Learn with Comfizz

This Valentine's Day, we wanted to share some tips with you for dating after ostomy surgery. Understandably, this can be something that can be very overwhelming and daunting after ostomy surgery, so Ant's video will hopefully give you some tips to help reassure you and guide you.

Valentine's Day is tomorrow & we wanted to re-share a blog post that Comfizz' Amy wrote for us before she worked for us.  Amy had a permanent ileostomy formed in 2011 due to severe Crohn's Disease and a large, benign tumour which nearly cost her her life. She is now married and a proud dog Mum! 

This waistband is designed to sit around the mid-torso area, positioned to suit the wearer in order to conceal and support the surgical site and/or stoma bag without restricting function. If required, it can be worn all day & night. Made from breathable fabric, this seamless, stretchy waistband has many pros for ostomy life including: Confidence during intimacy - discreetly conceals and also supports

Feeling the Winter Blues? You're not alone. It's estimated that around 2 million people in the UK and more than 12 million across Northern Europe are affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), often nicknamed 'the Winter Blues'.

This for me is most important. Connecting with other ostomates is what got me through the first few months of ostomy life. I already had a son who’s ostomy I had been managing for 5 years. Despite this, I found having one myself completely different. When I woke from surgery I was almost repulsed by my stoma. That may sound extreme and believe me when I say I am not averse to stomas, they save lives and I asked for stoma surgery. Yet my initial reaction was to be horrified.

Many ostomates, including Amy here at Comfizz, worry about eating fruit or vegetables, mainly down to its fibre contents. The same can be said for foods such as lentils, beans, tough skins. The idea of having a vegan diet often feels like swearing to ostomates, but there are ostomates out there who are vegan. A vegan diet isn't impossible with an ostomy, but it may take more time and energy to get it right and involve trial and error.

The good news is that there isn't really any gym exercise that you need to avoid in the long term and it is important to note that although you don't need to avoid things, some exercises are to be built up to, such as anything very core-orientated.

January is self-love month. Self-love means different things to different people but it's based around having a great appreciation for yourself and doing things in your life to nurture this and encourage physical, emotional and spiritual growth. I'm sure, if you're a social media user, that you frequently see social media channels flooded with self-love quotes, mantras and people telling you to "love yourself", but in reality, it often isn't that easy

How are you feeling this January? It’s easy to expect everyone to feel a sense of renewed possibilities, with the motivation to be healthier and hopeful. All we are met with is adverts for gym memberships, self care products and sales galore. Some may be feeling depressed, anxious, or just not their best, and that's ok. We all have difficulties in our lives whether it be financial, an illness, or relationship troubles to name but a few. 

Welcome to our Day 10 (the final day of our "10 days of self-care") & thank you for putting you first & joining us. Our focus today is to enjoy the fresh air outdoors, after looking into why spending time outdoors can improve your health.