As we enter the festive season, you may be enjoying some festive treats, or wrapping presents. You may know what works for you when managing food temptations, or this may be your first Christmas with a stoma. Either way, we have some helpful tips:

You may love them or loath them, but brussels sprouts usually make an appearance during the festive season. If they are a staple for your dinner, it may be good to know that they can be quite hard to digest and can cause wind. We suggest, boiling them rather than steaming and chewing well. If brussels sprouts aren’t for you but sauerkraut is, you may want to keep your portion small as this can also cause wind.

The festive season may be all about Christmas puddings, mince pies, and cakes for you. It may be mince pies in the UK, stollen in Germany, or pan de pascua in Chile, whatever sweet treat you are enjoying, those with dried fruits and nuts contain a lot of fibre so enjoy in moderation!

If you do find those mince pies have affected your output and it’s a little looser than usual, marshmallows can help thicken it. We suggest enjoying them as a snack or in your next hot chocolate.

For those that are enjoying the summer sunshine, salads and fresh fruit are often on the Christmas menu. If you’re having a pavlova, consider having it with canned fruit rather than fresh. And why not put a roast vegetable salad on the menu?

No matter what time of year, hydration is always important. We recommend sipping a glass of water when eating. However you may be celebrating this festive season, we hope you enjoy and wish you a Merry Christmas!