The Tree of Vengeance: Why Broccoli and My Post-HIPEC Gut Are in an Entangled Relationship

The Tree of Vengeance: Why Broccoli and My Post-HIPEC Gut Are in an Entangled Relationship

 

Cruciferous vegetables are the undisputed nutritional heavyweights of the produce aisle, are packed with cancer-fighting compounds, and enough fiber to keep a small village regular. But let’s be honest, broccoli is also a tiny, green tree of vengeance if your digestive system isn’t up to the task. I learned this the hard way 16 years ago after surviving CRS/HIPEC. When my doctors finally cleared me to eat solid food, I celebrated with a plate of steak and broccoli, only to discover that my surgically rearranged, painfully slow stomach was not on board for either. What followed was a days-long stomachache that had me apologizing to my own intestines. Surviving a massive abdominal surgery and heated chemo is its own warrior journey, but surviving a post-op broccoli binge? That requires bravery!

 

Sixteen years later, those tiny green trees still require careful negotiation because my digestive tract continues to operate sluggishly. Complex carbohydrates like raffinose (the sneaky, gas-producing sugar in cruciferous veggies) tend to overstay their welcome and cause chaos. To keep the peace, I’ve become the CEO Boss of my own gut microbiome, relying on a daily regimen of prebiotics and probiotics to help regulate my system and keep the gears turning. Occasionally I still invite broccoli and its cousins to the dinner table supervised by plenty of water to help flush everything through. You are the gatekeeper of your gut. It’s ok to admire certain superfoods from a safe, comfortable distance. To keep the peace, proceed with caution with the consumption of cruciferous vegetables or prepare for a stomach war.

 

Sonya