Hello @juliannm79,

I really appreciate your question. Yes, learning how to eat with digestive tract issues is a challenge. I am super-impressed with all of the links and suggestions that @jlharsh provided in her post.

I have had three surgeries of the upper digestive tract, so I have adjusted my eating to accommodate the changes that resulted from surgery. Of course, reflux is one of those issues I deal with as well.

I'm not a person who spends a lot of time in the kitchen, so my meal planning and eating aren't very complex. Basically, I eat small portions. My meals tend to be light in both quantity and quality (for me, this means low-fat).

I use an indoor grill (a George Foreman). This way, the fat/grease is cooked out of the meat. It is a great way to cook fish as well. I use seasonings to flavor food. Garlic-infused olive oil (not garlic-flavored olive oil) will provide garlic flavor without using garlic (this was a suggestion from a hospital dietitian). Italian seasoning and many of the no-salt seasonings (like Mrs. Dash) are also good.

I tend to make soup as I have a hard time digesting raw veggies. This provides nutrition without gastric disorders.

I suppose developing an eating plan is a personal thing. You try cooking methods and foods that agree with you and don't cause problems. Also, the time and energy that you have often determine how you will cook and eat.

Have you found any particular cooking methods that work well for you?