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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    How do I get back to normal eating after long illness?

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    Digestive Health Nutrition
    I have recently been in hospital for an 8 week period where at one stage for approx 4 weeks I was unable to eat or drink anything due to illness from a bowel infection.

    I now find I do not have any appetite, that I need to force feed myself by the clock to make sure I eat - when I do, I only manage a few mouth fulls then start to feel sick.

    I have been told my body may have gone into ketosis during this illness, how can I get my body back to normal.
    • 2 answers
    • Chris Fonda
    • Elke Supple
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    Chris Fonda

    Dietitian, Nutritionist, Sports Dietitian

    As an Accredited Sports Dietitian, APD and athlete (springboard diver), Chris has both professional and personal experience in sport at the sub-elite and elite level.Chris … View Profile

    This questions is a hard one to answer though the internet. It requires a full dietary and background assessent of you and your condition. I would suggest you speak to an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD). You can find one a www.daa.asn.au

    4 weeks without eating or drinking anything is a very long time. Because you haven't used your gut for a long period, it is common to feel nauseas when you start eating again. You may be a risk of malnutrition but its hard to know when we don't have any of your height, weight, % weight change details etc…

    I hope his helps, best to seek the advice of an APD on this one. The APD will be able to tailored specific dietary advice for you :)

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    Elke Supple

    Dietitian

    Core Nutrition is the business of Mrs Elke Supple, Accredited Dietitian & Nutritionist who provides family orientated nutrition consultancy. Elke specialises in weight loss, food … View Profile

    I agree with what Chris has to say … this is a very difficult question to give a straight-forward answer. To add to what Chris recommended, if it's a bowel infection that was the problem, the infection may have affected your gut lining and hence where nutrients are usually absorbed into the body, you gut lining is not up for the job yet (so you're feeling sick even after a few mouthfuls). Lactose malabsorption, for instance, is common after surgery, and usually last for only 2-3 weeks, and then people can manage dairy foods, in the amounts they were used to again. And the infection most likely affected your good gut bacteria, which is also important in digestion. If you're not already doing so, you may want to start on a high dose of probiotics to help improve your gut flora.

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