Stay away from these foods when you've recently had colostomy surgery: Dairy products, with the exception of small amount of yogurt. Fried food or any fatty meats, including potato chips. Foods that are very high in fiber such as wheat bran cereals and whole grain bread.
Eat 6 to 8 small meals or snacks daily, or every 2 to 3 hours. Include salty foods and snacks such as pretzels, saltine crackers, or potato chips to absorb water. of foods to limit). Avoid sugary beverages such as juice, lemonade, iced tea, or pop.
Roast potatoes – enjoy as is. Yorkshire Pudding – enjoy as is. Roasted root vegetables e.g., parsnips and carrots, neeps and tatties: peel them, cook them until soft and enjoy with your favourite flavourings such as honey and spices.
After having an ileostomy, you should avoid foods rich in insoluble fiber (bran-enriched breads and cereals, certain fruits and vegetables, legumes, and dried beans) and eat more foods rich in soluble fiber (oats, rye, barley, apples, bananas).
After an ileostomy, it may be harder to digest foods that are high in fiber, such as raw vegetables, popcorn, and nuts. Eaten in large amounts, these foods can clump together. Then they get stuck in the small intestine, causing a blockage.
Applesauce, Bananas, Boiled white rice, Creamy nut butter (such as peanut butter), Oatmeal/porridge, Gelatin containing foods (jelly babies, marshmallows).
So watch out for how many mince pies or how much Christmas cake and Christmas pudding you are eating. Most people with a stoma can eat all these foods in moderation and as long as the food is chewed particularly well to aid the digestion process you should be fine.
Beans are soft and generally fine in moderation, but the shells on baked beans particularly can cause problems, like blockages or wind. We say: try them out & see how you go!
You must still include fibre in your diet. Choose some foods from the following list daily: Wholemeal bread. High fibre cereal e.g. Weetabix, porridge.
One major issue to watch out for with a stoma is the laxative effect of some chocolates. The caffeine and fibre within the chocolate can increase the rate of motility (which is the contraction of the muscles in the digestive tract that encourage bowel movements).
Eat starch carbohydrates such as white bread, low fibre cereals like rice crispies or cornflakes, potatoes (no skins) and white rice/pasta for energy and to help thicken your colostomy output.
You can eat whatever you want if you have an ostomy
If you have a colostomy or ileostomy, you'll find that various foods affect your digestive tract differently. Just as some foods gave you gas before your surgery, you'll likely experience gas with certain foods now that you have an ostomy.
Foods to limit
High-fat milk and dairy products, such as: Whole milk. Regular ice cream or sherbet.
It's best to eat mostly bland, low-fiber foods for the first few weeks after your surgery. Bland foods are cooked, easy-to-digest foods that aren't spicy, heavy, or fried.
Raw vegetables, including salad e.g. lettuce, celery, raw bell-peppers and spring onions. Hard to digest vegetables, including beans like butter beans or green/runner beans, sweetcorn, peas, mushrooms, cabbage, brussel sprouts, spinach, kale and spring greens.
Once your appetite has returned and your stoma output starts normalising, you can gradually reintroduce more foods. Try to include a range of foods from each of the following food groups to make sure you have a balanced diet: Protein rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts, lentils and beans.
Your stoma may not react well at first to hot and spicy dishes. Ease into it with plain foods, and avoid foods that are stringy or fibrous. If you've had an ileostomy, watch out for food blockage: Swelling may occur in the bowel, which may narrow it.
Foods that are reported to help thicken the stoma output include apple sauce, bananas, buttermilk, cheese, marshmallows, jelly babies, (boiled) milk, noodles, smooth creamy peanut butter, rice, tapioca pudding, toast, potatoes and yoghurt.
Eat three small meals a day, with snacks in between about 4-6 times per day. Start by eating a light, bland and easily digestible diet. Avoid fatty, spicey or high fibre foods. Drink plenty of fluids at least 6 cups per day (8 cups per day for those with ileostomies)
Aim for a little and often approach to eating (three small meals with snacks in between) Snack suggestions: biscuits, yogurts, cheese and crackers. Try nutritious drinks such as milk or supplements recommended by your dietitian. Relax and minimise distractions at mealtimes.
Skin irritation around your stoma is usually caused by leakage from your ostomy pouch and the output from your stoma getting underneath the adhesive and onto your skin. It is uncomfortable and can stop your pouch from working well. The skin around your stoma should look similar to the skin on the rest of your body.
Facts about gas (if you have a colostomy or ileostomy)
Some foods may also cause wind. These include: Green beans and baked beans. Cauliflower; broccoli; and winter root crop vegetables, such as carrots and beets.