Is 2019 your year? Resolution ideas for ostomates

With 2018 now behind us, another year has just begun. Like many of us, you might feel as if you have treated yourself a bit too much over the festive period. Don’t worry though, there are plenty of other people in the same boat!

As always, a new year brings with it a whole host of resolutions from millions of people across the globe, all trying to improve different aspects of their lives in one way or another.

Whether you are an ostomate or not, it’s always a good thing to have some targets to aim for over the course of the year. We’ve put together a few different resolution ideas that you might be interested to try.

Be more active

It’s a well-known fact that getting more exercise comes with a whole host of benefits, all of which can help you towards living a healthy and enjoyable life. Being more active in 2019 can help your body and mind in many ways. Whilst exercise has been proven to lower stress levels, it can also aid the strength of your immune system.

A realistic and achievable goal for you might be to complete a daily mile-long walk. Spending more time outdoors and on your feet will do more good than you might first think, and you can increase the length if you’re looking for more of a challenge.

Stay well nourished and hydrated by drinking more water

You’re probably aware that ostomates are at further risk of dehydration compared to people who do not have a stoma. The side-effects associated with dehydration include fatigue, headaches and finding it a challenge to stay focused. Health authorities state that you should aim to consume at least 2 litres of water per day, in order to keep your body hydrated.

As an ostomate, this is super-important due to the fact that the large bowel (which absorbs salt and water) is no longer in use.

As a rule, it’s also a good idea to be aware that caffeinated drinks and alcohol will also cause dehydration due to the fact that they are diuretics. If you’re consuming any of these drinks, remember to balance them out with plenty of water.

Eat your fruit and veg!

You know what they say – 5 a day is what you’re aiming for. Whether you like your greens or not, they are proven to aid your body with the key vitamins that they contain. Fruit and vegetables are also rich in fibre, which lowers cholesterol. Soluble fibre also helps to make stool easier to pass, which is important for ostomates. Insoluble fibre will prevent constipation, which is also important!

Bin the booze

Britain’s people are known to like a drink. A study showed that four out of five adults throughout England are drinkers – with 31% of men and 16% of women going over the recommended alcohol consumption level each week. Of course, having a stoma means that your body reacts in a different way to alcohol, so it’s vital to be extra careful of what you drink. With the right preparation though, you can still enjoy an alcoholic drink.

Alcohol has a negative effect on your body, and cutting down on your intake will improve your health. Benefits that you might start to see are an improved night’s sleep, feeling more energised as well as the fact that you could save a good amount of money!

If you’re really up for a challenge, you could be a part of the thousands of people taking part in ‘Dry January’. The aim of the challenge is not to consume any alcohol throughout January, and it’s not too late to be a part of it!

Regardless of your hopes and dreams for 2019, small improvements come with great rewards. Now is the perfect time to make sure that this year is your year.

Best of luck!