Before your surgery, you will attend an education class. Detailed information will be provided on what you should and should not eat, and how to plan, prepare and space your meals after surgery, what will happen during your hospital stay and how to make your lifestyle changes. You will talk with one of our registered dietitians, and your overall health condition will be factored into your individual meal plan.

You will be able to continue to consult with our registered dietitians indefinitely at no additional charge. You may attend a special support group conducted monthly by our dietitians focusing specifically on dietary issues or schedule an appointment to meet with them one on one.

Some basic instructions for our patients are:

• Plan your meals ahead of time, and schedule your meal times.
• Eat slowly.
• Chew your food very thoroughly.
• Take small bites.
• Avoid any other activity while eating, such as watching TV, driving, talking on the telephone, or reading the newspaper.
• Keep a food journal of what you eat and drink.
• Walk some every day.
• Stop smoking.