Developing Healthy Eating Habits

Daily habits have a big impact on our lives. Developing a healthy eating style can ensure a fast recovery from ostomy surgery and continued health.

Discover healthy eating habits for people with ostomies.

The quality of your life is impacted by your daily routine. If you have an ostomy, it’s especially important to develop healthy eating habits. Start by understanding one key concept – all food and beverage choices matter. So, focus on variety, amount and nutrition. Practice these four habits every day to keep you on track:

• Make healthy food and beverage choices from all five food groups: grains, vegetables, fruits, protein foods and dairy
• Eat the right amount of calories for you. This should be based on your age, gender, height, weight and physical activity.
• Look for weight gain red flags. Avoid food and drinks that might cause you to gain a few pounds. You’ll also reduce your risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
• Make a habit of reading nutrition labels and ingredient lists. This will help you make healthy food and beverage choices. Look for foods lower in saturated fat, sodium and added sugars.

View or print the full PDF booklet: Living with an Ostomy: Healthy Eating