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Sharing Healthy Food with My Dad
By Helen Wells
I recently moved from Hawaii back to Charleston, S.C. to help my father who had his gall bladder removed about two months ago. He has found that he is unable to eat many of the foods that he previously enjoyed.
My first day here, we both went to Earth Fare, a well–stocked local health food grocery, and I explained organic and bulk foods to him. I bought a variety of no-fat and low-fat foods and beverages that were in the same form as the foods he was familiar with. For example, he has always enjoyed various kinds of spreads but those were processed, full of animal fats, and highly salted.
Instead of spreads with those animal fats and hydrogenated oils, we found a variety of prepared hummus spreads and guacamole spreads.
After some persuading, he found that he enjoys vanilla almond milk. It wasn’t what he expected. I told him, “Dad it’s like a milkshake without milk.” So, I put it in terms he would understand.
I hope to introduce him to many more vegan products. He has already found that these low-fat foods are much more easily digestible than were the items in his old fatty diet.
My suggestion to viewers who want to help relatives or friends who are recovering from gall bladder surgery is to try to introduce one or two new products to the patient every day. Mild, non-sticky products, low-fat items can be found in abundance at most well stocked health food stores.
I plan to introduce my father to soymilk and oat milk next. Also, when my blender arrives in the boat shipment, I plan to make him banana/strawberry smoothies.
I also want to mention that I personally believe that organic fruits are much more digestible to someone who has recently had abdominal, intestinal stomach surgery.
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