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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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Patsyleee, I know your pain. While I haven’t spent time in a hospital, yet, I have been misdiagnosed for quite some time, possibly a couple years now. As of July I was experiencing high temps, and lots of pain. Finally a CT scan was performed and Diverticulitis was was found. Being 33 years old, it’s obvious why this was never considered a possibility. I am on my second round of antibiotics, 3rd flare up. I am happy to know the cause finally, but concerned a colostomy may be in my future. I plan on seeing more specialists in the near future to help me map out a solid solution and recovery.
Good luck and God bless to all those with this problem.
I also had unbearable pain and a colonoscopy and a miserable four years of experimentation trying to figure out what exactly was cauisng the problem.
As you probably know diverticulitis causes little pouches to form in the intestines. Certain substances – namely hard-to-digest materials like nuts, skins, seeds, pulp, & strings, lodge in those pouches and create infection. You need to avoid pulpy orange juice, stringy sweet potatoes, corn and blueberries (skins), strawberries (seeds), even some whole grain breads have particles that aggrivate the condition.
I started using metamucil (orange flavor) several months ago and can now eat almost anything I want. It creates bulk that carries the particle foods right on through without getting caught. Truly amazing stuff. I mix about 3 tablespoons in a glass of water and drink it straight down at least once a day. It has given me my life back. Without it I have to restrict my diet to stuff like potatoes, apple sauce and white bread.
I have just been diagnosed with diverticulitis I have spent 4 weeks in hospital Drs would keep me for week at time on pain killers, then
would send me home. Finally this last time they did a colonoscopy ,nothing showed up till they did a CT scan. The pain I have is unbearable at times. At least now I know what I’M dealing with but not sure about the diet to follow as I’ve heard so many different versions. Can anyone help, as this is no fun to live with Thanks
Stay away from any hard to digest substances nuts, seeds, skins, strings. Example: corn, sweet potatoes (stringy), blue berries all a no-no. Take metamucil as directed. Sounds too simple, but it works miracles I promise! The extra fiber carries the offending substances through so it doesn’t lodge in the little pouches in the intestine.
II am trying hemp seed powder ordered from Amazon.com it has an easy to digest protein, fiber, and a complete food source witch
I have just been diagnosed with diverticulitis i am trying to find a diet to go by what not to eat and what to eat i keep reading and it seems different foods effect different people is there a good book or does someone have a diet they can email me thank you for any help.
I was diagnosed with diverticulosis in 1997. The doc said most people have it because of our over processed foods. They see it in younger and younger patients these days. He said it’s pretty much a myth about seeds and nuts. In February of this year I had a horrible bout with diverticulitis, resulting in a rupture and the removal of 10 inches of my colon. Needless to say I had a cholostomy for 7 mos. until I healed and had my resection about a month ago. I almost died in February and was in the hospital for 11 days. The scary thing is that the Doc said it could happen again. Even if I improve my diet. I haven’t really changed my diet but think I will at least try to increase my fiber. I was under a tremendous amount of stress at the time, which is pretty much what I think was the main culprit. Good luck to all who suffer from any bowel disease. It was awful, but I’m on the road to healing now. I could be the poster child for cholostomies. I never thought I would ever had one of those. Glad it was only temporary.
When I had it bad I did experience some frequent urination problems but since I have been using the metamucil things have gotten a lot better.
i have been diagnosed with Diverticulitis i was not taking in enough fibre or water but what i have found out is that i’m always going to the washroom so i’m thinking can this have an effect on my bladder?
Diverticulitis? Get rid of stress for starters! A GI doc/researcher told me there are more serotonin receptors in the gut than there are in the brain. That is why so many people have GI upset when they are stressed. I had a healthy diet but got diverticulitis anyway … but was in a toxic work environment of unrelenting stress. Serious stress management is essential for health. Or remove yourself from a negative environment altogether if at all possible. PS: I agree with the Citrucel plan….it works.
Thanks Granny,
I do experience some gas and bloating but it is so worth it. I will try the prodct, Citrucel, you mentioned. I like the on-the-go version idea.
My Gastro “specialist” is going to get a piece of my mind for not even mentioning adding fiber as a possible solution to try. Not as profitable as a colonoscopy I guess.
Citrucel Works Wonders!!!
You will be amazed!
Citrucel is a product like Metamucil but from my experience, MUCH better. No gas or bloating like what some experience with Metamucil fiber drink. You can Citricel sugar free which I like too.
I also keep bottled water handy and Citrucel that comes in individual single serve packets. This works great for those on the go, at work etc where portability is an advantage needed instead of lugging a large fiber container around. Just dump a packet in bottled water and drink up. So easy!
I promise this is called a MIRACLE by everyone I have ever shared this with. Horror stories you all know well so I feel no need to repeat all those I have experienced or know of others just like us. All I know over many years of many stories, this is the one thing that never failed to help us all!
People with Diverticulitis and Irratible Bowel ALL remark how after ‘all I’ve been through’ I can’t believe how simple yet well this works!” “Couldn’t believe it! How simple! Have my life back, eat what I want!”
The important thing is you MUST take it every single day without fail. You will feel so good, you actually tend to start skipping it. BIG mistake! So soon we forget huh? Everyone I have shared this with over the years have all ‘fell of the wagon’. THAT is how good you feel. You actually forget you really do need it.
