The inguinal hernia is a very common pathology, but affects more men than women. It is most often not serious and it can be treated very well.
What is an inguinal hernia?
An organ of the abdomen (usually the intestine) forms a growth that comes out of its usual place to be placed in the region of the groin whose wall experiences a weakness.
The inguinal hernia can exist from birth, we are talking regarding congenital hernia. Most often she occurs as a result of repeated exertion (physical work, cough, constipation). The overweight and obesity are also risk factors by inflicting greater pressure on the abdomen and lower abdomen region.
Symptoms that should alert you are:
- Discomfort and/or pain in the lower abdomen or even in the testicle area for men;
- a lump visible at times, but not necessarily all the time;
The only possible treatment is surgery: the hernia of the organ concerned is replaced in its original location and the wall is reinforced to prevent recurrences. It is a very common procedure today, so it is perfectly mastered. In most cases, it is done under laparoscopy (several small incisions) which allows a much faster recovery for the patient.
A diet to watch in case of inguinal hernia
Some categories offoods are to be banned or reduced in order not to cause or aggravate inflammation of the intestines and weight gain:
- refined grains as the white bread, white rice, classic pasta ;
- fat food and saturated fats: red meat, fried foods, high-fat dairy products… ;
- decrease the amount of sweet products and especially refined sugar;
- avoid eating junk food (junk food…) ;
- stay reasonable regarding alcohol consumption : favor the Red wine, because it is the least sweet and limit yourself to 3 glasses per week;
- curb the coffee consumption because it is rather aggressive for the digestive system;
- reduce gluten-rich products as much as possible : our digestive system is not made to digest and assimilate gluten. It therefore becomes a waste that wanders through our body and creates many inflammations.
Foods to eat:
- benefit the whole grains in your diet: whole wheat, whole rice, whole pasta;
- add legumes in your meals, they are naturally a source of vegetable protein: lentils, chickpeas, split peas, peas…;
- sweet potatoes are rich in fiber and provide a sweet touch;
- consume small amounts of unsaturated fat : almonds, seeds, olive oil (raw), canola oil (raw), avocado. Fresh or smoked salmon, fresh sardines, fresh mackerel are also sources of good fats;
- you can eat ripe fruit. If the fruits are not ripe, it is too difficult for your digestive system to assimilate them;
- the vegetablesyou can eat it with every meal, but preferably cooked, it is easier to digest;
- to replace white sugar, use brown sugar, agave syrup, maple syrup, honey, xylitol (birch sugar) ;
- to drink a lot of water : minimum 1.5 liters per day.
Finally, it is quite simple to change your diet a little to improve your health or reduce the risk of recurrence of an inguinal hernia. These days, there are a plethora of delicious recipes to cook easily for the whole family.
Always remember to seek advice from your GP or surgeon before doing anything. It is important to listen to your body. If pain occurs or a lump appears, they should not be ignored. There inguinal hernia remains benign if treated in time.
