By Lauren Wells
Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash
In this way, after ostomy, people dietary intake need to be well-rounded to their overall health and prevent any side effects. Here are the key considerations regarding ileostomy and your diet:
Eating Guidelines: The first weeks after surgery, one must base the diet to theally low-fiber bland foods like white bread, pasta, rice and smooth, milk-soup. The surgery avoids extreme discomfort of symptoms like loose stool and causing the ileostomy site to get tender.
Fluid Intake: However, those with ileostomy tend to eliminate more salt, potassium and water through diarrhea and sweating, which call for drinking 8 to 10 glasses (8-ounce) per day water to keep the body fluids in balance. Sport drinks, oral rehydration solutions, and electrolyte drinks whether at home can replenish those essential fluids and minerals.
Fiber and Digestion: Reintroduction of high-fiber foods should be carried out slowly and cautiously because they may cause the first blockage. More importantly, chewing food until it is mashed thoroughly is crucial to allow for easy digestion.
Problematic Foods: Some whole food products such as raw vegetables with skins (like lettuce for example), nuts, popcorn, and high-fiber vegetables may lead to blockages and therefore should be limited especially in the first 3–4 weeks.
Managing Side Effects: The Dot of the diet helps with the health resets of such problems as gas, odor, and diarrhea. Such as not getting a gas-producing foods intake and using deodorizer for odor reduction are two disable the unpleasant smell.
Individualized Approach: Each individual has a unique reaction to an item being new to their body thus it is better to introduce new foods in a gradual way and equate their reaction to the exceptionally selective individual with their symptoms. Involving the dietitian or healthcare practitioner will assist in guiding to create a diet regimen that meets individual needs.
Individuals with an ileostomy can successfully manage their diet by following the instructions above and having a close communication with their health care team. This will ensure that they are eating a wide variety of healthy foods while keeping any side effects under control.
MCR Committee: Illeostomy
References:
Whelan, C. (2023, December 20). How to Eat (and Recover from) a Low Fiber Diet. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/low-fiber-diet
Diet Guidelines for People With an Ileostomy. (n.d.). Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/diet-guidelines-people-ileostomy
Low-fiber diet. (n.d.). Mount Sinai Health System. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/selfcare-instructions/low-fiber-diet
G. (2020, August 4). Ileostomies & Colostomies and Diet — Gastrointestinal Society. Gastrointestinal Society. https://badgut.org/information-centre/a-z-digestive-topics/ileostomies-colostomies-and-diet/