Bowel stomas

Onions, garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, beans, fish, and eggs.

Urostomies

Dehydration, garlic, asparagus, fish and seafood.

Step 1

If you don’t already, try including dairy foods and parsley that can neutralise unpleasant odours.

Step 2

Consider some swaps e.g. use asafoetida (hing) powder instead of onion or garlic while cooking, it’s available at most supermarkets.

Bowel stomas

• Sticky stools due to eating high fat and greasy foods e.g. fried and creamy dishes. Sometimes due to not enough insoluble fibre.
• Hard stools that are difficult to pass e.g. because of too little ‘soluble’ fibre or water.

Urostomies – usually non-nutrition related, although may be due to dehydration and passing less urine.

Sticky stools

swap fried foods for baked options, choose more tomato-based sauces than creamy options or use less cream.

Hard stools and sticky stools – Include foods high in ‘soluble’ fibre e.g. oats, peeled fruit and vegetables, milled seeds.  The section of this table on blockages may be helpful.

Urostomies, hard stools, and sticky stools – aim for 2L of water a day, with a glass of water with each meal or snack unless you’ve been advised otherwise.

Red:

Stools and urine – beetroots, red-coloured berries, red wine and tomato skins

Purple/dark blue:

Stools – blueberries and blackberries

Urine – for those with urostomies, being constipated (not enough water or fibre)

Yellow/orange/dark brown:

Stools – High fat meals e.g. creamy sauces or fried foods

Urine – Very high dose B vitamins or dehydration

Green:

Stools – High fat meals e.g. creamy sauces or fried foods

Black:

Stools – Taking iron supplements or bleeding in the digestive system; speak with your Doctor or call the NHS helpline 111 for advice.

Speak with your Doctor or call the NHS helpline 111 if:

• There are smell, consistency or volume changes of your stools or urine
• You have unfamiliar pain at your stoma site, digestive system i.e. from mouth to anus, or your urinary system which includes your kidneys near your lower back

• Dehydration
• An imbalanced diet

Choose hydrating foods e.g. fruit and vegetables, soups, and yogurts. You can use our ‘Hydration Guide’ resource.

Aim for at least 5 portions of fruits and vegetables a day. At each meal, include 1-2 portions of vegetables, a portion of starchy carbohydrate food, some protein-based food, and around 3 high calcium foods or drinks a day. See our ‘Nutritional Guide’ resource for support.

Step 1

Try chewing your foods very well

Step 2

Try swapping one of these common triggers at a time, e.g. e.g. green beans instead of broccoli

Popcorn, bean sprouts, sweetcorn, cooked mushrooms, fruit or vegetable skins e.g. tomatoes, unpeeled cucumber, fibrous food like nuts, seeds, broccoli stalks, celery, and pineapple.

Step 1

Try having smaller portions and chewing these foods very well

Step 2

If you’ve had multiple reactions to these types of foods, swap them for another e.g. having sharp tasting peeled apples instead of pineapple.

• Eating quickly
• Caffeinated drinks (teas, coffees, cola-type or ‘energy’ drinks)
• Having minimal starchy carbohydrate foods
• More than 2-3 portions of fruit a day, more than 150ml of fruit juice/smoothies a day
• Foods high in ‘insoluble’ fibre or ‘tough’ foods like broccoli stalks, celery, pineapple, whole nuts and seeds
• Lots of chilli
• Frequent high fluid meals or drinking lots with meals

Step 1

Try eating slowly and chewing your food more

Step 2

Swap to decaf teas and coffees, plain water, water flavoured with fresh fruit slices or ‘cold-infuse’ tea bags

Step 3

Ensure each meal has a portion of starchy carbohydrates e.g. a fist-sized potato

Step 4

Try having up to 2 or 3 portions of fruit a day, no fruit juice or smoothies, or up to 150ml a day of fruit juice or smoothies

Step 5

Swap to foods with more ‘soluble’ fibre e.g. oats, peeled fruits and vegetables, root vegetables. Swap whole nuts or seeds for ground nuts and seeds or nut butter and seed paste e.g. peanut butter and tahini

Step 6

Try using other strong-tasting herbs and spices instead of lots of chilli e.g. ginger and black pepper

Step 7

Try drinking water outside of mealtimes e.g. drink in the 15-30 minutes before eating or about an hour afterwards. Still aim for 2L of water across the day unless advised otherwise