Recovery After Cancer Surgery

Post-surgical loss of appetite and poor digestion are very common recovery-period symptoms. Anesthesia and pain medication slow bowel movement, and after fasting, the stomach must gradually readjust starting with small amounts. When chemotherapy or radiation therapy is combined, nausea, mouth sores, and taste changes can make eating itself difficult. The principle is to gradually increase soft, easily digestible food eaten in small, frequent amounts, and to consult the treating physician if weight loss continues or swallowing becomes difficult.

Our Korean Medicine Clinic's Perspective

In Korean medicine, the digestive system (bi-wi) is the key organ system that extracts energy from food. When surgery suppresses this function, eating well doesn't translate into strength, so our clinic focuses on rebuilding the disrupted digestive rhythm before replenishing energy. Digestion must be revived first so that what is eaten can become the material for recovery.