Q How should I restart eating after surgery? When can I eat anything again?
A After surgery, the principle is to progress gradually starting with liquids like water and rice water, then porridge, soft meals, and finally regular food. Once you pass gas and digestion feels comfortable, gradually add more variety, but save oily and spicy foods for later.
Detailed Answer
After appendectomy, diet progresses in stages following signs that the bowel is moving again (gas, bowel movements). It typically goes from liquids (water, clear broth) → rice water/porridge → soft semi-solid food → regular food, increasing amount and variety as digestion feels comfortable. Oily, tough, spicy foods and overeating from the start can cause digestive burden and abdominal pain, so it's best to delay these according to your recovery stage. Follow the guidance of the hospital where you had surgery for specific dietary progression.
Our Korean Medicine Clinic's Perspective
In Korean medicine too, during recovery "as much as can be digested" comes before "as much as possible." At Dongjedang, when bowel movement is weak, we take an approach that places little burden on the stomach while supporting energy, and as digestion revives, we gradually strengthen the ability to absorb, helping what you eat become material for recovery.
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