Chewing!?

Okay,  I'm kind of confused.  I know that we are supposed to chew our food until it is mush, and chew about 25 times per bite.  Maybe its just me, but i swallow long before I make it to 25 chews.  I have not had any problems with any food going down or getting stuck.  Its just a natural impulse.  I try to concentrate on it, but i never make it to 25.  I also notice that i still take normal size bites of food as opposed to the miiature bites that they suggest.  Does anyone know if this is going to cause me any real problems in the future.  I really am trying to work on this but I just can't seem to get the hang of it.  Any suggestions and i would especially any advice on why we have to take such small bites and chew to liquid if we are not having any problems getting our food down.  Am I the only one having this problem?

   

I havent had my surgery yet but yesterday I practiced trying to chew my food 30 times before swallowing but the food kept automatically going down my throat. It is really hard. I am interested in what others have to say about how they manage chewing.

Lisa

The only issue that I can see you having is not chewing and something getting stuck... I take normal size bites, but chew probably more then I am suppose too.. I still chew everything up to baby food consistancy ( I am almost 6 months out) Getting something stuck freaks me out! I always keep a small glass of water in my general area, just in case.. especially while eating chicken. I was told it was ok to have a very small sip if needed. I find myself maybe having a small sip at the very end of my meal....

Suggestions.... Do you put your fork down in between every bite? Howe about using the other hand to hold the fork while eating. I did that pre op to train myself to eat slower and it has worked..

I had my surgery 6/15/11.  I too have problems swallowing too soon. Unfortunately, I do have problems when I do this with certain foods. Meats are terrible.  I notice that I do it more often when I am talking during the meal or in a group of people.  I have to really concentrate on chewing.

Chewing foods well help you digest them easier. Basically, as you chew the food, it's mixed with your saliva, which starts the digestive process. More chewing, easier to digest. This will likely make more noticeable difference as you expand your diet in coming weeks.  Tips:  put alloted portions of food on saucer plate, instead of regular plate.  This makes the food mentally appear like you're eating more. Use baby utensils for eating.  This will allow smaller portions per mouthful.  www.mydietdinnerware.com has a possible useful item. It has a baby fork and spoon, with built in "lights".  Lights are on utensils, timed at 40 seconds or so. When light changes eat.  Chew until light changes again, allowing about 40 seconds for chewing.  They include a timer that you can use at a restuarant if desired.  It takes time to "adapt" this new eating process post op.  If you have to eat by yourself for a few days. No TV, no cell phones, nobody in the room but you. This will avoid distractions, so you can concentrate well on eating. DAVE

How many times you chew a bite can depend on the consistency of the food -- chewing something soft,  like a green bean or a bite of low-fat cheese, may take only half the "chews" to get to a mushy consistency than something with a firm consistency, like steak. On that issue, I'd worry more about the consistency than how many times you have to chew the food to get it to the proper consistency.

One very important reason to chew your food well is so that your saliva can jump start the digestive process. Because your pouch is so small, it doesn't produce anywhere near the amount of stomach acid that you had before surgery. Without much acid to start the digestive process, your food can get to your intestines pretty much undigested. That can cause gas, bloating, and other digestive upsets.

One big reason you want to take small bites is to minimize the risk of food getting stuck. It can be really painful and something you want to avoid. This is even more important when you are early out and your internal tissues may still be swollen. The way you take smaller bites is to cut your food into smaller pieces. You can't take a normal sized bite if the food is in small pieces to start. I'm 10 months out and I do take larger bites now than I did in the beginning, but they still aren't as large as bites I took pre-surgery.

As long as you chew really well, I don't think there is anything magic about chewing 25 times.  I don't see a problem taking normal size bites, either, as long as you chew really well.  If you don't chew well or take bites that are too big, it will probably feel very uncomfortable going down.  There is also a possibility fo stretching the stoma if you don't chew well enough and therefore big chunks of food get pushed through the stoma.

Yeah, I just make sure to chew my food and not swallow it whole. I don't count or chew until baby food consistency. Yuck.