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Diverticulitis
CONTENTS
Diverticulosis
Diverticulitis
High Fiber diet
Foods to Eat and Foods to Avoid
Diverticulosis is a condition in which the inner lining layer of the large intestine or colon bulges out
(herniates) through the outer, muscular layer. These ‘outpouchings’ are called diverticula.
Diverticulitis is the term for inflammation and infection in one or more diverticula.
A person having diverticulosis (the condition), and perhaps diverticulitis (the inflammation) as well, is said to
have diverticular disease.
Diverticulosis Symptoms, Causes and Management
Diverticula occur in a colon weakened by age, when increased pressure inside the colon (usually due to constipation) causes little pea-shaped pouches of weakness in the intestine wall. The chance of developing diverticula increases with age, so that by age 50 between 20 and 50 percent of all people will have some diverticula, and by age 90 virtually everyone will.
Treatment
This diverticulosis is usually symptom-free, so that most people do not realize they have it. However, a few people will experience spasms and pain. Relieving the constipation, primarily by increasing fiber in the diet, can reduce the problems associated with diverticulosis. If cramps, bloating, and constipation are problems, the doctor may prescribe a short course of pain medication. However, many medications cause the colon to empty, an undesirable side effect for people with diverticulosis.
Diverticulitis Symptoms, Causes and Management
A person with diverticulosis may get diverticulitis when waste matter and bacteria are trapped in a pouch (diverticula). This blockage interferes with the blood supply to the area, and infection sets in. The tissue then becomes inflamed or infected, and in severe cases may even rupture. An attack of diverticulitis can result in fever, pain and tenderness around the left side of the lower abdomen.
The infection and irritation of nearby tissues within the abdomen may cause the abdominal muscles to spasm. About 25 percent of all patients with diverticulitis will have some rectal bleeding, although this rarely becomes severe. Diverticulitis is three times more likely to occur in the left side of the large intestine, and men are three times as likely as women to suffer with diverticulitis.
Treatment
Treatment for diverticulitis focuses on clearing up the infection and inflammation with antibiotics, resting the colon with a liquid diet plus a pain reliever or a drug such as propantheline (Pro-Banthine) to control muscle spasms, and preventing or minimizing complications. Acute or repeated attacks with severe pain or severe infection may be serious enough to require a hospital stay and possibly surgery.
High Fiber Diet Recommendations
High Fiber Diet for Diverticular Disease
This diverticulitis diet is a high fiber diet for managing diverticulosis, and for reducing effects of diverticulitis. The increased fiber (the American Dietetic Association recommends 20 to 35 grams daily, including 6-8 grams of soluble fiber) in this diverticulitis diet plan produces more bulk in the stool, reducing pressure in the colon and assisting the more regular and complete elimination of waste, thereby preventing the formation of further diverticula.
Build up consumption of fiber in your diet gradually – rapid fiber increase may result in gas, cramping, bloating, or diarrhea. There are other benefits in having different kinds of fiber in a balanced diverticulitis diet: it helps to protect against cancer of the colon and rectum, and assists in preventing heart disease and a number of other health problems. Foods containing fiber also tend to comprise nutrients like vitamins A, C, and E and selenium, useful in fighting cancer.
Increase Fluid and Fiber
Anyone with diverticulitis who increases their fiber intake under this diverticulitis diet plan, should drink at least 1.5 liters (3 pints) daily. Insoluble fiber needs fluid to form stools that are easily passed. Medical advice may be to take a fiber supplement such as Metamucil daily (for soluble fiber from psyllium), and to use a cholesterol-lowering spread or margarine containing plant sterols. Fiber supplements provide about 2 to 3.5 grams of fiber per tablespoon, which is mixed with a quarter liter (8 ounces) of water before consuming.
Should Seeds Be Eaten?
Until recently, many doctors suggested avoiding foods with small seeds because it was believed that particles could lodge in the diverticula and cause inflammation. However, this is now a controversial point and no evidence supports this recommendation. So the seeds in tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, strawberries and raspberries, as well as poppy seeds, which are part of your diverticulitis diet, are generally considered harmless.
