Diet with an ostomy

Who doesn’t know that: “Too fluid or too hard”!

A constantly full, inflated pouch is totally annoying. Rich food, alcohol, coffee, eggs, milk and a lot more cause the bile to flow and lead to flatulence. The liquid poop is simply sputtering, and, just emptied, you could disappear to the privy again.

If you want to wear swimwear or a special outfit is planned, it is advisable to have a light breakfast. Wholemeal bread with a little butter and jam, that makes us happy, too. I drink tea and water on these days. Even snacks are taboo in these exceptional situations, for what’s been ingested comes out of the pouch immediately. On such a day I drink a lot so that I get hungry only at night. After that, I get comfortably dressed and feast to my heart’s content.

I have been a vegetarian for half of my life! Fish, dairy products and eggs are also part of my menu! I’m utterly convinced that my healthy diet is the reason that the Crohn doesn't reappear.

Here, I have listed the foods that can cause me problems like diarrhea, constipation or even intestinal obstruction.

• Pineapple: does not agree with me, the fibres are too strong, constipating the ostomy.
   
• Fungi, especially mushrooms, are not being digested, also constipating the ostomy. I have to cut all other kinds of fungi into very small pieces and have to chew them very thoroughly.
   
• Papayas, mangoes, and bananas are never sun-ripened in Europe, they aren’t well digested by me.
   
• Corn: I can only eat tinned corn, however, you can make super creamed corn from it. I would love to nibble the corncobs ‑ but I’m able to control myself!
   
• Popcorn: I have to chew it three times longer than my husband, for the hulls are so hard. In the cinema, this is pretty difficult for me because you almost get addicted to it.
   
• Asparagus: I cut it into one cm long pieces on my plate, otherwise, the originating fibre lumps clog the ostomy. I love the asparagus season – hmmm!
   
• Nuts: I can’t eat many at once, since they form a very firm pulp which leaves my ostomy only with difficulty.
   
• Fat, in large quantities, turns my stools very liquid and bilious. I try to eat only high-quality oils and “good” fats. This is worthwhile for the whole body. I usually fry with clarified butter or peanut oil, adding olive oil only after frying.
   
• Citrus fruits often have a firm skin around the wedges. I remove the skin or just chew it through for a long time and spit the rest out inconspicuously.
   
• Alcohol: I tolerate it very badly, I'm already drunk after having enjoyed half a glass of sparkling wine, and I do not at all like this feeling. That's why I usually renounce voluntarily, and I only very rarely give in to group pressure. I must pay the price mostly within a few minutes, the pouch fills up very quickly, and the stools’ consistency resembles water.

Everybody should write down his “no goes” and try out carefully what does him good and what doesn’t!