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8 top tips to help you celebrate Ramadan
Kindly written by Lisa Hall and Sarah Ashworth, Salts Medilink Stoma Nurses with a special thank-you to their patients for their valuable input.
Having a stoma needn’t stop you from participating in Ramadan. We know many people will still want to fast and there are lots of ways you can do this safely, unless of course you’re elderly, sick or it would be bad for your health. We’ve pulled together 8 top tips to help you celebrate the holy month.
1. Avoid salt
If you have a urostomy or ileostomy, salty, processed or dried foods can be hard to digest and can make you feel more thirsty. Try to keep them to a minimum.
2. Control output
Avoid foods that make your output loose or give you wind, such as leafy green vegetables, very spicy foods, baked beans and too much fish. Ileostomists may be able to take loperamide during non-fasting periods.
3. Stay hydrated
Drink at least 2 litres of non-fizzy water or caffeine-free drinks when not fasting. Urostomists can eat foods high in water, such as melon or cucumber.
4. Introduce juices
Try juicing fruit and vegetables to get extra fluids if you’re unable to eat whole pieces of fruit and vegetables.
5. Keep cool
If we’re lucky enough to have hot weather, try to stay cool, don’t exert yourself too much and keep out of direct sunlight.
6. Change regularly
Change your stoma bag daily to check the health of your stoma. It’s important to ensure it’s pink, red and moist.
7. Delay fasting
If you’ve recently had surgery, you may be excused from participating. Discuss this with your Iman or mosque leader and see if you can ‘make up the days’ after you’ve completed your recovery.
8. Speak up
Speak to your local hospital or Community Stoma Nurse if you have any questions or concerns about how your stoma may be affected.
If you feel at all unwell, stop fasting and contact your GP. If you need supplies to see you through the fasting period, please call Medilink on FREEPHONE 0800 626388. Email via order@saltsmedilink.co.uk or by using our online form.
