Starting four days before the colonoscopy till the procedure is over, the consumption of solid foods and opaque liquids must be completely stopped. Depending on the physician and the severity of the colon, these instructions need to be taken for one to three days before the procedure. The basic idea is to reduce or completely halt the intake of food that contains fibres. This is because fibres tend to stick to the walls of the digestive tract and this makes it almost impossible to tell the difference between the fibres and blood.
Stopping the intake of solid foods prior to colonoscopy is to ensure that the patient’s bowels are empty. Consumption of dark coloured beverages and any supplements that the patient might be taking should be discontinued. Iron supplements, including the ones contained in multi-vitamins, should also be avoided.
Food items like fruits and nuts are high on fibre. So they should not be eaten before colonoscopy. Same is the case for red meat. Rice and vegetables also have high fibre content and therefore should not be eaten. The patient must not have cereals, bran and seeds either.
Even if red meat is a strict no-no, the patient is allowed to have boiled chicken so long as it does not contain any skin. Streamed white fish is also okay. Even in the case of vegetables, potatoes may be eaten, but the skin should be peeled off completely first. Unrefined white bread can also be taken as it has minimal fibre content. It should be noted that even though these food products may be consumed, it is only in small portions. Large quantities of these food items can lead to accumulation of fibre in the bowels.
In preparation for colonoscopy, a high intake of liquids is mandatory to avoid dehydration. However, milk and all milk products are completely off-limits. Food and beverages which are red or purple in colour also should be avoided. Some physicians ask patients to stay away from orange coloured dyes as well.
On the day before the colonoscopy, the patient should have a lot of clear fluids. This is so that he/she stays hydrated and also to ensure that the bowels are clear. However, it should be noted that around four hours prior to the colonoscopy procedure, the intake of fluids should also be completely halted.
Following these dietary rules help to minimise complications during colonoscopy.
