This is my favorite time of year. There is nothing more fun to me than enjoying the cool weather and all the social visits with friends and families. And let's face it pumpkin spice is such a win. But with this part of the year comes a lot of different foods and drinks and if you have a stoma, it may mean a whirlwind of changes. Sometimes the extra food you eat can have some rather annoying side effects. The reality of eating all of these new foods means you simply need to be a little more careful.
I have to admit that my first few holiday seasons were met with me really being frustrated. First I was frustrated because I was told to not eat most of the foods I really enjoy. So that is what I did, I literally stuck with my strict diet. My diet was not very fun and to be honest it made me stand out at my holiday parties and so on. It was a bit frustrating. I know that instead of learning more than I should of I simply just listened and didn't research on my own.
The next season instead of simply sticking to my insane diet, I went on the opposite end. It was certainly a big issue because I went all out. I just enjoyed all the foods I felt I had been stripped of. Now I do not suggest this at all. I had so many digestion issues and let's face it I felt super fat. No way was this a win in any shape and form. And believe me it felt like I was shooting out my dinner and snacks like a rock. So now you know a few different ways not to go out and enjoy the fall and holiday weather festivities.
So I think that you should take a nice balanced approach to your ostomy care. When it comes to the holidays, enjoy it in moderation. That is what I think is the most important part. Moderation is good for most things in life. My ostomy does not hold me back, but the more I learn the more I am able to enjoy life. I now know what had more fiber in it and it took years to learn. So feel free to make mistakes. It is not the end of the world, just bad sounds and feelings.
I also suggest looking at what others are doing and not having to make all the mistakes on your own. What I am talking about is doing self-research. I think that going online and learning your social media outlets is a great start. There are entire websites dedicated to diets and food knowledge for all types of ostomies. It is really incredible how much knowledge we have. IT is insane the knowledge that is available. I suggest starting on the web. Find a few good forums websites and learn what you can and then move on.
The next area that you should possibly check into is the social media side. Youtube and Instagram are amazing for finding people who are willing to share their life with you. Remember though that most of those people want to be paid. So take everything with a grain of salt.
