hernia repair. The diet should contain a lot of protein.
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Diet for abdominal hernia
A diet for abdominal hernia is necessary to speed up the recovery process and maintain normal functioning of all organs and systems of the body. The disease is a protrusion of abdominal organs through the hernial orifice. The main causes of the pathology are: increased intra-abdominal pressure, weakness of the abdominal walls. The disease is accompanied by pain, nausea and frequent constipation.
Proper nutrition is an important point in the treatment process. As it alleviates the feeling of discomfort and restores the normal functioning of the digestive system. It is necessary to exclude from the menu all fatty, fried, spicy or salty foods. Alcohol, soda, strong tea and coffee, spices, seasonings, marinades and sauces are prohibited. All the above products affect the acidity level of the esophagus, which can increase painful symptoms.
Before and immediately after meals, it is recommended to take one spoon of unrefined oil or a spoon of oatmeal. This is necessary to normalize bowel function and prevent frequent constipation. Treatment is based on regular meals in small portions. Particular attention should be paid to solid food. After heat treatment, it should be soft, for free passage through the gastrointestinal tract. During the day, you should drink water with a high alkali content, as it lowers the acidity level.
Diet for stomach hernia
Therapeutic nutrition for hernial lesions of the stomach is necessary to prevent serious toxic processes that accompany this disease. The disease is a prolapse of the stomach into the chest cavity, which causes the development of pathogenic microorganisms. Most often, this disease occurs with long-term abuse of alcoholic beverages, overeating and smoking. The patient complains of pain in the sternum and left shoulder, discomfort under the ribs. If these symptoms are ignored, then severe pain during exercise appears later, internal bleeding, fever, frequent heartburn, belching and nausea are possible.
The treatment helps to restore the normal functioning of the affected organ in the postoperative period and reverse the pathological processes leading to the development of the disease.
- Food should be soft. For example, vegetables and fruits are best baked or stewed and eaten without skin. Porridge should be ground in a blender or rubbed through a sieve.
- It is strictly forbidden to consume carbonated drinks and alcohol. If this rule is not followed, then other principles of the dietary ration do not make sense.
- You can only drink clean water, but in small amounts of 50-70 ml at a time.
- Completely exclude fried, spicy, salty and sweet foods from your diet.
- Meals should be fractional. Overeating and prolonged fasting should be avoided.
Diet for umbilical hernia
Diet therapy for umbilical hernia accelerates the recovery process and minimizes pain and discomfort. The organs fall out where the abdominal muscle walls are weakened. Such weak spots include the navel area. Most often, women over 30 suffer from this pathology after childbirth (pregnancy weakens the umbilical ring).
For treatment, an operation is performed, after which diet therapy is required. It is necessary to minimize the pressure in the intestines on the operated area. To do this, food that causes prolonged digestion and increased gas formation is excluded from the diet.
Recommendations:
- Vegetable, fish and low-fat meat broths.
- Liquid porridges.
- Lean varieties of boiled meat and fish.
- Steamed dishes.
- Eggs.
- Cottage cheese.
- Herbal teas, compotes, jelly.
To speed up the digestion process in the first week after surgery, the patient is prescribed enzymatic drug support. Dietary restrictions must be strictly adhered to in the first year after surgery.
Hernia Diet Menu
The hernia diet menu allows you to create a diet rich in healthy and tasty food. Considering all the contraindications, let's look at an approximate menu for one day:
Breakfast:
- A glass of water
- Soft-boiled egg
- A glass of herbal or green tea
- 100 g fresh low-fat cottage cheese
Snack:
- A glass of water
- 1 banana
- A glass of fruit drink, jelly or fruit jelly
Dinner:
- A glass of water
- Soup with vegetable or chicken broth and cereals
- Barley porridge
- Steamed chicken cutlet
- Salad of fresh cucumber, green lettuce, bell pepper and olive oil
Snack:
- A glass of water
- Baked apple
- A cup of warm dried fruit tea
Dinner:
- A glass of water
- Boiled or baked fish with herbs
- Boiled vegetables
- A couple of slices of dried black bread
Second dinner:
- A handful of raisins or prunes
- 100 g cottage cheese
- Fruit juice
Hernia Diet Recipes
Hernia diet recipes allow you to diversify your diet with tasty and healthy dishes. Despite a number of restrictions in the choice of products, you can always cook something nutritious and original.
- Fish soup
- 1-2 river or sea fish carcasses
- Onion – 1 pc.
- Carrot – 1 pc.
- Bay leaf
- Dill
Wash the fish thoroughly under running water, clean and gut. Cut into random pieces and put on the stove in a saucepan with water. As soon as the water boils, add the bay leaf and half an onion to the broth. Finely chop the carrots and add to the fish. After 20 minutes, take the onion out of the soup, check the readiness of the fish with a skewer or fork and add dill.
- Beetroot salad with prunes
- Boiled beets – 1-2 pcs.
- Prunes – 100 g
- Olive oil – 2-30 g
Peel the beetroot and grate it on a fine grater. Cut the prunes into small pieces. Mix the ingredients and season with oil. This salad will prevent constipation and improve intestinal peristalsis.
- Banana soufflé
- Banana – 2-3 pcs.
- Honey – 50 g
- Cottage cheese 100 g
- Raisins – 50 g
Rub the cottage cheese through a sieve or beat in a blender until smooth. Grind the bananas until mushy. Wash the raisins under running water and cut into smaller pieces. Mix all the ingredients, season with honey, and mix thoroughly. Put the future soufflé in the oven for 20-30 minutes at 180-200 degrees or in the microwave for 10 minutes at maximum power.
A diet for a hernia is a long-term but safe method of treatment. A healthy diet will restore the normal functioning of all organs and prevent possible complications. The menu should be prepared by a doctor, taking into account the characteristics of the patient's body and the course of the disease. Revision of nutritional principles will improve well-being and promote a speedy recovery.
What can you eat if you have a hernia?
What can you eat with a hernia? This is a question that everyone who has been diagnosed with this condition faces. Let's look at the main recommendations:
- The diet should include porridge, only rice is prohibited. A little oil can be added to the dish, but salt, sugar and other seasonings are contraindicated, as they increase the acidity of the stomach and cause belching.
- As for fermented milk products, doctors' opinions are divided. Some believe that dishes made from cottage cheese, sour cream and kefir are indispensable for the body. Others claim that they increase stomach acidity. Therefore, it is worth consulting with your doctor.
- Boiled fish and lean meats are useful for any type of disease. They can be used to make minced meat, soufflé, steamed cutlets and meatballs.
- You can eat all vegetables except cabbage and legumes, as they cause flatulence and increased gas formation.
- You should eat no more than three fruits a day. Bananas, pears, peaches, baked apples without skin are useful, but you should avoid grapes.
What should you not eat if you have a hernia?
What you can't eat with a hernia is a pressing question, since eating prohibited food can cause an exacerbation of the disease or serious complications. The main contraindications are:
- Alcohol, carbonated drinks, mineral water. Purified still water at room temperature is perfect for quenching thirst.
- Bakery products, sweets and any pastries made from yeast dough. Black bread is also prohibited.
- Soy milk and legumes – cause increased gas formation and bloating.
- In the first days after surgery, you should not eat coarse cereals, as they will slow down the work of the digestive organs.
- Citrus fruits, sour berries, nuts, seeds and bran.
- Fresh apples, raw beets, sauerkraut and fresh cabbage.
- Fried, spicy and salty foods are prohibited. During treatment, you will have to give up fatty cheeses and sausages, fatty meats and lard.