We have all heard about the dangers of taking in too much salt in our diet I am sure. Doctors have been warning us to lower our sodium intake and we see commercials on TV on a routine basis reminding us to lower our sodium. The same advice given for your general health also holds true for your health regarding your ileostomy.
A person with an intact colon releases practically no salt through their stool. However this is not true for a person with an ileostomy. The salt output from an ileostomy is very high, as high as one teaspoon per day. Therefore, it is very important to properly regulate your salt intake on a daily basis. Our bodies seem to compensate for the salt and water loss through an ileostomy by self-regulating the amount of salt and water that is discharged through the urinary tract and through normal perspiration. In terms of your ileostomy, too much salt in our diet can can increase the ileal output.
As urine output is generally lower, and therefore more concentrated, for an ileostomate; it is highly advisable for an ileostomate to increase his/her water intake above normal so as to properly keep the body hydrated and to increase urine output. With a properly hydrated body, and properly hydrated urine system, we can lower the likelihood of developing kidney-stone issues as well as controlling the ileal output.
Remember, the current recommendation is to drink "half your weight in ounces of water" per day. So a 180lb person should therefore drink 90 ounces of water daily.
