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Stoma Diet for Diabetics

A stoma is a surgically created opening that redirects the bowel away from the rectum and to the abdomen. Waste is then collected in a stoma bag. Whether the stoma is temporary or permanent, many patients understandably have concerns about dietary restrictions post-surgery, particularly those with diabetes. Adjusting to life with a stoma can be difficult. Adjusting to life with a stoma while worrying about diet can be overwhelming.

  1. General Stoma Diet

    • Experts agree that no special diet is required for stoma recipients who have no other complicating conditions, though they do warn that foods that irritated the digestive tract before will still probably irritate the digestive tract, and that patients with stomas must be especially careful of dehydration. As a general guideline, however, Jackson Siegelbaum Gastroenterology offers a number of dietary suggestions to help manage your stoma: Gradually reintroduce foods so that the affect the food has on the stool can be monitored; eat 4 to 6 small meals a day rather than 2 small meals and a large meal; chew foods completely; and in the first six weeks following surgery, avoid foods that have high levels of fiber as these can potentially block the site of the stoma.

    Stoma and Diabetes

    • Note, though, that the limitation of high fiber foods is only during the recovery period after surgery. Once recovery is complete, high fiber foods are not only OK but encouraged, which is good news for the diabetic who has heard his dietitian sing the high-fiber-low-fat song for years.

      In fact, the dietary recommendations for stoma recipients are remarkably similar to the dietary recommendations for diabetics, though not always for the same reasons. For example, Medline Plus suggests stoma patients avoid sweets and alcohol because these are prone to triggering the body to produce gas, and the Diabetes Information Clearinghouse recommends the same limitation in order to maintain blood sugar levels.

      So the short answer is that whatever a healthy diet was for you before your surgery will continue to be a healthy diet for you after surgery. According to Science Daily, most nutritional deficiencies post-stoma surgery are more often linked to depression rather than diet. Taking care of your body helps take care of your mind. Exercise, eat a balanced diet, and drink lots of water.

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