Diverticulitis Diet Guidelines
Foods to Eat
- Breads and grains (6-11 servings daily)
- Bread, pastas, pizzas, pancakes, muffins, bagels, pita bread (use whole-grain, whole-wheat flours, and
add 2-3 tsp of unprocessed wheat bran to, or substitute oat bran for one third of all-purpose flour in homemade
breads, muffins and other baked goods) - Whole-wheat, whole-grain and bran cereal products
- Buckwheat and stone-ground cornmeal
- Rye bread
- Whole wheat crackers or crisp breads
- Oatmeal, oat bran, or grits
- Barley, dry
- Wheat germ
- Whole wheat pasta
- Brown rice
Eat raw or dried fruits and raw vegetables if possible – chopping, peeling, cooking, pureeing, juicing, and processing
fruit and vegetables may reduce fiber content.
Vegetables (3-5 servings daily)
- All vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, greens (such as beet greens, kale,
collards, Swiss chard and turnip greens), green beans, green pepper, onions, peas, potatoes with skin, Romaine,
snow peas, green snap beans, pole beans, broad beans, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, turnips.
Fruit (2-4 servings daily)
- All fruits such as apple, apricot, banana, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, dates, fig, grapefruit, nectarine,
orange, peach, pear, pineapple, prune.
Milk/dairy (2-3 servings daily)
- Increase fiber in yogurt or cottage cheese by adding fresh fruit, whole grain or bran cereals.
Meat/meat substitutes (2-3 servings or total of about 180 gm or 6 oz daily)
- All beans and peas such as aduki, baked beans, black beans, fava, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans,
pinto beans and split peas. - Smooth peanut butter and other smooth nut butters.
- All meat (increase fiber in meat dishes like meatloaf, casseroles, by adding 2-3 tsp of unprocessed wheat bran
or pinto beans, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, or oatmeal), poultry, fish, and eggs
Fats and snacks
- Whole-wheat pretzels, baked tortilla corn chips or trail mix made with dried fruits.
- Cakes, breads, and cookies made with oatmeal or fruit.
- Bean dip
Foods to Avoid
Any hard or difficult-to-digest foods, such as nuts, corn, popcorn hulls, and sunflower, pumpkin, caraway, and sesame seeds.
For more indepth information consider this book: Diverticulitis (How to Cope Successfully With)
These ebooks are also available.
The Fastest Way To End Digestive Pain Forever
New Diverticulitis Breakthrough
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I was just diagnosed and I’m only 35, ended up in the ER and they kept me for 3 day in the hospital with IV antiobotics. I am having a hard time finding things to eat… some say this some say advoid these foods. I have no appetite from the Medications, any ideas?
It was eye opening to find so many ideas about diverticulosis. I was diagnosed recently, and I find the dos and dont’s will have to be worked out individually for each of us. Everyone is different and that’s how your diet will be ultimately. Basically, avoid nuts and other things hard to diget and get enough other fiber to keep your system going.
For Anna; I started with a rice diet, peeled my apples, peeled and cooked my vegitables till soft. Once I recovered, I added favorite things and raw vetables. I drink a smooth move tea at night to help with digestion.
Diverticulitis can be managed fairly easily . I have been dealing with it for about 5 years. I follow a low-residue diet and lead a pretty normal life unless I get adventurous. Avoid ANY hard-to-digest substances eg: all nuts, seeds, skins, strings, flakes or pulp. Eat No oatmeal. No raisins, grapes (skins), celery (strings), strawberries, hard crunchy bacon or bacon bits, absolutly no popcorn, no pepper, peppers or pepper corns, no carrot cake (nuts), no sweet potatoes (strings), no skittles or other coated candies, no tomatoes, no orange juice with pulp. Start with only soft consistantly smooth foods like Instant or Mashed potatoes w/o skin, bananas, white bread, applesauce, eggs with no lace, milk, water, cheese, yoghurt w/o fruit – use plain, lemon or vanilla, meat without gristle or sinew, remove casing from lunch meat or hot dogs. Vanilla ice cream without bean specs is OK , so is white cake, & cheese cake w/o graham crust. You get the idea. Not fun at first.
