If you’re trying to learn how to eat a better diet, you may already know that what you eat can make a big difference when it comes to losing weight.
You may also know that, in addition to your diet, your body’s digestive system plays a significant role in how much you lose.
Along with your digestive system comes your stomach. When you have an ileostomy, how you eat can have a big effect on your weight loss goals.
Since you’ve had an ileostomy, you’ve probably heard from your doctor that you shouldn’t eat certain foods until you’re comfortable with the procedure.
But what do you do when you’re hungry half the time? You may be tempted to devour anything that passes your lips, but did you know that there are foods that you shouldn’t eat when you’re recovering from a stoma?
When you have an ileostomy, how you eat can have a big effect on your weight loss goals.
What is ileostomy?
The ileostomy is one of the most common and least understood of all digestive surgeries, so you might need a reminder of some of the things that are safe and/or can be eaten when you have an ileostomy.
A bulking substance is a type of solid food that is hard to digest and provides additional calories that are often recommended for people who have an ileostomy.
It is a common treatment for people who need to eat or drink through a stoma (such as those with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis) or who have had a severe bowel injury (such as those who have suffered a perforation of the bowel).
An ileostomy lets you eat food that is usually considered to be too messy, and is often served on diets.
Foods to avoid
Every time you go through the ileostomy surgery, you’ll have to eliminate certain foods from your diet. However, not all ileostomy surgery patients are in the same situation.
Some people will have to live on a diet that allows them to eat all the things, while others are going to be on a much more restricted diet.
Having an ileostomy is a complex procedure that requires you to follow a strict diet, to prevent the bowel from becoming infected.
This is because an ileostomy means you can’t digest normal foods, so you need a special diet to avoid getting an infection and causing further complications.
What foods are you allowed to eat, and what foods are to be avoided?
- Avoid red meats and pork.
- Avoid fats and oils.
- Avoid foods that have strong flavors.
- Avoid carbohydrate-based foods.
- Avoid dairy products or high fat milk.
Ileostomists often find themselves eating foods that are very different than those they ate before their surgery.
Anyone who has undergone the surgery and is lactose intolerant knows what an adjustment it can be. You may have to go without foods you love, and in some cases you may have to avoid foods entirely.
Because foods that are passed through the bowel, such as solid foods like meat or cheese, can trigger gastrointestinal side effects such as diarrhea.
To avoid or minimize these side effects, it is helpful to eat a diet that is high in fiber, low in fat, and low in sodium.
Foods to eat
Ileostomates (those with one or more ileostomies) can be confident in their ability to eat normally, but there are still things they need to know about eating with their ileostomy.
One of the biggest is the importance of knowing which foods to avoid.
There are many foods to eat when you have an ileostomy, but there are relatively few that are well-researched and can help to keep you healthy and keep your digestive system working optimally.
The majority of people who have an ileostomy have had a small section of their intestine removed, which leaves them with a small opening in their abdomen.
Although there are a number of foods to eat with an ileostomy, it’s important to choose the most suitable foods for you, so that the results are as good as possible.
For most people, this is an easy process. The foods that are most suitable are those that are high in fibre, which means the food will be softer and easier to swallow.
You will find that most foods that are high in fibre have a high water content as well, so you won’t feel hungry after eating them.
Some foods that you should have on a regular basis, and those are things like fresh fruits, like fruits smoothies and vegetables. That is a good way to balance out a healthy diet.
Benefits of ileostomy
Ileostomies are a type of medical procedure in which a bile duct is removed from the small intestine and the small intestine is closed to create a permanent connection between the small intestine and the abdominal cavity.
Ileostomies are usually performed for a wide range of reasons, including to treat certain gastrointestinal diseases and to treat ulcerative colitis.
Ileostomy patients benefit from a number of routine changes. These changes include altered bowel habits, which often involve the practice of keeping the anus clean, as well as a change in diet.
Additional advantages of the ileostomy are that there’s no external pouch and you can control when you empty your waste.
Here are some benefits of having a ileostomy surgery:
1. Weight loss
2. Pain management
3. Cholesterol management
4. Digestive health
