This topic is about seeking personalized dietary solutions after having an ileostomy, which is a surgical procedure that creates an opening in the abdomen to allow waste to exit the body. The person sharing their experience is looking for advice on how to manage their diet and improve their health post-surgery. Here are some insights and suggestions that might be helpful:
1. The person is concerned about seeing a nutrition professional because of past experiences with bulimia. They are worried that structured food discussions might trigger old behaviors.
2. They have difficulty tolerating most vegetables and many fruits, even when cooked. Their diet mainly consists of pasta, tortillas with chicken and cheese, yogurt, English muffins, Glucerna shakes, protein-powder smoothies, and milk.
3. They experience watery output and undigested food particles, indicating poor absorption. Their recent lab results show low levels of several nutrients, including magnesium, potassium, and possibly iron, despite taking supplements.
4. They have stage-2 kidney disease and are concerned about balancing fluids and electrolytes.
5. They are unsure how a nutritionist can help and are seeking practical ideas for improving nutrition and thickening their output.
6. They are looking for iron-rich foods that do not include red meat and are not interested in bone broth.
7. They are concerned about the impact of cancer on their ostomy and have had further small-bowel resection, which may affect B-12 and magnesium absorption.
8. They experience occasional dizziness and wonder if it is related to blood pressure.
Advice and insights from others include:
- Choosing a Registered Dietitian (RD) or a doctor with a nutrition specialty for medical nutrition therapy. Some ostomy-supply manufacturers have dietitians on staff who can offer consultations.
- Researching practical food discussions in forums, particularly in sections dedicated to diet and nutrition.
- To thicken or reduce high-volume output, consider prescription Lomotil, continue using Imodium as needed, avoid drinking around meal times, and eat small, frequent meals.
- For better tolerance of fruits and vegetables, try blending or puréeing them into smoothies or soups, and chew food thoroughly.
- Specific food and supplement suggestions include experimenting with Glucerna shakes, trying a Greek yogurt smoothie recipe, using commercially prepared bone broth for iron, and adding nutritional yeast or AG1 greens powder for vitamins.
- Consider alternative dietary approaches like a low-residue diet or a strict carnivore diet, and consult a holistic nutritionist for advice on microbiome and vitamin absorption.
- Regularly monitor micronutrient levels through blood tests, especially if the terminal ileum is affected.
- Track blood pressure at different times to manage dizziness, and consult a healthcare provider if needed.
- Due to past bulimia, seek an RD experienced in eating-disorder recovery for balanced guidance.
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