Sometimes recovery goes differently than you expect.

Last week I underwent surgery. Something that initially seemed small but had major consequences. With this post I also want to take it out of the taboo because it’s something you don’t like to talk about. – Hemorrhoid surgery. After 18 years I had had it. For me it accompanied the delivery of Alejandro and every year they were there. I never traveled without my medication and arsenal of ointments. But once they come wheezing you can spend the remainder of your vacation horizontally.

Such a procedure seems minor, but recovery requires attention and, above all, patience. In theory, you know what to do: take rest, eat a high-fiber diet and give your body time to recover.

But with me, things ran a little differently.

And frankly: very different than planned.

The first days: care and recovery

After hemorrhoid surgery, care is very important.

The standard routine looks something like this:

– after each bowel movement a sit down bath with lukewarm water for about 10 minutes
– or gently rinse the area in the shower
– then dry well – and believe it or not but best even with the hair dryer (yes, it is really recommended)

Warm water helps relax muscles and reduces pain and irritation.

Under normal circumstances, you would do that a few times a day.

But with me it became … a rollercoaster.

My recovery week, day by day

Perhaps a little too optimistic…

Looking back on it now, maybe I was a little too optimistic. Still, I remain convinced that my recovery would have been smoother without all these side effects. I had really asked the surgeon if I could play sports. Swimming appeared to be fine but, however, I got no further than a lukewarm sitting bath.

Eating during recovery: fiber … but not always

After hemorrhoid surgery, it is often recommended to eat a high-fiber diet. This normally helps keep bowel movements soft.

So I did, too. Hence, Geert offered me anything with fiber (kiwi, spinach soup with leeks, dates, kefir, …

Lots of vegetables. Fruits. Fiber.

But because of the stomach flu, that no longer worked as intended.

When your intestines are irritated and you have diarrhea, fiber is often not absorbed well. Instead of helping, they may even irritate the intestines even more.

Thensuddenly the focus had to change.

No more: lots of fiber.

But:

– soft foods
– light dishes
– hydrate
– let the bowels recover

🍲 Mediterranean recovery soup

gentle on the intestines and easily digestible

Ingredients (2-3 servings)

2 zucchinis

1 medium potato

1 small carrot

½ onion (I would omit for diarrhea and hemorrhoids)

1 liter of light vegetable broth

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

pinch of sea salt

Optional (if your bowels are already calmer):

• small handful of white rice
• piece of white fish
• a little dill or parsley

Preparation

• Slice the zucchini, potato and carrot.
• Gently sauté the onion in a tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan. Let the onion become glazy but not brown.
• Add the vegetables and the water or broth.
• Simmer the soup gently for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are fully cooked.
• Blend the soup until smooth.
• Finish with a splash of extra virgin olive oil and a little salt.

How to eat this soup during recovery

Day 1-2

just the pureed soup

Day 3-4

soup with a little rice

Day 5+

soup with some white fish or an egg

💡 Why this soup helps recovery:

Mediterranean healthy fats (olive oil)

hydrating

easily digestible

mild vegetables

🌿Restorative tea with hot spices

What this week has taught me

Healthy eating is not a set formula.

Sometimes your body needs fiber.
Sometimes it especially needs rest.

And sometimes the most important thing is just:

a bowl of hot soup
simple dishes
and time to recover.

This week has been intense, unexpected and, frankly, pretty tough at times.

During my recovery week, I applied the following tips:

• do not use strong or spicy spices
• Do not use onions or garlic, keep it pure.
• Broth is perfectly fine with a vegetable stock cube.
• Drink plenty of water, mild tea and definitely no caffeinated coffee.
• Every day I ate 6 (2-2-2) finely sliced dates that I soaked in warm milk and then added oats. (=breakfast)
• Kiwi is very good but with diarrhea better 1/2 avocado and definitely no citrus fruits (=read: worked negatively for me)
• A boiled egg can be perfect
• white fish or chicken
• I didn’t eat bread though occasionally a boiled cold potato
• no raw vegetables, steam your vegetables or cook them in the oven

INSPIRATION FOR A RECOVERY:

If you have ever experienced something similar or would like to share what you ate at the time, feel free to let us know in the comments. 😘

Here are some preliminary dishes that you can also find on the blog. Mind you, keep it simple! Little seasoning, don’t add onion or garlic.