Topic Explanation
The forum discussion revolves around the challenges ileostomates face with eating apple skins. The original poster, Terry, shares their experience of struggling to chew and digest apple skins post-ileostomy, attributing the difficulty to the tougher skins engineered by the apple industry for better durability during transport. Terry expresses frustration over this change, as the skins are nutrient-rich, and seeks to know if other ileostomates have similar issues and how they manage them.

Advice and Insights

1. Types of Apples and Peeling:
- Some users suggest trying different types of apples, like Macintosh, which may have thinner skins.
- Many ileostomates prefer to peel their apples to avoid digestive issues.
- Using an apple corer/slicer to cut apples into smaller pieces can help with digestion.

2. General Fruit and Vegetable Peeling:
- Peeling other fruits and vegetables like cucumbers is also common among ileostomates to avoid digestive problems.
- Awareness of wax or food-grade shellac coatings on non-organic fruits, which can be removed by peeling.

3. Personal Experiences:
- Some ileostomates have no issues with apple skins and can eat them without problems.
- Others have always avoided apple skins due to digestive difficulties, even before the tougher skins were introduced.
- A few users mention that they have been advised by healthcare professionals to avoid skins and hard fibers post-surgery.

4. Organic and Local Produce:
- Preference for organic or locally grown fruits to avoid the engineered tougher skins and chemical coatings.
- Growing fruit trees at home or sourcing from local farms as a solution to avoid commercially engineered produce.

5. Dietary Adjustments:
- Some ileostomates have adjusted their diets to include only peeled fruits and well-cooked vegetables to aid digestion.
- Chewing food thoroughly and eating smaller portions to prevent blockages and digestive issues.

6. Tools and Techniques:
- Using specialized tools like apple peelers or corers to make fruit easier to consume.
- Boiling or steaming vegetables to make them easier to digest.

7. Health and Safety Concerns:
- Awareness of the potential health risks associated with pesticides and genetically modified produce.
- Emphasis on the importance of being cautious about what is consumed post-ileostomy to avoid complications.

8. Community Support and Shared Experiences: