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Food and drink
Diet is one of the main concerns people have and talk about following surgery. With your new stoma you may have some questions around what food you should and shouldn’t eat.
What can/can't I eat
Colostomates
Where possible it is best to eat a low fibre diet and stick to bland foods at the beginning. You can start to reintroduce your normal diet routine slowly. If you think a particular food is causing problems, try avoiding it for 2 weeks, then reintroduce it into your diet. Which foods affect you depends very much on your current diet and your own digestive system. Experiment and enjoy!
There is no need for dietary restrictions when you have a colostomy. A healthy diet with plenty of water is recommended.
Colostomates may be prone to constipation.
Management / prevention of constipation:
Drink plenty of fluids
Eat regular meals, slowly increasing the amount of fruit and vegetables
Chew your food thoroughly
Ensure wholegrain foods such as bread and cereals are included
Exercise regularly
Check medications which may cause constipation
Ileostomates
Where possible it is best to eat a low fibre diet and stick to bland foods at the beginning. You can start to reintroduce your normal diet routine slowly. If you think a particular food is causing problems, try avoiding it for 2 weeks, then reintroduce it into your diet. Which foods affect you depends very much on your current diet and your own digestive system. Experiment and enjoy!
What food to avoid
You want to avoid things like nuts, mushrooms, sweetcorn and coconut, as they might result in a blockage if not properly digested.
Food blockages
Some food can swell in the bowel and may cause a blockage. This will cause your ileostomy to stop working. You should seek urgent advice from your GP or Stoma Nurse if you think you are experiencing a blockage.
Urostomates
Your diet won’t be restricted but what you eat and drink can affect the smell and colour of your urine.
Drink
If your urine is dark, this is generally an indication that you are dehydrated, and you need to drink more fluids. Drink 6-8 glasses of water or other fluids each day.
Food
Foods such as radishes, fish, beetroot, spinach and spices may cause your urine to have an unusual odour and colour, but this isn’t anything to worry about.
Medication
Some medications can also affect the colour and odour of urine. Odour can be reduced by eating/drinking cranberry juice, yogurt, buttermilk and parsley/mint.
Keeping hydrated
Keeping hydrated is an important aspect of living with a stoma. For many people it is just making sure you are drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day. You should try to drink 6-8 glasses of water each day along with any other drinks such as tea or coffee.