Ileostomy Diet — All You Need To Know

Following an ileostomy diet is important as it’s one of the factors to help you recover quickly after surgery. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a permanent or a reversed ileostomy. In any case, it will speed up the healing process. Moreover, your ileostomy diet can be not only well-balanced but also enjoyable.

Why Is It Necessary To Follow The Diet For Ileostomy?

An ileostomy influences the way your body absorbs everything you eat and drink. That’s why doctors usually recommend following ileostomy diet guidelines after the surgery. It will help prevent constipation, increased gas, or blockage. Furthermore, keeping your body hydrated is very important. You should also know how much water you have to drink.

Your doctor will choose the diet individually, taking into consideration your preferences. It’s advisable to keep a food diary for some time after ileostomy. It will help you define what products are acceptable to you. When you have a clear picture of what is better for your body, you can stop keeping the diary.

In a few months, eating will not cause discomfort and you may add more products to your diet. 

Still, it’s worth remembering that proper nutrition, especially right after ileostomy surgery, is an important condition for a better recovery. 

What Is The Best Diet For Ileostomy?

Before recommending certain types of food that one should include in the ileostomy diet, let’s mention some general guidelines to take into account:

• You should eat small portions but often. It’s better to eat 5-6 times rather than 3 main meals a day.
• Try not to eat too much in the evening.
• It’s important to eat slowly and be ready to chew your food quite well.
• Drinking water is a must. Try to drink up to ten glasses (8 ounces each) during the day to prevent dehydration.

What Food To Include Into The Diet For Ileostomy?

People are different. So, it’s almost impossible to predict what foods can cause discomfort. Still, there are some recommended products for your diet.

• Begin with low-fiber foods that are easy to digest. For instance, it can be white bread, rice, rolls made of refined flour.
• You may try to add skinless poultry. Chicken and turkey will be fine.
• Fish is also possible. However, it may be the reason for a bad odor from the pouch. Just be aware of it.
• Be careful with milk and dairy products. On the one hand, it’s possible to try low-fat milk or yogurt. On the other hand, in some cases, they may cause diarrhea.
• Vegetables are a vital part of your nutrition. Again, it’s better to start with low-fiber ones. For example, well-cooked peeled potatoes, carrots, or tomatoes are a good choice. If you prefer zucchini or tomatoes, remember to peel them and remove seeds before cooking.
• As for fruits, it’s advisable to eat canned or cooked ones, like baked peeled apples.

Your body may react differently to food after surgery. Certain products can cause diarrhea or constipation. Some of them will be the reason for increased gas or odor. Thus, it’s necessary to follow the ileostomy diet guidelines. Still, you may change your diet if you have some issues to solve.

PRO tip: If you want to introduce new foods to your diet, add 1 at a time. It will help you understand how your body reacts to one or another product and make the necessary alterations. 

Is There An Ileostomy Diet To Thicken Stool?

There are various challenges that you may face after the surgery. They include ileostomy blockage, increased gas, odor, etc. However, one of the most inconvenient and even dangerous issues is thin stool or diarrhea.

The reasons can be different, starting from medication and finishing with food intolerance. To exclude the latter one, it’s advisable to add to your ileostomy diet the following products:

• applesauce
• bananas
• a little bit of cheese
• boiled white rice
• pasta
• boiled peeled potatoes.

Be careful with certain foods that may cause diarrhea. This list contains broccoli, cabbage, chocolate, milk and dairy products, spicy and fried foods, tomatoes.

I Need An Ileostomy Diet To Gain Weight

Sometimes people notice a fluctuation in weight during the recovery process. It can be either slight or extreme. It’s important to keep track of your weight to prevent different complications.

If you have found out that you are underweight, first of all, check that it has nothing to do with dehydration. After ileostomy surgery, you run the risk of losing more water and salt than usual. It can be the reason for dehydration and, as a result, weight loss.

Thus, it’s advisable to monitor your liquid intake and ostomy output. If it differs from the doctor’s recommendations, it’s better to contact your healthcare provider for advice. Probably, you will need some medication or supplements.

If you don’t suffer from dehydration but would like to gain a little bit of weight, some products may help you achieve this result:

• Try adding high-fiber foods to your nutrition if you have already adjusted to the initial ileostomy diet.
• Rely on essential fats. Have you already introduced olive oil into your diet? Then add walnuts or almonds.
• Non-dairy milk, for instance, almond or soy milk, ice cream will also help you increase your calories.

What About An Ileostomy Diet To Lose Weight?

Gaining weight after the ileostomy is also quite common. You have to change your daily routine, adjust to a new lifestyle. Changes in metabolism, emotional eating, lack of exercise, even dietary limitations are mentioned among the reasons for putting on weight.

What Can Help You Get Back In Shape?

First of all, you should remember that it’s important to get all the necessary minerals and vitamins. So, it’s not a good idea to cut down on nutrients. Still, there are some pieces of advice to help you lose weight:

• Come back to low-fat foods, such as lean poultry without skin and non-fat dairy products.
• Opt for fish rather than high-fat meat.
• Eat different types of vegetables.
• Reduce sugar intake. Eat fresh, dried, frozen fruits instead.
• Don’t skip meals. It’s even better to plan them beforehand.

If your doctor allows exercising, find some recovery workouts.

PRO tip: Take care of your mental health. The happier and less stressed you are, the healthier food you consume.

Thus, the ileostomy diet is an important factor that has a direct impact on the recovery process. However, it doesn’t mean that you are not allowed to eat the products you enjoy. 

Your doctor will offer you the dietary guidelines you have to follow right after the surgery. There may be some restrictions for some time to adjust to new conditions. In a little while, you will be able to add your favorite foods and enjoy your diet.