Here we go again: one year over, and another one has just begun! If you feel like you have over-indulged slightly over the festive period, you’re not alone. As the new year begins there will be millions of people around the world taking on their very own resolutions to try and better themselves in some way or another.
Whether you have a stoma or not, we’ve picked out some resolutions that you can try for yourself without having to make any huge changes to your lifestyle.
Drink more water and stay well hydrated
Having a stoma can put you at a higher risk of dehydration than others. This can lead to a number of issues including headaches, tiredness and having difficulty concentrating. Most health authorities recommend that you try and drink around 2 litres of water every day to stay in good health.
If you have an ileostomy, this is doubly important. The large bowel absorbs water and salt so those with an ileostomy will know that as this is either no longer connected, or it may have even been removed completely, dehydration is at a higher risk. Therefore, it’s important to monitor your input and output to keep on top of your fluid levels.
It’s worth noting that drinks containing caffeine and alcohol can also dehydrate you. Because they are diuretics, you will need to drink more water in order to rehydrate.
Get your 5-a-day
It’s no surprise that eating your fruit and veg comes with a number of health benefits. They provide your body with key vitamins, as well as being rich in both soluble and insoluble fibre.
Soluble fibre can help to lower cholesterol and help to make stool thicker, softer and therefore easier to pass – useful for those with stomas.
Insoluble fibre helps to move waste along your bowel, which will help to prevent constipation.
Discover more diet and nutrition advice for ostomates in our dedicated advice article.
Try to exercise more
Everybody knows that exercise is one of the biggest keys to living a happier, healthier life. Exercising more often can help to reduce stress and strengthen your immune system. Don’t worry – you don’t have to be doing a workout every day to see the benefits.
Why not aim to try and complete a mile-long walk once every week? Or try 15 minutes of yoga to build your core strength? As your fitness improves, you can increase the length or frequency of your chosen exercise to as much as you like.
Cut down on alcohol
Alcohol can affect our mood, behaviour and disrupt our sleep, so why not look at cutting down this year. The benefits are immediate and can help you feel better in the morning, feel less tired during the day, improves skin, gives you more energy and also has an impact on weight management. The other big bonus is that it will save you money!
If you regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week, here are some simple tips to try:
First step is to recognise that 14 units is equivalent to 6 pints of average strength beer or 6 medium glasses of wine.
Before you start drinking, set yourself a mental limit of how much you are going to drink.
Let your friends and family know so they can support you.
Make each drink a smaller serving size, which means you don’t miss out, but reduce your overall consumption.
Slow your drinking by having a glass of water or a soft drink in between each glass of alcohol. It also helps to keep you hydrated.
Try a non-alcoholic drink alternative – there is a huge range of 0% beers, gins, wines and prosecco’s on the supermarket shelves these days.
Having a stoma does greatly affect the way your body reacts to alcohol, many people with colostomies can still enjoy an alcoholic drink with the right preparation.
If you’re feeling confident, you could even join the thousands of people taking part in ‘Dry January’. As the name suggests, all you have to do is abstain from alcohol throughout the month and see the benefits.
Whatever your goal for this new year might be – making these small improvements will help you to kick off the new year in great fashion. It’s never too late to get started.
Best of luck!
