Know how diet can help manage bowel function – for women with gynecologic cancers.
In this video you will learn how your diet can help manage bowel function if you have
constipation, if you are at risk or have partial bowel obstruction, or if you have complete
bowel obstruction.
How diet can help manage bowel function if you have constipation.
If you have constipation as described in the video, know how to maintain good bowel function,
and are not at risk of bowel obstruction, you may be asked to increase fluid and fibre
in your diet.
Fibre keeps fluid in your poo which makes it soft and easy to pass.
High fibre foods include fresh fruits like berries, grapes and apples with skin, whole
grain breads, crackers, cereals, dried peas, beans, and lentils.
However, women with gynecologic cancer, mainly women with ovarian cancer, should not increase
fibre in their diet if they have or are at risk of having bowel obstruction.
Your doctor will tell you if it is safe to add fibre to your diet to help manage your
constipation.
How diet can help manage bowel function if you are at risk or have partial bowel obstruction.
If you are at risk of bowel obstruction, or if you have partial bowel obstruction, it
may be hard for poo to pass through narrow parts of your bowel.
The foods you eat and how much you eat at one time may help to release symptoms you
may have, such as bloating, cramping, and feeling full.
The right diet may also help you poo.
Your doctor will tell you if you need to follow a low fibre diet and how strict you need to
be with your diet.
Too much fibre in your diet can make your poo bigger and may increase your risk of bowel
obstruction or may make your partial bowel obstruction worse.
If you are on a low fibre diet, only eat cooked vegetables.
Do not eat raw vegetables or the skins and seeds from fruits and vegetables.
These foods are hard for your body to digest.
They may be hard to pass through your bowel if you have partial bowel obstruction.
It may be hard to follow a low fibre diet.
It may seem as though there are a lot of foods that you cannot eat.
However, you actually have many food options available to you.
You may need to try different foods, prepare your meals in other ways and eat smaller meals
more often.
A registered dietician can help you choose the right foods to make sure you are getting enough
calories and nutrients in your diet.
Some patients with partial bowel obstruction may need to follow a fluid diet.
Your doctor will tell you if you can only have fluids and how long you will be on this
diet.
To help you maintain good bowel function: drink 6 cups or 1.5 litres of fluids every
day unless restricted by your doctor.
Fluids mean any liquids that do not have alcohol in them.
Ask your health care team which fluids are right for you.
Chew solid food well.
This helps your body to digest or break down food.
Eat small meals, for example, eat six small meals every day because you may not feel well
if you eat too much food at one time.
Eat snacks during your day to help reduce discomfort such as pain or bloating in your
stomach.
If you are unable to eat well, ask your doctor about taking a daily multiple vitamin mineral
supplement.
Stay active, for example, walking may keep your bowels moving and may help prevent constipation.
Talk to your dietician about other tips to help you manage your bowel function and what
foods you can eat.
How diet can help manage bowel function if you have a complete bowel obstruction.
If you have complete bowel obstruction you will not be able to eat or drink anything.
Talk to your health care team about how to manage complete bowel obstruction.
In this video you learned how diet helps manage bowel function, if you have constipation,
if you are at risk or have partial bowel obstruction, or if you have complete bowel obstruction.