In this book, I want to share my journey and offer you some of the tips, tricks, and recipes that have helped me over the last 26 years. While some foods are known to increase the risk of blockages, they don't need to be off-limits forever. With a few simple modifications, you should be able to enjoy all the foods you love once again.

Like many new Ostomates, I was initially confused about which foods I could eat. I was told by professionals, certain foods might cause a blockage, I didn't hear the word "might", I just heard the word "blockage" and it made me fear that I would never be able to eat some of my favourite foods again. But I realized that by tweaking the way I prepared and cooked my food, making a few little adjustments to recipes, I was able to eat and enjoy all the foods I loved.

Some foods that are known to pose a higher risk of blockage for those with a stoma include:

• Nuts
• Coconut
• Celery
• Mushrooms
• Sweetcorn
• Raw fruit skins
• Bean sprouts and bamboo shoots
• Dried fruits such as currants/raisins