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In our blog you will find all kinds of information in relation to living with an ostomy. Tips, tricks and advice as well as other osto-mates experiences can be found within our blog.

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Podcast Playlist

Podcast Playlist

Podcasts are undoubtably a brilliant form of self care. Putting those headphones in and escaping from the outside world, you can curate what you need in that moment. I listen mostly when I am doing something arduous like making dinner, ironing or running a long distance. In this blog I am sharing some of my favourites, covering a varied spectrum of topics. These topics serve me well through education, mindfulness and laughter. If you have any recommendations don’t hesitate to message me over on Instagram @gutsymum I would love to hear what you listen to! The POODCAST @the_poodcast Now this is one for the drive home where after a long and stressful day, you literally need to laugh out loud....

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Running With A Stoma - The Race Edition

Running With A Stoma - The Race Edition

October was a very special time for me as I entered my first 10K race in Cardiff, South Wales. Whatever possessed me to do it you ask? How many of you who are reading this with a chronic illness have found they can’t be as active as they once were? For me it was like a light switch was flicked and I couldn’t do anything without being in pain anymore. Its debilitating, demoralising and can lead you down a dark path mentally with the mental health benefits you loose over night. My health journey has been quite the fair ground ride. Born with Hirschsprungs Disease, multiple surgeries, 3 stomas and having a child which has the same yet more severely,...

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Holidaying as an ostomate

Holidaying as an ostomate

I’m back again guys following a lovely holiday with my family! We have always stayed in the UK since we had our baby ostomate now 5 years old, so current circumstances haven’t made any difference to us choosing to visit the beautiful Exmouth in Devon. Despite a few wet days at the start, parts of the UK entered a heatwave with temperatures entering late 20s/early 30s. This was my first holiday as an ostomate, but going on staycations for five years with my little one Jake meant you would think there wouldn’t be many surprises. I felt pretty organised with the only difference being myself to care for during bag leaks, hoping that Jakes stoma didn’t feel left out and...

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Lectins Good or Bad For Your Bowels?

Lectins Good or Bad For Your Bowels?

  What are lectins? Lectins are a type of protein found in many foods, but which are difficult to digest. One of the Lectins most people have heard of is Gluten. They are a kind of built-in defence system for plants to make themselves less appetising to animals that might eat them. Also, their seeds (due to the lectins in them making them indigestible) can pass through the animal or birds digestive tract unaffected, so the animal/bird can become a good means of dispersing the seeds far and wide. Some would term lectins as an “anti-nutrient” due to the attention they have received through popular media citing lectins as the cause of obesity, chronic inflammation, GI problems, leaky gut syndrome,...

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Stoma surgery expectations versus reality

Stoma surgery expectations versus reality

I had the phone call a few weeks in advance for my ileostomy surgery last Summer during lockdown. We had to isolate as a family for 10 days and I was in no means mentally prepared. With Covid I didn’t expect to have the surgery anytime soon giving us all quite the shock! A few weeks is much more than some people get with many stomas formed as the result of an emergency surgery where patients wake up to find one without even know what a stoma is. Having a son with one already and having one as a baby temporarily meant I was no stranger to stomas.  I went in to surgery thinking I knew exactly what to expect...

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Can you eat chocolate with Crohn's?

Can you eat chocolate with Crohn's?

For many people with Crohn's, chocolate can irritate the the lining of their bowels. If in doubt, I'd say it's best to avoid it in my experience, especially if you aren't in remission (flaring). Chocolate usually contains caffeine as it's contained in cocoa beans. Foods rich in caffeine can often cause Crohn's to become aggravated. Compared to a standard cup of coffee...

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Nuts and an Ostomy

Nuts and an Ostomy

This can be quite a controversial topic for many ostomates (bowel ostomates anyway) whether you can eat nuts or not! I have in fact seen many heated debates on Facebook groups and have even had people arguing with me over the fact I can eat them! Which I have to admit I found absolutely laughable as our ostomies and the diseases that lead us to have them are just as individual as we are!  For as long as I can remember I have had struggles with foods either being trigger foods (yet that took 20 years for anyone to tell me what foods to pay attention too) intolerances, the odd allergy and now foods that affect either my output or...

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Moderation

Moderation

Like with most things in life moderation is definitely key and it is even more important in my mind after ostomy surgery. Not just in the healing period but for the rest of your life with an ostomy. I’m not trying to be preachy when I say don’t gorge yourself on certain food or drink but more from experience! When I started to feel myself again after my surgery and for the first time in a really long time I wasn’t in pain any more and food were no longer triggers I literally ate everything I could and as much of it as I could stomach. This wasn’t the best idea in hindsight but allowed me to pinpoint some very specific areas...

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Post Surgery Veggie Soup

Post Surgery Veggie Soup

I remember being between a rock and a hard place after having my ileostomy on what to eat. I had next to no appetite and when I did I just wanted all the foods I was a bit worried about. For instance there wasn’t much information out there about eating vegetables with a stoma and I was worried I was going to have to change my diet! So I came up with this soup which I still have in my rotation; normally I wouldn’t share a soup in the summer but the weather has been a bit up and down so I didn’t think it was the end of the world! You know the seasonal veggie packs most supermarkets have?...

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Electrolytes

Electrolytes

We all need electrolytes to keep our body in tip tip condition but did you know that having an ostomy specifically an ileostomy can affect the levels of electrolytes you have? In this post we will have a little look into what they are and what they do! Electrolytes are salts and minerals that hold a type of electricity more specifically positive and negative ions once they are dissolved in liquid; in your body this is your blood, sweat and urine. Electrolytes found in your body include: Sodium Potassium Chloride Calcium Magnesium Phosphate Bicarbonate They help your body do a variety of things such as ensuring your nerve endings and muscles function properly and keeping you hydrated – which those...

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