Living with an ostomy requires special attention to diet and nutrition. The good news is that with a little bit of knowledge and some smart choices, you can optimize your health and feel great. As a holistic nutritionist and someone who has experienced the challenges of living with an ostomy firsthand, I'm excited to share my top tips for eating well with an ostomy.

Living with an ostomy can be a difficult adjustment for many people. It can be challenging to come to terms with the physical changes that come with having an ostomy, and it's not uncommon to feel self-conscious or embarrassed. However, it's important to remember that an ostomy is nothing to be ashamed of – it's simply a part of who you are.

In this week's episode of "The Beautiful Bag" podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jacqueline, an extraordinary athlete and ice skater. Jacqueline's inspiring story revolves around her battle with Crohn's disease and how it led her to embrace an ileostomy. Despite the challenges she faced, Jacqueline's determination and resilience have allowed her to continue pursuing her passion for ice skating. In this post, I’ll will delve into Jacqueline's journey, exploring her experiences with Crohn's, her decision to undergo surgery, and how she has defied expectations to thrive as an athlete.

Summer is finally here and it's time to hit the beach! But for those of us with ostomies, wearing a swimsuit and managing our ostomy bag in the water can be daunting. However, with a little preparation and confidence, there's no reason why we can't enjoy the sun, sand, and surf like everyone else! Here are my top five tips for feeling confident and rocking your ostomy at the beach this summer.

Seeking support in the ostomy community is a vital aspect of embracing life with an ostomy. Hi, I'm Leanne Hayden, ostomy advocate and host of the Beautiful Bag podcast. In partnership with Hollister Incorporated, I'm excited to share various ways you can find support and build a strong community within the ostomy world. Join me as we explore the power of connection and the resources available to make your ostomy journey a fulfilling and empowering one.

I have a story to share with you that's both embarrassing and hilarious. It happened to me while driving home from an MRI appointment in New York City with my mother and son. I was wearing tight leggings that pressed against my ostomy bag, and I had been trying to push down stool that was coming out of my stoma. Suddenly, the bag unsnapped and a piece of solid stool flew out, causing my mother to scream and my son to ask what was going on.

In this episode of "The Beautiful Bag" podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with LaTesha Harrison, a Crohn's disease advocate. LaTesha shared her journey with Crohn's disease, including her diagnosis at the age of five and her experience with an ostomy since the age of 14. We also discussed the lack of education and information about Crohn's disease, especially for people of color.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jessica Miles, a registered nurse, photographer, and ostomy advocate who has learned to thrive with a chronic illness and an ostomy. Jessica shares her journey with a connective tissue disorder and multiple surgeries, leading to her having a colostomy. She talks about her experiences with doctors and surgeries, and how she has learned to maintain a positive attitude despite her health challenges.

wimming can be such a great exercise and you may or may not have done it prior to having your ostomy and you may be a little bit nervous about attempting it for your first time after having your ostomy surgery. I'll tell you before surgery personally, I lived in my bathing suit. I was always in a bikini. I started to feel after surgery, little more self-conscious about having my ostomy.  Can I swim with it? What happens if the bag breaks? What happens if things fill up? I'm not comfortable being in a bikini. You know what if it shows through my one-piece bathing suit there's so many questions about it. And it can be a little nerve racking trying to get through that.

You've had your ostomy since 2012. So that's like 10 years now?

Yes. anniversary, and I'm so excited. In September, we're gonna celebrate in some way.   I love it. I love it. And it's not that you want to celebrate it. So why do you want to celebrate it? Like what? Why is it such a beautiful thing?  Because it's a crazy amount of time. 10 years with an ileostomy because from the beginning, it was said that I would have it for two years. And back then it felt like that was forever. How am I going to do this? And now, like my years has literally flown by. And I mean, my bag, which I'm calling Guna. It's a Swedish name. It's his birthday. So, I of course I had to celebrate.

This week’s guest is Stefanie and we met on Instagram

·       Wait until you hear her accent!  She was doing some amazing things out there on social media and I knew we needed her on the show. 

·       She is a 22 year old college student with her ostomy.

·       Lives in Scotland 

• This week’s guest is Chium and we met on Instagram.

• She was out there with her Ostomy working out, doing all that fun stuff I love and I just needed to know her because she is such an inspiration out there!

• Today’s guest is Amy Hart

• In an Ileostomy due to colon cancer

• Mom to 2 little girls. 

• She has an amazing story, going through Colon cancer THROUGH covid! 

• This episode is about my journey for my new listeners. 

• I have shared a lot of other stories with others, but it is rare that I share my story often and my Ostomy journey. 

• What led me into having an Ostomy.

• What I have done over the years.

• Cancer and ending up in an Ostomy.

• My mindset and my growth.

• Have Ostomy because of Cancer

• Had cancer in 1995. Cervical Cancer.

  • Right after had her son.

  • I could not have any more children after that

  • Stage 3 

• Had a colostomy during some of those treatment periods. 

• Happened 27 years ago.

• Had to have the colostomy then, things were not as good then as they are now. 

• A solo episode this week! I have been on vacation for 2 weeks and it has felt absolutely amazing! 

• Gave me some time for me and it feels good. 

• A few things have happened to me over the last few weeks and I wanted to share that with you!

• No matter how long you have been in an Ostomy, body image is still a big thing. And regardless of the number of things you can do with your body and the acceptance that you have, there may be moments when you are reminded that you are living in a bag. 

• Ostomate sister, artist and today’s guest, Joy!

• Met her on Instagram and connected there!

• Best place to find this community! Just search #ostomy on there!

Dr. Joga Ivatury Podcast Interview Transcription For 2/2/2022

Intro  (0:00)

• This week's guest is Dr. Joga Ivatury.

• “Ask The Doctor”

• He is my Colorectal Surgeon who helped remove cancer from my pelvis and gave me my Ostomy. 

• Chief of Colorectal Surgery at Dell Medical School at University Of Texas Austin

• I am here today because of him! 

Ok I don’t know about you but I find jeans very uncomfortable. I don’t know why, well maybe its because I love living in my workout clothes lol. So what do you wear for jeans that are comfortable and stylish when we are in an ostomy?

For me it’s all about comfort. Hey, I am an 80’s girl so the tighter the jeans the better was the way to go. You know what I mean grabbing that pair of Jordache and then a coat hanger so you could zip them up while lying down. Come on I am not the only one here right? Anyways, now that I have my colostomy that is no longer an option and the rest of my lower half thanks me for it lol.

Here are my favorite go to brands!

Robin’s Ostomy Story - How It Began (1:15)

• Struggled at age 21 and was diagnosed with Ulcer Colitis.

• Food poisoning led to an exploratory surgery where they found Ulcer Colitis while in surgery.

• Struggled for years with different types of medications and bowel resections. And was just constantly sick. 

• In March 2014 a freak accident happened with our off-road ATV. It malfunctioned and pinned me between the ATV and the back of the garage. 

• After the accident, I had numerous bowel reconstruction surgeries, and the first area of my body they took care of after the accident and began my journey to an Ostomy. 

• The bag came 2 in a half hours later after struggling with different conditions. 

• Started my pageant journey after I got my Ostomy.