Diet and nutrition after your heart transplant
After your heart transplant, you may need to adjust your diet to keep your heart healthy and functioning well. Your nutrition specialist (dietitian) and other members of your treatment team will work with you to create a healthy-eating plan that meets your needs, complements your lifestyle and helps you maintain a healthy weight.
Your dietitian will provide you with several healthy-food options and ideas to use in your eating plan. Your dietitian’s recommendations may include:
- Eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day
- Eating whole-grain breads, cereals and other grains
- Drinking low-fat milk or eating other low-fat dairy products, to help maintain enough calcium
- Maintaining a low-salt and low-fat diet
- Avoiding grapefruit and grapefruit juice due to its effect on a group of immunosuppression medications (calcineurin inhibitors)
- Avoiding excessive alcohol
- Staying hydrated by drinking adequate water and other fluids each day
- Following food safety guidelines