Services – Diets for Gastroenterological Medicine
Ileostomy Diet
Patients with ileostomy will eventually be able to return to most of their pre-illness dietary habits. For six to eight weeks, they may be kept on a low residue diet which eliminates bulky and hard to digest foods. After that time, other foods my be added one at a time, with care taken to chew foods thoroughly. If a food is disagreeable, it should be deleted from the diet forever; it may be tried later as the small bowel adjusts and recovers from surgery. The patient needs to be made aware of foods that may be likely to cause blockage, odor, gas and diarrhea.
The diet meets the National Research Council’s Recommended Daily Dietary Allowances for all nutrients based on individual’s food choice.
I. Food Blockage – may be caused by foods that are very high in bulk and are partly or totally undigested even when the large bowel is present. These foods need to be well-chewed and added to the diet one at a time: Celery, nuts, coleslaw, wild rice, popcorn, Chinese foods, (especially bamboo shoots),
Foods with seeds or kernels (corn on the cob), dried fruits, coconut (in any form), meat in casings (luncheon meats - just removed the casing), whole vegetables.
II. Odor Causing Foods – These foods are likely to increase the odor of ileostomy drainage: Fish, eggs, asparagus, onions, garlic and some other spices.
III. Diarrhea – These foods cause some people to have diarrhea or an increase in drainage: Green beans, broccoli, spinach, raw fruits, highly seasoned foods, beer.
Diarrhea may also be caused by flu or other illness. The following foods suggestions may help:
1. Low residue diet.
2. Try eating: strained bananas, boiled milk, tapioca, smooth peanut butter.
3. Increase fluids.
IV. Gas Forming Foods – These foods might produce excessive gas. The amount eaten at one time may be related to gas formation. Brussel Sprouts, peas, spinach, corn, cabbage, broccoli, radishes, cauliflower, turnips, string beans, dried beans, mushrooms, melons, cucumbers, onions, beer, carbonated drinks.
V. Other Food Hints:
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Red beets do not lose their color during digestion, so drainage may be red colored.
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When eating corn-on-the-cob, slit the kernels with a knife before eating and eat only one cob at a meal to avoid blockage.
- Eating parsley with every meal, drinking orange juice or eating an orange is said to lessen odor.
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