Overview

How can you care for yourself at home?

• Eat a balanced diet that includes a variety of foods.
• Spread meals and snacks throughout the day. It may help to avoid big meals in the evening, so that you do not pass a big amount of waste into the ostomy pouch during the night.
• Cut food into small pieces.
• Write down foods that cause symptoms like gas, smells, or diarrhea in a journal like the food, lifestyle, and symptom journal.
• If you don’t usually eat spicy foods, bland foods may be easier to digest than spicy foods.
• If you notice bad odours (smells) or gas from your ostomy pouch, note which foods may cause them so that you can limit them. Try cranberry juice, buttermilk, yogurt, or parsley to help reduce odours. You also can use odour-proof ostomy bags or special deodorants for the bags.
  • Odour-causing foods: eggs, beans, fish, garlic, onions, asparagus, cabbage, broccoli, and alcohol may cause odours. Very spicy foods and some vitamin and mineral supplements also cause odours.
  • Gas-causing foods: beans, cabbage, onions, beer, carbonated drinks (like pop or sparkling water), strong cheese (like aged cheeses or blue cheese), and coffee. Using straws, gulping liquids, or drinking fast may also cause gas.
• Chew slowly, chew well, and take your time eating. That will help your body digest the food.
• While your ostomy heals, some foods can increase the risk of blocking the intestine.
  • Foods that can block the intestine: corn, nuts, seeds, dried fruits like raisins, tough leafy greens like celery or kale, fruits with membranes like grapes and oranges, fruits that are tough or stringy like pineapple and coconut, and meats with casings like sausage. When your ostomy has healed, you can gradually add these foods back into your diet. Keep chewing these foods well.
• Some foods will pass through your body without being completely digested. And some foods may change the colour of your stools. You may see corn kernels, bright red beet juice, red pepper pieces, and other bits of your meals in the pouch. This is normal.
• Drink plenty of water and other fluids. Your doctor may recommend that you drink 9 to 12 cups (2.25 to 3 litres) of fluid each day. Fluid can come from water, tea, carbonated waters, and food. Your large intestine is no longer absorbing liquids from what you eat and drink, and your body still needs those fluids. If you have kidney, heart, or liver disease and have to limit fluids, talk with your doctor before you increase the amount of fluids you drink.
• Watch for signs of dehydration, like headaches and a dry mouth. If you are active, you may need more fluids.
• Monitor how often you need to empty your ostomy bag. If it needs to be emptied much more than usual, you are at risk of dehydration. Learn more about nutrition for a high output ostomy.
• Your doctor may recommend that you drink liquid that contains electrolytes to help replace lost fluids and electrolytes. These include drinks like Pedialyte, Hydralyte, or other rehydration drinks that your doctor suggests. Or you can make your own oral rehydration drink.
• Constipation may be a problem if you have a colostomy. If you are constipated, drink more fluids, try to be more active, and gradually eat more foods with fibre. Talk to your healthcare provider before taking a laxative.
• Talk to your doctor before taking any vitamin and mineral supplements.