Christmas Vacation – How to Manage Holidays with an Ostomy

The holiday season is here. From the east coast to the west coast the snow is falling (even in Vancouver), shoppers are shopping, carolers are caroling, and everyone is making final preparations. If this is your first or second holiday season with an ostomy, you may still be trying to figure it all out. You’ve had a life changing operation, and your adjusting. However, it need not ever get in the way of making merry, especially at this time of the year.

Today, InnerGood is providing a few tips to help you manage the holiday season now that you’re living with an ostomy.

5 Tips for Help You Navigate the Holiday Season While Living with an Ostomy

Keep the Sniffles Away with Smart Supplements

Keeping healthy is the key to a successful holiday season. This is especially true if you’ve recently had your procedure. The month of December is when instances of cold and flu kick in. But it’s not the temperature that makes you sick. It’s being around hoards of others in malls, theaters, restaurants, and everywhere else that people gather during the holidays. You also have more guests coming in and out of your home. One sniffle can spread fast in these contained environments. You want to do all that you can to protect your health so that you don’t spend the holidays bed-ridden.

While following your doctor’s orders is the most important part of the equation, maintaining a healthy regime of antioxidants is extremely important (you might like Metagenics UltraFlora if you are battling a cold). Outside of food (e.g. nuts, seafood, blueberries, pecans, prunes, spinach, and kale), supplementation is essential. Which supplements should you take? Reference this list of antioxidant supplements, consult with your physician, and redeem our holiday promotion (20% off and FREE shipping).

Avoid Embarrassing Odors at Seasonal Gatherings

You’ll be out a lot more. Attending more events, plays, dinners, cocktail parties, and more. While everyone needs to pay close attention to their hygiene in these scenarios, ostomates have one additional concern. The position of your stoma puts daily bodily functions “out there” a bit more than you would prefer. But let this stop you from getting out there as a holiday season socialite. Follow these four tips to keep ostomy bag odors at bay. All that will remain are the holiday scents of gingerbread, mint, cinnamon, and spice!

Follow the Map to Successful Holiday Season Travel

For many, travel is a big part of the season. One of the biggest concerns for new ostomates, is adjusting to travel with a stoma. While completely understandable, you can globe-trot your way through Christmas into the new year with a clear agenda. This includes getting a clean bill of health from our doctor, packing extra ostomy supplies/prescriptions, updating travel medical insurance, and ensuring access to health facilities (if needed) at your destination. Review this ostomy travel checklist before heading away for the holidays.

Balance Holiday Fun with Fitness

It would be sacrilege to suggest that you avoid the holiday goodies. However, seeing as you have recently recovered from a stoma procedure, and are in the middle of rebuilding (or building) your core fitness, you want to fight the urge to plop down on the sofa next to pot-bellied Uncle Lou from Oshawa between Christmas Eve and New Years Day. Indulge in good food, drink, relaxation and merriment but remember to maintain your fitness in between it all. Schedule three quick (30-45 minute) but effective training sessions per week through the holidays, after receiving clearance from your physician. Follow these four #ostofit tips and you’ll be well prepared to enjoy the holidays, without letting your core fitness fall to the wayside.

Christmas Wish Lists for Ostomates

As a new ostomate, you may have made a few new friends along the way. It’s not uncommon to form bonds with fellow ostomates from support groups and so forth. Gift exchanges will ensue. Of course, you will be putting together your own Christmas wish list as well. Have a look at our holiday gift guide and stocking stuffer idea list, that ostomates will appreciate.