1 Colostomy and Ileostomy Diet Guidelines Nutrition is important for your health and healing. Limit fiber for the first 2 weeks after surgery. You should avoid fresh fruit and vegetables during this time but can have canned fruit and well-cooked vegetables. You can slowly add back all foods with your doctor’s ok after your first pre-op checkup. People with ostomies can still enjoy a normal diet. Follow these simple food tips:  Eat meals regularly. You should eat three or more times a day. Small frequent meals may be better tolerated and produce less gas.  Chew your food thoroughly. Chewing well will help avoid a blockage.  Eat in moderation and slowly. Too much of any food can cause problems, so eat moderate amounts and eat slowly to allow for proper chewing and digestion. If a new food seems to give you problems, don’t eat it for a few weeks, but try it again later.  Drink plenty of fluid daily. You may lose more body fluids through the ostomy, so you must stay hydrated. Patients who have lost a large part of their large intestine will notice more fluid loss. This is because most of the body’s fluid is reabsorbed in the large intestine.  Above all, keep mind that no two people will react the same to foods. You will learn through trying which foods, if any, you should avoid. Blockage  Certain foods, if eaten in large amounts may cause blockage.  Use caution when eating these foods  Eat them in small amounts and be sure to chew them well. Foods that may cause blockage:  Celery  Coleslaw  Corn  Dried fruits  Meat casings  Mushrooms  Nuts  Peas  Pineapple  Popcorn  Salad greens  Seeds 2 Reduce gas and odor Gas is normal but if you feel you are having excess gas, you may try to change your diet to get rid of the problem. Try these tips:  Eat often. Do not skip meals.  Do not swallow air while eating. Relax and eat slowly.  Avoid chewing gum or drinking through a straw.  Drink 8-10 glasses of water, cranberry juice, or other non-caffeinated drinks. Foods that may cause gas or odor:  Asparagus  Apples  Bananas  Beer  Broccoli  Brussels sprouts  Cabbage  Carbonated drinks  Cauliflower  Corn  Cucumber  Dairy products  Dried beans/peas  Eggs  Fatty foods  Grapes  Green pepper  Melons  Onions  Prunes  Radishes  Turnips Foods that may help relieve gas and odor:  Yogurt with active cultures  Buttermilk  Cranberry juice  Parsley Stools  The thickness of your stools depends to a certain extent on where your stoma is placed in your gastrointestinal tract.  When the stoma is higher up in the GI tract, the stools tend to be looser.  In some cases, a loose stool may be the result of eating certain foods. Foods that may cause loose stools:  Alcoholic drinks  Apple juice  Baked beans  Chocolate  Coffee  Dairy  Grape juice  Green leafy vegetables  Licorice  Prune juice  Spiced foods  Tomatoes Foods that may help thicken stools:  Applesauce  Bananas  Cheese  Cream of rice  Marshmallows  Mashed potatoes  Peanut butter (creamy)  Rice  Soda crackers  Tapioca  Weak tea 3 A Special Note for Ileostomy Patients  Those with an ileostomy lose large amounts of salt, potassium and water in the ostomy fluid.  Losing too much can lead to dehydration.  Include a number of good sources of sodium and potassium in your daily diet.  Drink water or sugar free, non-carbonated drinks all day.  Sports drinks can be used because of their electrolyte content.  The color of your urine should be clear to pale yellow, if it is darker increase your fluid intake. Above all, remember to eat a healthy, well balanced diet and drink plenty of fluids! Foods that are good sources of potassium:  Ripe Bananas  Orange juice  Tomato juice  Mashed potatoes Internet resource for patients who have an internal ileal pouch: www.J-pouch.org United Ostomy Association of America: www.ostomy.org Teach Back What is the most important thing you learned from this handout? What changes will you make in your diet/lifestyle, based on what you learned today? If you are a UW Health patient and have more questions please contact UW Health at one of the phone numbers listed below. You can also visit our website at www.uwhealth.org/nutrition Nutrition clinics for UW Hospital and Clinics (UWHC) and American Family Children’s Hospital (AFCH) can be reached at: (608) 890-5500 Nutrition clinics for UW Medical Foundation (UWMF) can be reached at: (608) 287-2770 Your health care team may have given you this information as part of your care. If so, please use it and call if you have any questions. If this information was not given to you as part of your care, please check with your doctor. This is not medical advice. This is not to be used for diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Because each person’s health needs are different, you should talk with your doctor or others on your health care team when using this information. If you have an emergency, please call 911. Copyright © 4/2017 University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority. All rights reserved. Produced by the Clinical Nutrition Services Department and the Department of Nursing. HF#293