What I Eat-How Food Affects My Ostomy Pouch

Proteins to Start My List Of Ostomy Foods

These are a few things that I eat in my diet. This list is far from complete. These are the only foods that I can share because they are my foods, my diet.

I am sure of this if you are looking at my list, it is just that it is my list, so here goes. I am likely to find that with different cultures and different countries and different foods that the list is only the tip of the iceberg.

Much more can be contributed to this page. Please share in the comments.

With the list, I will list food, and then I list a comment or comments about how my ostomy pouch and my body response to or handle this food.

• Turkey-light concerns-a little more leaning towards diarrhea
• Chicken-everything has been fine
• Steak-everything has been fine
• Ham-everything has been fine
• Beef Roast-everything has been fine
• Crab-everything has been fine
• Lobster-everything has been fine except very rich butter sauce has lead to looser stools
• Pork Chops-everything has been fine

Basically, most meat proteins have been fine, no problems however, please remember that you shouldn’t be eating more than 6 oz. of meat protein per meal.

This is a healthy recommendation. In fact, I have found that meat seems to solidify my excrement in my ostomy pouch.

Vegetables

A vast assortment of vegetables that I eat. Many are listed but I am very sure, there are many more veggies that other people eat all the time that I never consume.

So the list is only of ones that I have exposed myself to.

• Potatoes-everything has been fine
• Broccoli-as mentioned earlier this has caused a small amount of increased gaseous activity for me
• Cauliflower-everything has been fine
• Corn-fine as far as no extra gases, but it is usually passed solid and it has a tendency to make you pass more feces more often. I guess kind of like a laxative but not as active as a laxative.
• Green Beans-everything has been fine
• Tomatoes-everything has been fine
• Tomato sauce-used in sauce type dishes which unfortunately do produce more of a looser stools situation.
• Acorn Squash-everything has been fine
• Zucchini squash-everything has been fine
• Romaine Lettuce-what can I say about romaine lettuce. This isn’t meant to be too detailed, but at times it causes as kind of a string to be left and undigested. I probably need to chew it better or cut into smaller pieces when it is prepared. Stringy is hard when you are trying to empty the pouch.
• Celery-everything has been fine
• Beans navy baked- are almost instantly extra gassy and will last very actively for sometimes up to 4-5 hours. Not much fun, but sometimes I just have to include in a meal choice.
• Pinto Beans- a little bit of gas but not as much as the navy/baked beans
• Green peas- similar acting to corn. in fact almost identical to corn in it’s behaviour.
• Cabbage-very gassy. Started almost immediately and last probably 3-4 hours as well.
• Brussel Sprouts- very nearly the same as cabbage is. gassy to a fault.
• Onions-everything has been fine
• Garlic-everything has been fine as long as quantities are lower for me. Higher quantities make me a little ill
• Carrots-everything has been fine

Dairy

• Cheese sticks-everything has been fine
• Processed white and yellow sliced-everything has been fine
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Milk-everything has been fine. Again in limited quantities
• Cream Heavy-love delicious homemade whipped cream. But to need to limit as the ostomy will not like the rich liquid.
• Butter-in keto a major item, but I have not had any problems with.
• Ice cream-definitely a problem as far as does lead to more of an upset stomach feeling and slight cramps with the stoma. These cramps are hardly ever experienced but when I do then they are very painful. I almost always need to lay flat to alleviate the cramps.

PreFab/Prepared Meals/Boxed Meals

• Hamburg Helper-not any problem, but honestly almost never have as a meal anymore.
• Rice Sides-everything has been fine
• The Gravies-no problem as long as I keep the quantity low and reasonable
• Apple Sauce-looser stools. really hardly ever eat.
• Fettuccine Alfredo Sides-everything has been fine
• Stuffing-everything has been fine
• Bread-everything has been fine
• Hummus-use in moderation, so no problem
• Frosting-sweet, no problem. but very limited in every eating any.
• Ice cream cake-same as ice cream can be a problem. sweet and too much dairy causes stomach cramps sometimes and looser than normal stools. Only for a birthday.

Spices

Spices, in general, don’t seem to affect anything in either direction for me. But I have found they are invaluable in helping with preparing the Keto Genic diet food I prepare. It makes the food recipes work better. But no effect on the pouch.

Fruits

• Apples-everything has been fine
• Strawberries-just noticed more grit in the emptying the ostomy pouch.
• Red Grapes-like with strawberries when emptying the ostomy pouch everything is a bit grittier than from other normal foods. The small seeds are still there.
• Pineapple-everything has been fine
• Watermelon-the main thing here was that I needed to pee more often and I did have a few larger bag emptying sessions if I ate a large piece of melon.

Other Foods

• Bran Muffins-extra fiber extra help in firming up things for you.
• Juices green vegetable juicer juices-they are extra healthy but they are all liquid. This did lend itself to being looser stools, and some more gases being released
• Isagenix Isalean shakes-protein shakes-or any other high fiber mixed shake drinks. A meal of itself a protein shake. These have lead me to be gassier at times as well as I do get looser stools when I drink them.
• Spaghetti-tends to make things a bit looser for me.
• Noodles-everything has been fine
• Cookies-no effects from cookies. The exception would be they usually are invading and destroying a diet for me

My Summation

In summary, it appears from my experience that if I consume foods that have more liquid, my stools will be looser. More solids like meats and things go to the firmer side.

But to me, the thing that bothers me more than this is the gassy situation. Sometimes for hours, I keep going to the bathrooms to release the gases from my ostomy pouch.

This is always embarrassing since it seems that no small amount of air freshener will handle the smells anywhere nearly as effectively as I wish they would. Very smelly and very embarrassing at times.

At the end of this discussion please remember I am only discussing openly with you the way it is for me. One single person with an ostomy.

I believe we all have some things very much in common, but please allow your individuality in looking honestly at you and your personal life. God Bless!

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