An ileostomy diet refers to a diet plan that you will need to follow until your bowel recovers from surgery. It generally takes six weeks for the bowel to recover after surgery. Your doctor might not allow you to deviate from a strict diet plan during this phase. Eating what is not recommended during the recovery period can lead to problems such as gas, odor, obstruction, or diarrhea.
Foods that you can eat after surgery
The first thing that you can have after surgery is the liquid. The doctor will allow you to eat low-fiber foods in a couple of days. The amount of fiber you can have in the initial days will be less than 8 grams a day. You will be able to increase it to 13 grams when your bowel recovers.
Foods that you can eat after surgery may include the following.
- Products made from grains
- Soft and ripe fruits and vegetables
- Dairy products including cheese
- Digestible proteins
Foods to avoid
You will want to avoid eating anything hard to digest. It may include high-fiber foods. You will also need to avoid foods that can cause diarrhea, odor, or gas. You should also avoid foods that may result in a blockage.
Foods that you need to avoid may include:
- High-fiber foods, such as whole grains, raw fruits and vegetables, dried beans, and dried fruits
- Foods that might result in a blockage, such as fruit skins, corn, celery, salad greens, cabbage, fibrous meat, and nuts
- Foods that cause gas or odor, such as apple, bananas, leeks, broccoli, cucumber, turnips, peanuts, peas, eggs, fish, and carbonated drinks
- Foods that cause diarrhea, such as fruit juices, beans, fish, fried meat, broccoli, cabbage, brans, wheat, spicy foods, apricots, peaches, caffeinated drinks, and foods high in sugars and fats
Postoperative nutritional guidelines
An ileostomy results in a significant loss of liquid and electrolytes through the stoma. Your healthcare provider may suggest you at least 8-10 glasses of water every day to make up for that loss of body fluids. You may also need to increase the amount of salt you have in your foods.
While eating your foods, take small bites, and chew them well. It will help your GI tract to absorb nutrients. It will also help you prevent blockage and gas.
Instead of eating fewer big meals a day, eat several smaller meals. It will help you prevent problems in food digestion. If you eat a large meal daily, eat it in the middle of the day.
To decrease gas, you need to avoid chewing gum, drinking with straws, and smoking. Avoid any activity that may lead you to swallow air.
Discuss your diet plan with your doctor or ostomy care nurse. Follow their instructions to avoid any complications. If you face any issue, contact them to seek immediate medical attention.