What lifestyle modifications and dietary changes should I advise for patients diagnosed with gastroparesis?

Patients diagnosed with gastroparesis should be advised to adopt specific lifestyle and dietary modifications to alleviate symptoms and improve gastric emptying. Dietary changes include following a small-particle-size diet consisting of mashed or pureed foods, which can help reduce symptoms such as vomiting by facilitating easier gastric emptying. Meals should be small and frequent rather than large, to avoid overloading the stomach and worsening delayed emptying. Low-fat and low-fibre foods are recommended because fat and fibre can slow gastric emptying and exacerbate symptoms. Patients should also avoid known dietary triggers such as alcohol, caffeine, and fatty foods, which may worsen gastroparesis symptoms. Hydration with adequate fluid intake, preferably water or non-caffeinated drinks, is important to maintain overall digestive function.

Lifestyle modifications include encouraging patients to eat slowly and chew food thoroughly to aid digestion. Elevating the head of the bed may help reduce nocturnal symptoms related to reflux, which can coexist with gastroparesis. Smoking cessation and weight management should be advised as part of overall gastrointestinal health. Additionally, patients should be counselled on the importance of managing blood glucose levels effectively, as hyperglycaemia can delay gastric emptying and worsen gastroparesis symptoms.

In summary, the key recommendations for gastroparesis management focus on a small-particle, low-fat, low-fibre diet with small frequent meals, avoidance of symptom triggers, adequate hydration, and lifestyle measures such as smoking cessation and head-of-bed elevation. These interventions aim to reduce symptom burden and improve quality of life in patients with gastroparesis.