Then, after 2 days of no symptoms add one or 2 items at a time and- very importantly – allow 24 hrs for a reaction. If no reaction – congratulations! You have found something else you can eat!
After that, when you choose to succumb to temptation, at least it is no mystery why you feel so lousy.
For fibre, and to keep things moving along properly, I HIGHLY recommend orange metamucil.
I take a triple dose (3 heaping tblsp in 10 oz. of water) every evening around 6 PM. Drink immediately straight down. Do not wait for it to thicken.
It has helped me tremendously.
I would like to know what to eat and what to avoid. I am finding conflicting findings. Had a nasty battle with Diverticulitis a couple of months ago, it was nasty. I don’t know what to eat. Some say NO fresh fruit or vegetables, others say I CAN have fresh fruit and vegetables. Can you help???
Hi Anna ,
I was diagnosed on the 27 of November with the same condition. I don’t have set meal plan but like you I am scared to eat. Plus being on antibiotics doesn’t help since they suppress my appetite. I made chicken soup, bean soup and a lot of wate. No spicy foods!
You could go see a naturopath and be properly evaluated. Those antibiotics are going to mess up your balance of good bacteria in your system so you are going to need a multi-faceted approach before you feel better and are truly healthy.
Hi,
My birthday was on the 29th of this month and I spent it at the hospital! I was in severe pain and was diagnosed within three hours. I am now on three types of antibiotics and feel tired and my head is pounding. I am scared to eat! Does anyone have a meal plan they would like to share…I need ideas??
Thanks
I was digignosted with diverticulitis a few months ago, I was not giveb spicific things not to eat? Anyone know what I should not be eating to cause pain and flare ups?
Did you even read the above article and previous comments Kimberly? They’re both full of suggestions and advice.
Very good information and comments
reseaching info for my mum, thanks everyone for your input very helpful
Jeremy, Glad you are in good hands. I will pray God guides them to be used skilllfuly.
Since my last comment on November 17th I had another flare up that sent me down to Wake Forest Medical Center I came in regards to my Dr. he wanted me to come down and get a CT scan on their “high-tech” CT scan machines they endend up finding a perferation in my transending colon and they almost had to do emergency surgery but my body healed nicly. Although I healed good in my 4 day hospitle visit I will have to go back and have a resection. They will take out most of my trasending colon and most of my desending colon (about 2 feet) i am 21 and scared..I have had over 20 flare-ups in the past year so maybe this will cure the disese. I really do have sempathy for all of you because I know your pain but always remember you could have it much worse. thinking about that gets me through all this. Although im suffering very bad from this I have to really stop and thank god that there are wonderful doctors at the University of Wake Forest that can and will do whatever it takes to make me feel better. Pray for me!
Scott, great advise on the juicing. I will try that.
Teresa, you have either been misdiagnosed or havn’t spent much time experimenting. Your advise is completely faulty.
Diverticulitis can be managed fairly easily . I have been dealing with it for about 5 years. I follow a low-residue diet and lead a pretty normal life unless I get adventurous. Avoid ANY hard-to-digest substances eg: all nuts, seeds, skins, strings, flakes or pulp. Eat No oatmeal. No raisins, grapes (skins), celery (strings), strawberries, hard crunchy bacon or bacon bits, absolutly no popcorn, no pepper, peppers or pepper corns, no carrot cake (nuts), no sweet potatoes (strings), no skittles or other coated candies, no tomatoes, no orange juice with pulp. Start with only soft consistantly smooth foods like Instant or Mashed potatoes w/o skin, bananas, white bread, applesauce, eggs with no lace, milk, water, cheese, yoghurt w/o fruit – use plain, lemon or vanilla, meat without gristle or sinew, remove casing from lunch meat or hot dogs. Vanilla ice cream without bean specs is OK , so is white cake, & cheese cake w/o graham crust. You get the idea. Not fun at first.
Then, after 2 days of no symptoms add one or 2 items at a time and- very importantly – allow 24 hrs for a reaction. If no reaction – congratulations! You have found something else you can eat!
After that, when you choose to succumb to temptation, at least it is no mystery why you feel so lousy.
For fibre, and to keep things moving along properly, I HIGHLY recommend orange metamucil.
