Can we eat salad? Need ideas!

You are right, Margie, and everyone needs the nutrition and antioxidants big time....and then of course there is one of the best kitchen friends we all can possibly have.......the juicer!!  ...mix the potent wonderful veggies and fruits together and cheers!!

Hey Maggie, I eat everything as well and no colon. Permanent ileostomy as well. I do get a few blockages, but I don't chew enough. I guess I don't eat many nuts anyway. I also drink alcohol and anything in between. I think my obstructions are from scar tissue problems or I look at food like right now. I want a peach. I just bought it. It's worth a little pain or not. Cool mare - mooza.

I've been wondering about lettuce, not had it in nearly 5 years, and eat other salad foods including radish and spring onions. We grow our own veg in a small way, so feel obliged to eat them too!
The only thing I've had a blockage with is a slice of mushroom, which became stuck for several hours. Scary! Now I grate them and have no more trouble. If you eat beetroot, don't worry that you are bleeding to death. It's just the color going through, very quickly too!!
A Happy New Year to you all. May you have a good and healthy 2011, and a big thank you for such wonderful friends on this site.

Regarding the mushrooms  YES, grating is a super idea!!    In fact, I forgot to mention in my post that the only way I can now eat mushrooms is if I chop them into TEENY pieces....one of my favorite things to eat lately is homemade mushroom soup, a recipe from one of my best friends. I am addicted to mushroom soup lol...and I can eat bowl after bowl as long as the mushrooms are TINY bits....then no trouble at all.

Thank you everyone, bless you bes0642, well done on no blockages.
I'm trying new things today, I've been shopping and I'm having a small chicken salad for my tea.
So thank you again everyone, I really appreciate all the advice from you. Keep well. Maggie.

Lies!! Eat whatever you want!! When I had the bag, I would eat nuts, popcorn, salads, whatever I wanted.
I now have a continent ileostomy, so I can't eat lettuce because it will stick to the tube I use to catheterize my pouch, but when you have an end ileostomy, that is not a problem. The problem will happen when you don't chew your food well. If you are worried about food getting caught up, just don't eat a huge quantity, chew it well, and drink something like grape juice or prune juice to loosen up the stool.

Just chew it thoroughly. I eat anything except broccoli or cauliflower because I hate it! E.g. for nuts, make it into peanut butter before you swallow and good luck!

I do not eat salad or fruit on an empty stomach; I always eat a couple of bites of something else first. This has worked for me for 6 years.....hope this helps you too!! I eat nuts on an empty stomach, not a lot, but I need the protein.

Hi,

I've had my ostomy for more than 45 years, way before they ever had "stoma nurses".

My doctor at the time told me to try different foods to see how they agree with me. So that's what I've been doing for all these years. I've found that some (raw) foods agree with me, and others don't. I can't eat raw carrots or celery, but I can eat lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, and onions. I often have salad, but I am careful not to have it on an empty stomach (or I get the "runs") and I don't have a lot of it too late at night. As for nuts, some are better than others. I don't have a problem with cashews, but sometimes other nuts cause problems so I avoid them. I can eat cooked cabbage that's shredded and coleslaw, but not raw cabbage in salads. I can't digest raw or cooked whole leaf spinach, but chopped spinach isn't a problem. As time has gone by, I've developed some problems digesting foods I used to be able to eat. So the best advice I can give you is to try small amounts of new foods to determine what works for you.

Write if you have any other questions.

Marsha

There is really only 1 rule with an ileostomy. Trial and error. Try and eat everything and you will work out pretty quickly what you can and can't eat. I shouldn't eat peanuts but I do. They block me big time. Just as it's been said in the posts, lotsa water. You are meant to have a better lease of life after surgery, not be bound to the whims of some outrageous diet.

Said quite perfectly, Steve!

Thanks everyone, I had a beautiful salad yesterday and again today, no problems whatsoever. I'm so pleased.
But it just goes to show, if it wasn't for this forum, I would never have tried. As my stoma nurse said no to all raw foods, I'm going to try a little handful of nuts today and see if that's okay.
Thank you everyone. I'm so happy. I love salad. Maggie.

Mag,
The lesson here is that ostomates know it all.... Because we live it on a daily basis.......... While doctors think they know it all, they don't, and WOCNs try and are our best advocates in our journey, they too don't know it all. And lastly, it is us........all of us on this forum where all the answers you could ever hope for are......... There is more absolute truths on here than you can ever find from any medical person..... PERIOD

Your right, thank you.

BRAVO!!!!  SO true!!!  .....and I have 34 years of having an ostomy to slam my hand down on the table and agree with Michael 100%  ...and I have had a few doctors (and trust me I've seen MANY doctors in my day) who have actually told me this same thing...now that is something I personally doubt many doctors will do, admit to their lack of personal knowledge on so many of our issues, in fact one of my Marshfield Doctors said he has much to learn from his Ostomate Patients.

Ok, I had a handful of peanuts. Yummy! I'm fine, nothing wrong. Yipeeeee! I'm so pleased.
The world of food has opened up to me again. As a world traveler (not bragging),
food is very important to me as I don't smoke or drink. I'm going on holiday in March for 6 weeks, so I'm looking forward to it that little bit more now that I know I can eat a whole range of foods. So thank you again everyone for all your advice. No doubt I will have a lot more questions to ask... Maggie.

