On March 15th, 2017 I spoke to the members of Ostomy Toronto as a guest speaker.

I love how organic the conversations and questions were, and I had such a great time with the group.

Video

Here’s a video clip of part of the discussion we had. It focused on how I adjusted to my plant-based diet after getting my ostomy, concerns about protein, how I recovered from anemia, and more!

Audio

Audio for the full talk can be heard below.

We discussed:

• My story about IBD and my ostomy.
• Why I decided on an ostomy instead of a resection.
• How I managed my diet during the transition after my surgery.
• Tips to avoid blockages and my blockage story.
• Mechanical causes of blockages.
• How I recovered from Anemia.
• Tips on increasing iron absorption.
• Where to get protein on a vegan diet.
• Addressing concerns about soy.
• Tips on how to transition to a plant-based diet.
• Wound healing on a plant-based diet.
• Gas and beans.
• Gut bacteria and promoting a healthy gut flora.
• Probiotics.
• Roller coasters with an ostomy.
• Stoma guards and their uses.
• How long I’ve been vegan and why I went vegan.

Further Reading

• Ostomy Diet: What to Eat in the First Six Weeks
• Ostomy Diet: Beyond Your Recovery
• Enhancing nutrient absorption
• Protein – the What, Why and How
• Transitioning to a Plant-Based Diet: Tips from an Expert (Q&A with a Registered Dietitian)
• Are plant-based diets healthy?
• Fiber: Friend or Foe to someone with Inflammatory Bowel Disease?
• Finding a Registered Dietitian: IBD/Ostomy Tips
• How to Track Your Nutrient Intake
• Going Vegan: Tips for New and Soon-To-Be Vegans
• Dealing with gas in your ostomy pouch (“ballooning”)
• Dealing with Blockages
• Having Fun at an Amusement Park With an Ostomy (with video)
• Stoma Guard reviews
• How much soy is too much? (Nutritionfacts.org)

References

• Perceptions of flatulence from bean consumption among adults in 3 feeding studies (PDF)
• Beneficial effect of iron pot cooking on iron status. Kulkarni SA, Ekbote VH, Sonawane A, Jeyakumar A, Chiplonkar SA, Khadilkar AV. Indian J Pediatr. 2013 Dec;80(12):985-9. doi: 10.1007/s12098-013-1066-z. PMID: 23868537
• Higher bioaccessibility of iron and zinc from food grains in the presence of garlic and onion. Gautam S, Platel K, Srinivasan K. J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Jul 28;58(14):8426-9. doi: 10.1021/jf100716t. PMID: 20597543
• USDA’s  Interactive DRI for Healthcare Professionals (to calculate protein requirements)
• USDA’s “What we eat in America, NHANES 2001-2002: Usual Nutrient Intakes from Food Compared to Dietary Reference Intakes” (PDF)
• Sharma S, Sharma RK, Parashar A. Comparison of the nutritional status and outcome in thermal burn patients receiving vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets. Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery : Official Publication of the Association of Plastic Surgeons of India. 2014;47(2):236-241. doi:10.4103/0970-0358.138959.
• Production Conditions Affect the In Vitro Anti-Tumoral Effects of a High Concentration Multi-Strain Probiotic Preparation. Cinque B, La Torre C, Lombardi F, Palumbo P, Van der Rest M, Cifone MG. PLoS One. 2016 Sep 22;11(9):e0163216. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163216. PMID: 27657913