Understand Your Medical Diet
Types of medical diets in the hospital and at home
Your doctor may ask you to follow a medical diet to manage a condition or when having a procedure. Some diets are short term and may only need to be followed during your hospital stay. Others are long term and can be used to control symptoms and reduce your chances of complications.
Hospital Diets
You may need to follow a restricted diet in the hospital before or after a procedure, or for certain conditions, like nausea and vomiting.
Nothing by mouth (NPO). NPO stands for “nil per os,” a Latin term meaning “nothing by mouth.” This restriction is often only used for a few hours before or after a procedure. Having an empty stomach keeps you safe if you need anesthesia for a procedure. With a full stomach, it’s possible to aspirate — or breathe in your stomach contents — under anesthesia.
Sips and chips. This diet includes only ice chips and small sips of water. It may be used as an alternative to NPO in some situations.
Clear liquid diet. Includes liquids you can see through. Clear liquids provide hydration and electrolytes but don’t leave food particles in your digestive system. This diet may be used before surgery or during an illness. Some examples of clear liquids are broth, clear juices, gelatin, coffee with no cream, water, and ice pops.
Full liquid diet. Includes liquids and foods that are liquid at room temperature. These liquids can be pulpy or cloudy. A full liquid diet can be a step between clear liquids and a regular diet when you are recovering from a procedure or illness. Some full liquids are ice cream, pudding, pulpy juices, and creamy soup broths.
Regular diet. Includes regular foods. If you follow a medical diet, such as a diabetic diet, your doctor may prescribe that diet instead of a regular diet while you are in the hospital.
Total Parenteral Nutrition
If you can’t tolerate food by mouth for an extended period, your doctor may prescribe nutrition through an intravenous line, called total parenteral nutrition (TPN). TPN provides protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes.
Medical Diets
There are a wide range of medical diets. Some include:
Diabetic diet. Limits or controls carbohydrates to stabilize blood sugar for patients with diabetes.
Renal diet. May limit fluid, potassium, and phosphorus intake for patients with kidney failure. This diet may also require high or low protein, depending on the stage of your condition.
Cardiac diet. Limits sodium, fat, and cholesterol and emphasizes fiber to control blood pressure and keep arteries healthy. Your doctor may also recommend the Mediterranean diet, which focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats.
DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. Limits sodium and highly processed foods and recommends fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats to lower blood pressure.
Ketogenic diet. Strictly limits carbohydrates while using fat as an energy source to manage epilepsy and other neurologic conditions.
Calorie-restricted diet. Limits calories while maintaining adequate nutrition to promote weight loss.
Low FODMAP (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols) diet. Limits gas-producing carbohydrates to manage the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Restricted foods may include dairy, wheat, beans, and certain fruits and vegetables. This diet reduces many foods for a short time, then gradually reintroduces them.
Mechanical soft diet. Includes soft foods that are easy to chew and swallow. Some examples include eggs, cottage cheese, avocado, meatloaf, and mashed potatoes.
Getting Enough Nutrition
Medically prescribed diets can be restrictive. If you are following a medical diet, work closely with your doctor and dietitian to ensure you are getting the right nutrition within your approved food options. Keep a food journal and bring it to your appointment to make sure you are on track.
Resources:
Patient education: Diet and health (Beyond the Basics). UpToDate.
What You Need To Know About Diabetes. American Association of Clinical Endocrinology.
Meal Prep: How to Plan for Healthy Eating. American Association of Clinical Endocrinology.
Guidelines for the provision of nutrition support therapy in the adult critically ill patient. The American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.
Kidney Disease. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Cardiovascular Health/Heart Disease/Hypertension. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Low-FODMAP Diet. American College of Gastroenterology.
Patient Meals. Johns Hopkins Medicine.
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