I take a triple dose (3 heaping tblsp in 10 oz. of water) every evening around 6 PM. Drink immediately straight down. Do not wait for it to thicken.
It has helped me tremendously.
PS I am now suspecting problems with ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and / or sorbic acid. I’ll let you know.
I was hospitalized in June 2011 with severe abdominal pains. They found Diverticulitis. I’m 48 and this was my first attack. I have had several more flare ups since then and I found that a juice diet helps me the most. As soon as I feel a possible flare up I go to a juice diet, juicing carrots, celery, apples and peaches and whatever else I like. I find this to be much healthier and more effective than the meds that dr’s want to give me. I will use this strict juice only diet for about 3-4 days until discomfort is gone. Juicing makes it very easy for your body to get the nutrients it needs without straining the colon. I have not been hospitalized again since juicing. I hope this might help some others that seem to be suffering much worse than I am.
Hi Sheila….As I said in my post my specialist beleives foods and diet are not the cause. Eat whatever you like I do!!
I was recently diagnosed with diverticulitis. I am wondering what foods are good for this condition. I thought i was eating a very healthy diet high in fiber. I was eating brown rice organic vegetables, almonds , all legumes no fast food and little red meat. fish and organic chicken.
Hi
I was diagnosed with diverticulitis this year. I am not overweight and lead a healthy lifestyle. My specialist can find no contributing factors in my lifestyle to cause the problem. He and my dietician said that it is ok to eat any foods….seeds, nuts whatever as the latest reserach is showing that it may in fact be caused by an immune problem, that is the bowel lining breaks down becasue of an immmune deficiency.
This sort of makes sense becasue diverticulitis occurs across the whole world and everyone’s diet is different so how can diet and fibre be the cause?
I have had a colonoscopy 3 years ago and my bowel was completely clear. I had one again this year and it shows diverticuli.
I have had 2 trips to hospital in the last 6 months and the only explanation my specialist has had is that I am “únlucky”.
However I do believe that my attacks are someway linked to an increased stress level.
So take heart all of you that think that you are contributing to your problem, there may be in fact nothing you can do to prevent the attacks.
I had a diverticulitis attack last year and it was a little painful, but tolerable. This year I had another attack, and the pain was so severe I was on Morphine every 6 hrs. After a couple of days of excruciating pain, my pain medication had to be changed to dilaudid was is a stronger medication. I never thought that a diverticulities attack could be so painful, that I felt like I was losing my mind. Anyway, the 12-13 doctors who saw me never told me what I could eat or not eat. The first time I was hospitalized, a dietician came by and told to avoid seeds, nuts and popcorn. I wish I had listen to her. Now I am petrified to eat anything…for fear of the pain again. I was on a bland diet for about 4 weeks, and I’m now eating a regular diet but without the beans, seeds, tomatoes, popcorn, corn, etc…anything I think may affect my intestines. It’s been very difficult. I read that someone cannot have peanut butter, and I do…should I stop. Anyway, I hope never to feel that pain again.
a friend of mine said her mom has diverticulitis and the doc prescribed a med to take when she feels a flare up coming on. she lets the meds disolve under her tongue. and said since taking the meds has not had any bad flare up. anyone know what this might be?
Diverticulitis has nothing to do with diet since I put my last comment in on January 12th 2010 my disese has worsend to deadly levels. In the past year I have had two or more flare-ups per month. I have been commuting to Wake Forest Digestive Heath center to try to get surgery and they wont do it because im so young (21) my last scope in March of 2010 the Dr. found that I have Diverticulitis throughout my whole colon so taking out one peice is out of the picture if or when I have surgery they will have to take my whole colon out. I stay on a strict diet and do everything that the doctors tell me to do but sure enough every month I have 2 or more flare-ups. Im constantly on anti-biotics which make me sick all the time…I am just really confused and frustrated with the whole situation I dont know what else to do and once again I NEED HELP!!
i have just got out of hospital with the diagnosis of diverticulitis. THe only information i have been given is to eat more fibre!!! nothing about what i cant eat!!!….. thanks to this site i feel i have learnt alot about it many thanks x x x
4 days ago my symptoms were: left side pain, fever, light headed (nearly passed out at work), nausea. Went to ER and was diagnosed with diverticulitis from a CT scan (Don’t recall much from the visit to the ER) have been on 2 antibiotics, 1 anti nausea med, and 1 pain med. On day 4, I am off the pain meds and anti nausea meds and am HUNGRY! In the last 3 days I’ve had water, warm chicken broth, and Sierra Mist (this is now my favorite pop). So…on day 4 I decide to eat a little. I have had a banana and jello. Hopefully the banana won’t be too much. I think I shall dine on mashed potatoes tonight.
