Question

Stephanie is an 18-year-old college freshman who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 12 years ago. She has an insulin pump, is of healthy weight, and has no other significant medical history. She went to the student health center on campus with complaints of fatigue, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea.

Question

Unfolding Case

Recall Stephanie. Her vital signs and temperature are within normal limits. The physician assistant diagnoses viral gastritis and advises her to eat a bland diet until her symptoms abate. Is a bland diet the best option for Stephanie? What specific foods would you recommend she consume? What foods should she avoid?

Answer 1

Ans) No, directly moving to bland diet is not the option to Stephanie.

• Liquid diet for 12 to 24 hours.Frequent, small amts of clear liquids are best.
• Avoid milk, ice cream, pudding, cheese, yogurt, citrus juice, & cream soups.
• Foods allowed on liquid diet are electrolyte solutions, carbonated beverages, bouillon, unflavored gelatin, apple juice, peach or pear juice, plain hard candy, sugar, honey, sugar substitutes, & frozen Popsicles.
When nausea and vomiting stop:
• Add some of the following foods for the next 12 to 24 hours: soda crackers, toast and jelly without butter, tea, rice, pretzels, bananas, applesauce, cooked cream of wheat or cream of rice, & fruit or vegetable juice (BRATT diet: banana, rice, applesauce, tea, and toast).
• If this diet is tolerated without further symptoms, add the following foods for the next 12 to 24 hours: potatoes (not fried), soups, soft eggs, custards, puddings, white turkey meat or white chicken meat, and cottage cheese.
• If no further symptoms occur, resume a regular diet but avoid highly seasoned foods, greasy or fried foods, heavy fatty foods, excessively hot or cold foods, raw vegetables, coffee, colas, and milk products for 1 week after symptoms have stopped.