Recipes For After Bypass Surgery?

My husband had by-pass surgery many years ago. Anne Lindsay has some wonderful cookbooks that are just what you need. In fact, they sell them at the Heart Institute my husband was in, but your local book store would have them.

lavonneann
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August 15, 20080 found this helpful

I searched for "recipes for heart patients" and got pages and pages.

www.google.com/search?q=Recipes+for+heart+patients... of sites.

I changed to a really healthy diet a few months ago. NOT just what people call healthy or what is sold prepackaged as "healthy". A bit of research, but well worth it!

Might be a good idea to google a few things like superfoods, nutrition recommendations and things like that. The foods you find WILL meet your Dad's diet AND be great for the family too. Not a bad idea given your family will have the same genetic predisposition towards your Dad's health as he does. Food substitues is another good goole. Say you like cream recipes; just use fat free cottage cheese blended with fat free milk and you will NOT know the different in a sauce.

Since doing this about 3 months ago; I've dropped almost 30 lbs and have never been hungry. Actually, I've never felt better. You just incorporate a lot more nutrient dense foods like cantaloupe, barley, fresh fruits and veggies, broccoli, brown rice, oat meal, oat bran, fat free dairy products, high fiber foods, etc. You have to go with what works for your tastes and is nutrient dense.

You'll save a fair amount on your food bills while really eating properly. Recipezaar.com is a great resource because when you print the recipe; it prints with the nutrition data for the entire recipe so you can see the carbs, fat, protein, etc. I went for No salt, no/extremely low sugar or natural sweetener and no fake sugars or substitutes. Sorry Splenda is PARTLY made from sugar and a good portion of it is pure chemicals; not something I want to eat by the cupload.

Beware of recipes people label "healthy". You need to look at the nutritional content. I've seen people call recipes healthy when they're loaded with oil, sugar (and/or substitutes), white flour, etc. Just like LOADS of granola bars are basically candy bars; you need to do your research but it doesn;t take long!

I LOVE recipe # 113840 for banana oat bran muffins but I use NO butter and whole eggs (you don't absorb the cholesterol from the yolk and it provides lecithin and choline that would otherwise be lacking in your diet). Sometimes I add some almond pieces, protein powder, even fat free cottage cheese if I have some I need to use up. You can vary it with pumpkin, apple or something else as the natural sweetner if you prefer. Don't be afraid to test things out so the recipes work for you.

You can also try using straight oat bran instead of bread crumbs. Gets crunchy and is WAY healthier!

It's about getting healthy and getting creative so you enjoy the taste and don't feel deprived. A diet high in soluble fiber (found in oats, peas, etc) can help lower your cholesterol and glycemic index almost as much as some medications. Remember that rolled oats are good but oat bran, found in your regular grocery store's bulk food section, has much higher fiber and slightly lower amounts of some nutrients.

Also found I LOVE very tart apple slices like Granny Smith's dipped in fat free cottage cheese. The conbo of tart enhances the sweet of the cheese...YUM! Plus high protein, good fiber and calcium, etc...all for less than 150 cals or so. Bland apples are NOT as good since you don't get the contrast so stay away from the delicious varieties for this. I find it really makes a difference. Don't be afraid to experiment...different varieties have very different tastes. It's just like grapes or different kinds of melons.

MOST IMPORTANT...When you're focusing on getting the right nutrition you need; you're focusing on what's going in and what you need to eat. It's a LOT easier than feeling deprived and constantly hearing how "you can't have ____". You're full before you even get to think about it.

A friend of mine did this when her husband needed a special diet a few weeks ago. It made it easier for him to stick to the diet and they're all getting more fit. She thinks it helped him take the focus away from his "special needs" so he isn't reminded all the time that's he's now "sick" or in an "old" category.

She also focused on adding spices to foods they used to salt. For ex, they like home fries with a Sunday breakfast. Instead of peeling potatoes and adding back flavor with more oil and salt; they scrub the potatoes and cut with peels on. Less work, MUCH better nutrition and way better flavor...try with sweet potatoes too!

Then she mixes in a little whatever tasty veggies she has to use up or adds some spices like marjoram and pepper. Microwave until slightly tender and finish up in the oven at about 400 deg with a SMALL amt of olive oil or spray to help crisp a little.

When you're actually eating healthy, the occasional splurges on something like chocolate or something deep fried really don't affect the body. Hope it helps.

Please contact the hospital's Dietitian. They will have piles of literature with recipes. Also Google the American Heart Association. Connect to their site for recommended recipes. Glad you're dad has successfully come through his surgery. Remember to take good care of the caregiver too.