Just found out a high school class mate that’s only 46 now has colon cancer too. I think they need to change the age from 50 to 40 to have colonoscopies …..”ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”!!! Something else you may want to know is that vitamin D deficiency has been known to cause colon cancer so unless you’re drinking 15 glasses of milk a day, you need to be taking a vitamin D supplement…. this is primarily for those that have long winter months (as we do in MN)and aren’t out in the sun much. Most multi-vitamins do not give you enough Vitamin D. Be proactive people, you don’t want to have chemo, just ask my husband! He dreads each one knowing he’ll have some wonderful side effects for about a week afterwards. Everyone hears about the nausea with chemo, but they don’t know about the numb and tingling fingers and aching feet. Or about the metalic taste in your mouth that turns your stomach. Or that you can’t drink any beverages cold or else your throat feels like it’ll close up. And your taste buds, well to say the least you don’t enjoy your food like you used to. It’s not easy seeing your spouse sick with all the things I mentioned above, don’t put your spouse through that if you can avoid it by having a colonoscopy!
I am currently suffering from a flare up. I know it has been mostly due to stress as I tend to internalise. I also think we crave a lot of foods that are bad for us when we are unhappy so it’s interesting to see what others have to say on here. I have tried Homeopathic first aid as it generally helps symptoms but sadly do not think I have a high enough dose to get rid of this infection. Looks like I need to pay for a visit to the Homeopath. I hate taking antibiotics. Healing foods also looks interesting.
Tina you are right! You don’t have a colonoscopy when you’re having a flare up but the only way to really tell is a blood test which is what they did with my husband. It didn’t show an infection but it did show low hemoglobin, thus the blood in the stool. The colonoscopy is the main way to make sure you don’t have polyps or cancer, so even though the preparation for and having a colonoscopy is not fun IT MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE! So please be proactive, it’s worth it in the end.
I am 51, and have Diverticulitis I got it twice the first time I was lucky for 1 year but it came back and had no choice but to get surgery and had 3 inches removed and be bagged for 2 1/2 months, it was the worst time of my life and I was lucky to get the reversal done, I stayed on a very strict mostly liquid diet to get by.
I was not really told specifically what the diet was only given a sheet of paper with mostly liquids to take, and told to stay away from nuts, seeds and popcorn.
Thanks to this webite and help from other comments, I now know what to really eat. I also take benifiber.
4 months and doing good.
Everyone is different and there are things that someone can have and not others. Bit I will tell you after 3 years of this what I have to avoid now to stay pain free. This is my diet but maybe it will help someone if they cant figure out what they may have eaten that hurt them…. I cant have
nuts, seeds, corn, popcorn, skins (meat or fruit) , crisp onions or peppers, peels , no kidney or navy beans (skins), no peanut butter (which I miss the most) , no yogurt… and be careful of some spices such as ground pepper because of the seeds. No cucumbers, no tomatos, and i have very little roughage like cole slaw. Everything has to be chewed well. I also use one teaspoon of fiber almost daily. It has no flavor or scent and u can put it in any drink. We are suppose to drink alot of water (but I dont)
AS i said, everyone is different but maybe this can help someone else…
Be very careful of colonoscopy’s. I know 3 people who had had diver during a colonoscopy and it tore. The intestines are very week and inflamed and they can tear for us very easy. I foe one will never do it. I read it online where it wasnt advisable.
Beleive me when I tell you that crisoy onions will hurt you. Onions have a peel..skin. If they are soft , no problem but if they are crispy, it will cause pain. I have had this for 3 years..every year is a little worst and there are more things I cant have ..but onions is a BIG one…