The Summers With Ostomy

The summer season is synonymous with heat, and heat is synonymous with dehydration.

Our body is mainly composed of water, a key element, among others, in the processes of excretion and thermoregulation through urine, faeces and sweat.

A deficiency of this nutrient can cause headache, fatigue and dizziness. Insufficient fluid intake has a direct impact on the intestinal transit, causing more consistent stools that are difficult to pass.

The large intestine captures the remaining water in the faeces, which is why increased water intake in colostomies and ileostomies is so important, since the total or partial lack of this organ has a direct impact on its functions.

If the general water recommendation for a healthy adult is one to two liters per day, in these ostomies it amounts to three or four liters per day, especially on hotter days.

It's not easy to get around with a two-litre bottle on the beach or, if you like to go hiking, to carry four litres on your back. Instead, you will reach your water needs more easily if you include foods with a high water content in your diet.

For example, among the fruits and vegetables of the summer, we can find in the fruit shops watermelon and tomato, which can be taken either whole or in the form of juice or soup both at breakfast and mid-morning, lunch, afternoon snack or dinner.

As a last piece of advice, avoid going out during the hottest hours of the day and, if you are going to practice a sport, opt for isotonic drinks, to restore the mineral salt values lost through sweat.