Congrats Maggie!

Welcome to my world of "living to eat" (as opposed to the old boring adage of eating to live!).

Eat, drink and be merry!

Cheers and happy new year,
Jo x

Hi all,

We all seem to have our own personal food opinions, and I find it interesting and ironic that we all indulge in salad....when the professionals say "don't". To all new "Ostomates", come here for real life "advice".

Just to let you know, back in November, I was searching for a different kind of salad recipe, since one of my dinner guests requested a salad.

I made a "fabulous" fruit and nut (autumn) salad, with an orange mustard vinaigrette dressing. It had all the ingredients that I was "not supposed to eat", and all went well.

I used mixed greens, romaine. The fruit was cubed apple (with skin), pears, tangerines, dried cranberries, red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, and nuts (I used cashews). I just brought the same salad to a New Year's Eve party, and it was a hit. I'd use it for lunch, adding grilled sliced chicken. I'm going to experiment with other fruits, pineapple, and some other dried fruit... For those who are hesitant, try each ingredient prior to combining, and try to eat something (like bread) before starting on the salad. Enjoy.

Thank you hun, sounds just like my kind of food. I will try that one. I had fried mushrooms (cut small) for the first time since my ileostomy and enjoyed every mouthful. MMMMMMmmm,

I still have one question. I love grapes, can we eat those too? My stoma nurse said no, but you know she said no to all raw food including fruit. So I just thought I'd ask. Thank you again for the recipe.... Maggie

Without reading this entire thread, I am going to invoke the golden rule of ostomy: introduce slowly, then observe for any change(s).

And then you'd know if you can eat salad.

Oh, and chew thoroughly. That is all.

My dear Maggie, haven't you realized by now that a lot, not all, but a lot of their
care is based on how much inconvenience it is going to impose on them? As far as not eating certain foods, they would have you eat nothing but gruel or oatmeal, (easier for them to clean up in case of an accident!)
I know your nurse is going to say, "Alright, listen to your friends, they are all medically trained and know everything" with a touch of sarcasm. Catch the look on her face the next time she has to clean your pouch, remember what I told you.

Jacksprat

I still have one question. I love grapes, can we eat those too?

Maggie - Of course you can!

Try some and see, chew and experiment with it ...... I would say be careful with the pulp of satsumas/oranges etc and pineapple can be a bit dodgy but just 'suck it and see'!

Rach xx

Thank you, and Rach, do you eat the skin on the grapes? If not, there's a job for hubby - peeling my grapes, lol.

Well, I do! The last couple of days, I have actually been making yogurt smoothies with my blender and have been putting all sorts in - so even if you find you can't eat something 'whole', you could try just zapping it?

xx

Agree with everyone here. I was eating a salad while chatting on this site. The person said, "Wish I could do that." Stuff the nurse, they try but I eat anything I want. Don't eat mushrooms because I don't like them. Hahahah! Trial and error, Maree. You just might have helped me. Something I thought food was blocking me, but you said multiple ops, so eight is a lot. Nerve damage pills now. I thought it was food, even though I ate not much on the day. Thanks. Love. Have problems with onions and tzatziki. Spell check still couldn't eat them before ops. There you go, kiddo. Eat and be happy. Toodles, Maree Mooza.

Re: Salad?

You can't make friends with salad.... You can't make friends with salad....

I can't talk for everyone but I do eat salads ... I experiment all the time and yes, I have had problems with some food but not for sooooooooo long. If I'm in pain, I lie down for awhile on my side. I have an ileostomy. I ate salad 3 days ago, no problems...

Does anyone have a stomal therapy nurse? Most helpful when I need it. I just call mine up..xx Mooza

Got to pipe in ... I can eat lettuce now!!! Any 'sturdier veggie' stuff in the salad doesn't work (blockage) no matter how much I chew.

Ileo in Dec 09 -- had tried eating lettuce after I healed, but no go. About 5 wks ago, I tried again. Eating a couple mouthfuls of Romaine (with feta cheese, a couple croutons and pureed garlic in a dressing - yum). It went down so good and processed well ... amusing to see the lettuce come out almost like it went in - small pieces.

Now I have lettuce salad every night - how I was missing it. I chew really well and enjoy every bite.

I was told the same thing and worry is if you have diverticulitis, you may get a seed stuck into a fistula and cause infection and the possibility of tearing the intestine, which is what happened to me. 16 months later, I now eat just about everything and have had no problems with the exception of excessive gas. Popcorn, which I love, I have tried only a couple of times with resulting regrets. It is hard to digest, and the husk, which is the bandit, has gotten stuck, causing some bleeding and major discomfort for me until all of it has passed, and that can be several days for me. I am just going to have to give it up. Eat well, chew well, drink a lot of fluids (something I am neglectful to do), and try things in very small amounts and try to enjoy as much as you can.

The only thing I was told not to eat, or should I say swallow, was a whole pickled onion as it could cause a blockage.
I eat everything I like - salads, curries, everything. You learn what gives you problems over time. I like cheese, but don't eat it if I am going to visit people the next day as the odor is, well, just disgusting.
I had my ostomy in 1986, so I'm well used to it now. Everything is second nature.