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Healthy food for ileostomy

What are some healthy foods y'all eat? Since making my surgery permanent in August I've gained around 30 pounds and am almost at my ideal body weight. Unfortunately, even while exercising I'm gaining more fat than I'd like. I'm looking for some healthy foods that are rather filling because I'm hungry all the time.

Thank y'all so much!

Jeff
 
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Is your ileostomy prone to blockages or are there many foods that your digestive system doesn't handle well?
 
Not that I know of. I once ate a 16 oz steak and half a pound of potatoes which caused me a night of pain till it passed, but I think that was just my shear stupidity in what I ate. I've always been reluctant to branch out and eat vegetables and fruits because I'm afraid of getting a blockage, but I've decided I really need to start adding them to my diet. I'm also thinking of adding granola, I've had some granola bars without any ill effect so I should be good.

It's kind of funny that after having this onto my, temporary for four years and permanent for 9 months, I still don't know what I can eat haha.
 
I used to get blockages incredibly easily, so I couldn't eat whole grain cereals, nuts, seeds, or most fruits and vegetables (i.e. healthy food!). But since my last surgery I've been gradually introducing them to my diet and I don't seem to have problems anymore.

When I did need to be careful, I found some fruit and veg I could tolerate. Bananas, avocados, well cooked root veg, smooth vegetable soups, and tinned fruit (except tinned pineapple) are easy to digest, so they may be good things to start with.

White meat, fish, eggs, yoghurt (if ok with dairy) may be healthy protein options. I know some people believe refined grains to be unhealthy, but white bread, white rice, etc. are about the same in terms of calories as their brown counterparts. They lack the fibre, making them less healthy for most people, but with Crohn's and an ileostomy less fibre can be better. Though if you're managing granola ok, that may not be a problem for you. Porridge is another healthy cereal to try, it's not quite as difficult to digest as granola. Nut butters may also be something to try - crunchy if you're doing ok with fibre, or smooth if you need something easier to digest.
 
I've been fairly lucky and am able to eat almost anything. I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. Lots of salads with raw spinach, broccoli and cauliflower. When I first had my stoma, I juiced a lot, so most fruits and vegetables went in. I'm most comfortable eating baby greens---baby spinach, baby kale, etc.

I'm mostly careful of the combinations of food I do at any sitting. So if I'm eating a high fibre raw vegetable, I will choose one and not overdo it. I will let about 6 hours pass before I eat another raw vegetable. I also drink a lot of water to keep things moving.

I also eat a ton of nuts, beans and lentils...at least with two meals a day.

For me, raw cabbage and corn/popcorn are the things I stay away from. I also stay away from raw mushrooms...when I do have mushrooms, it's cooked and sliced fairly small. I also stay away from dehydrated fruits, Chinese greens, kale and some high fibre grains...I can feel a slight blockage when I've had these foods. On the other hand, a small helping of quinoa, couscous and bulgher seems to be okay.

When I switched from juices to whole vegetables, I tested them out slowly. I would wheel out one vegetable a day and try it out to see how I felt. The same applied for fruits, particularly those with skins on, and high fibre grains, cereals and nuts.

One of the things I really enjoy about having a stoma is being able to eat like I hadn't been able to do pre-stoma. But, I chew really really really well and drink lots of fluids with my meals!

Take it easy, and good luck!

Kismet
 
I went to a nutrition night at the hospital last night and they recommended foods to thicken output & slow down output. High on the list was to avoid popcorn. They discussed dehydration being an issue with an ileostomy. Anyone face that issue?
 
Thank you all for the help! I guess I will just have to start eating things to see if there will be any effect.

Supportive Mom, I do occasionally get dehydrated but I can tell fairly easily. I just start throwing down water till I pee and that fixes me up. I hope that helps.
 
You could try using home made smoothies to up your fruit and veg intake which is what Ive done with great success.
I use half veg, usually kale or spinach, and the rest of the beaker filled with various fruits, you can even do a healthy chocolate one using cacao powder.
I was cautious at first , keeping to lower fibre mixes, but everything seems to pass through with no problem.
 
Someone mentioned a product called drip drop. Something about the high water intake increases the output which then becomes a cycle of dehydration. Didn't know if that is a concern, or you are better off eating things with high water content like cucumbers or celery.
 
Thanks grotbags, I don't have a blender at this time so unfortunately smoothies are an impossibility right now.

SM, I've never had that issue. My output may increase a bit when I drink more water but it doesn't become watery, just ever so slightly looser. I really just need to find foods that are filling and are a bit lower in calories than what I'm eating now. I mean, pizza is cheap, I can buy one for about $12 where I'm living, and I am eating the whole thing. I'm probably eating a whole pizza, or half a large pizza two to three times a week, so that's where my weight gain and extra fat is coming from. But I really have a hard time finding other options because I don't really have much to cook with right now, or the space to cook in. Though, hopefully that will change soon, when I move out of my office and into a condo or house.
 
I've been told that too much liquid is a bad idea with an ileostomy. I've read posts here about how too much fluid may actually cause dehydration because it may make it go through you too quickly. And my surgeon told me that too much fluid with an ileostomy can make food rush through you too and can cause weight loss and malnutrition that way.

Some healthy food ideas:

If you aren't able to cook, how about sandwiches? If you're concerned about blockages, white bread isn't much different in calories than brown. For the filling, try tuna, ham, egg. If you want a lower calorie alternative to butter, use low fat cheese spread or ripe avocado (avocado spreads very easily when ripe!).

Breakfast cereals, you can eat them for meals other than breakfast too. Obviously fibre contents vary a lot, and it is probably best to stick to low fibre ones like Cornflakes.

Soup - easily digested if you stick to smooth soups. Probaly not that filling though.

Omelettes or scrambled eggs on toast.

Jacket potato (without skin if that gives you problems)

For snacks: crackers, bananas, yoghurts.

Do you have the space and equipment to cook some basic things like pasta and rice?
 
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