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.
Foods to include in your diet
Low-fiber foods, such as: White bread, pasta, and rice. Bagels, rolls, and crackers made from white or refined flour. Cereals made from white or refined flour (such as Cream of Wheat®, Rice Chex™, and Rice Krispies®)
The low fibre versions are better tolerated so try white bread, breakfast cereals like rice krispies or cornflakes, white rice/pasta, and avoid skins on potatoes. These provide protein, vitamins and minerals which is essential for health and repair of body tissues.
To prevent constipation: • eat regularly • increase the amount of fruit and vegetables • change to wholemeal or granary bread, brown chapatti or high fibre white bread • change to wholemeal cereals e.g. bran flakes, Weetabix, shredded wheat or porridge • try brown rice or pasta • take gentle exercise • ensure that you ...
Eating and drinking with an ileostomy or colostomy
If you have recently had an ileostomy, certain foods will alter the consistency of your output, therefore what you eat plays an important part in controlling the output. You should aim for a porridge-like consistency, which can be easier to manage.
Stool irritation, product sensitivity and yeast are certainly the more common reasons for redness around the stoma.
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).
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.
You can eat whatever you want if you have an ostomy
If you've been given the OK from your doctor to resume your regular diet, eat what you like.
Foods to limit
High-fat milk and dairy products, such as: Whole milk. Regular ice cream or sherbet.
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!
like rice krispies and cornflakes, ready brek, potatoes (no skins), green bananas, sweet potato, yam, dishes made with maize, millet or cornmeal and white pasta or rice for energy. These foods may also thicken your stoma output. Make these types of foods the main part of all your meals.
Eat foods that thicken the stool such as: rice, pasta, cheese, bananas, applesauce, smooth peanut butter, pretzels, yogurt, and marshmallows. Drink 2 or 3 glasses of fluid that will replace electrolytes like sports drinks, fruit or vegetable juice and broth but limit these items.
There are safety measures you may need to think about. For instance, many doctors recommend avoiding contact sports because of possible injury to the stoma from a severe blow. But special protection may be able to help prevent these problems. Talk to your health care team about any limitations you may have.
Tips for eating with a stoma
Include milk and dairy foods two to three times per day as they are rich in calcium – choose lower fat varieties as healthy options. If you cannot eat dairy, try dairy free alternatives such a soya/almond/coconut/oat milk which are fortified with calcium.
What is ballooning? Ballooning occurs when your stoma bag blows up with wind. This is usually due to the filter becoming wet or blocked from stoma output.
Foods that could casue a blockage
So, foods that are poorly digested that could cause a blockage will be things like grapefruits, lettuce, mushrooms, sweet corn, fruits and vegetables that still have their skins on – you might have to remove that skin.
Many people enjoy leaving their skin uncovered for 15 to 30 minutes after taking their pouching system off. This is called a skin break. Taking a skin break can help with irritation or keep it from happening. You can decide if you want to take a skin break.
Skin irritation
This is the most frequently observed complication with all stoma types [2, 7, 12].
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.
Root vegetables such as carrots, swedes, squash and parsnips are usually well tolerated and are delicious roasted, mashed or made into soups. Vegetable soups which have been blended and sieved are a low fibre option for people with stomas.