Exercise and diet are as essential as ever if you have a stoma. With a stoma, you may need to make major changes towards how you work out, what you consume, and how you stay fit. Being such an ‘active ostomate,’ on the other hand, might have a good influence on your general health.
Your Stoma and Diet
It’s difficult to know what you should drink and eat when you have a stoma. To enable the bowel to heal, you may be recommended to eat a low-residue meal right after ostomy surgery. After that period of time has passed, you can begin to reintroduce your regular meals into your diet.
If You Have A Stoma, What Foodstuffs Can You Consume?
When you’re planning your meals, keep these five factors in mind:
- To avoid bowel obstruction, some patients may be recommended to avoid eating highly fibrous meals or foodstuffs with tough outer layers like sweet corn, popcorn, peas, and potato skins.
- If you have a lot of gas, stay away from carbonated drinks.
- Even if you have an ostomy or not, certain meals have various impacts on different people.
- It’s always worth trying of any meal to see how you feel.
- Try not to limit your dietary options.
Many people find that having an ostomy relieves unpleasant bowel issues and allows them to return to a regular, nutritious diet. More information can be found in the sections below.
Your Stoma and Workout
Some individuals may advise you that you should really not work out if you have a stoma, but this is just not true. Make sure to listen to your doctor’s instructions and think about the following:
- Heavy lifting and activity should be avoided for the very first 12 weeks following surgery or till your colorectal surgeon says it is appropriate to do so; but, after that period, being an “active ostomate” may have a beneficial influence on your general health, just as it does for everyone.
- It’s crucial to begin gently; start with 30 minutes of walking each day and work your way up.
- Pilates and Yoga are also effective kinds of workouts that may help you strengthen your core (build up the abdominal muscles). To avoid getting a hernia, remember to wear a supportive band or belt over your stoma. Your stoma nurse must be able to assist you with getting one fitted.
- The Colostomy Association has some useful tips for staying active while having an ostomy.
Diet with a Colostomy
When you still have most of your colon intact, you must be willing to eat a ‘normal’ decent diet and drink about 6-8 glasses of water each day (1.5 – 2 liters). With a colostomy, you may have constipation or diarrhea, and some food categories are more likely to cause this. If you discover that particular foods are causing you problems, don’t quit; instead, eliminate them from your diet for a brief period of time and then gradually resume them.
Ileostomy Diet – What to Consume When You Have an Ileostomy
If you already have an ileostomy, it is critical to keep hydrated during the day by drinking lots of water. Consuming dioralyte an oral rehydration product will assist to replace certain vital minerals and salts from your body. As ileostomies are even more likely to obstructions, it’s vital to chew foods with hard skins completely or peel the skins entirely. Because not everyone has an issue with this, don’t entirely exclude fruits and vegetables from your meals.
The Signs and Symptoms of a Blockage
Colon and small bowel blockages can occur due to a variety of causes. Adhesions/scar tissue, a stricture or constriction of the intestine, or constipation are all possible causes. It’s a crucial to be aware of the signs and symptoms of a blockage, which include the following:
- There is a lack of stools.
- Stools that are extremely watery.
- Muscle cramps and discomfort in the abdomen.
- Nausea and/or vomit may occur.
- Stomach swollen.
If you’re experiencing blockage symptoms, you should stop eating. Drink plenty of water to assist the blockage clear. If your symptoms last longer than 12 hours, get assistance from your stoma doctor. If you begin vomiting or have significant stomach discomfort, go to the nearby A&E facility.
Dehydration’s Symptoms
- Urination is irregular.
- Urine with a darker shade.
- Feeling thirsty and have a dry mouth.
- Skin that is dried.
- Headache.
Types of Food That Can Make Your Stools Loose
- Fruits, and veggies
- Liquor.
- Carbonated beverages.
- Chocolate.
- Juices.
- Nuts.
- Caffeine.
- Saturated fat-rich meals, processed foods, and junk food.
Types of Food That Generate a Lot of Odor or Gas
- Onions.
- Garlic.
- Carbonated beverages.
- Fish.
- Pulses and beans.
- Cucumber.
- Peas.
- Broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, and cabbage.
- Alcohol.