If you are in a flare up, take it three times a day for speedy relief in just a day or two. If you know you are going to be eating something you suspect might bother you, just take an extra dose that day or the night before.
The most important thing is you MUST take one dose daily without fail. I can’t stress this enough.(Increase to 2-3 times a day when flare up). I sometimes take it twice a day if I know I will or have be eating irritating foods or those that tend to cause constipation. As long as I am faithful and don’t get forgetful, it is a miracle to have my life back under my control and diverticulitis not controlling my life.
HI, I TO SUFFER FROM DIVERTICULITIS AND HAVE HAD 2 FLARE UPS AND LANDED IN HOSIPTAL ONE TIME. I DO EAT RIGHT BUT STILL HAVE A PAIN EVERY NOW AND THEN
In my case it was caused by eating a low fiber diet. I was trying to gain weight so I ate a lot of carbs and fats and skipped the salad. Then diverticulitis set in making it difficult to eat any rough, hard to digest material, so I avoided salad even more not knowing that I needed fiber to heal. After giving my colon a rest with a diet of mainly soft foods like potatoes I began to heal somewhat anyway. It was a long, slow process of trial and error to eliminate problem foods. Gradually I realized it wasn’t substances but textures that were aggrivating my condition. Things like sweet potatoes-stringy, orange juice-pulp, corn-skins would cause me days of agony. The real improvement happened recently when I started using metamucil 3 times a day. I believe I would have saved a lot of pain and ruined days if I would have tried it 4 years ago.
I have been struggling with diverticulitis for about 5 years. After a colonoscopy it was misdiognosed as irritable bowel syndrome. I now know what caused it. And I am, gratefully, nearly healed of it.
I am 33 soon to be 34 and just got diagnosed with Diverticulitis as well, I had the worst stomach pain ever. I was in the hospital 3 times in 2 weeks. Lots of antibiotics and pain meds. Is it safe to ever eat popcorn again i love microwave popcorn. This is totaly taking control over “my new diet” i must obey to avoid another break out
Try avoiding the following – Tea, Chocolate, coffee,
corn, nuts, skins, seeds, strings, orange juice.
Restrict your diet to potatoes or rice and gradually add items one at a time until you find your problem foods. One glass of orange juice with pulp can put me on the toilet 8 or 9 times that day. Do the hard work now and save a lot of misery in the future!
After many years of experimentation and misdiagnosis I have found the best solution besides avoiding offending foods is to take metamucil per directions on the container. It has given me my life back!
I just had my 2nd episode with the “D”. I’m in my 40′s,
high fiber diet, plenty of exercise, so why a 2nd episode? The only 2 things I can think of is I had popcorn, bad bad mistake…will never do that again, next, am I drinking enough water? I drink more G2′s than I do water. Is drinking more water the answer?
I am 37 and came down with diverticuleritis when i was 30. I have been put in the hospital over 10 times in the past few years for this. Milk, nuts, beans, rice, ice cream, coffee and many more things make me so sick that i can’t stand the pain. If anyone has advice on what to eat, please let me know. The high fiber diet is not working.
Hi……. I have recently had Diverticulitis and it was bad. I drank water, took 10 drops of grapefruit extract in a small amount of mixed cordial, 3 times a day, for a week (for infection) ate bland food and I drink Dieters Nutri Slim Tea (once, every second day) to keep my motion soft. This tea is fantastic for soft stools, which you need. Stress, tiredness, little water, anxiety, can cause constipation, so fix this and you should get better.
you list caraway seeds, however I can tell you that when I get the severe cramping I will boil some water and drop in a tablespoon of caraway seeds and let them boil and drink the tea which would ease my cramping. Adding a little honey and lemon makes it taste better but this is something I learned from my grandmother. I am not sure if the seeds themselves work or if it is a pacebo affect.
My mum suffers with this and is at the moment house bound with an attack. I am looking up as much info as I can for her and am learning lots as I go. Some info says avoid nuts and seeds and others say they are ok….She is a vegetarian so alot of her diet consists of fruit, veg and nuts. Interesting to learn potato skin is a no no amongst other foods.
x
I was just diagnosed with diverticulosis as well. I am 34. I know, we just don’t know what to eat right! I might be spending the $ and going to a Natureopath doctor. I’ll report what foods will help once I decide to do it. Stay well all! Leigha
I was 21 years old when I found out I had diverticulosis. I had been experiencing immense pain in my lower left abdomen area. After almost 2 weeks of putting up with the pain on & off I decided to go to the hospital. Come to find out I had diverticulitis and had to have emergency surgery to take out the infected area of my intestine. Being a young adult I thought wow why now? I had heard that it was something you didnt develop til you were older, but I was wrong. Its been 5 years since my experience and I will always watch the foods I eat! Been healthy ever since & have had no other problems! The only thing im wondering is if there are any diet programs out there for people with diverticulosis? Im healthy but could afford to lose a few pounds lol! Anyone know of any diets out there that will work for me???
I had 2 mild attacks in 18 months,treat with anti biotics and was fine until this week.Same symptoms bloating cramps but the pain in the center of my lower abs. Vomitted, then decided the urgent care should be seen.Acute appendicitis,removed immediatley so lesson is, consult a doctor if symptoms appear,I was less than an hour from a rupture.
I have been diagnosed with & had a Diverticulitis flare up in March, have also developed Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I am quite stressed about it, as I’m still learning about what to eat & not eat, and cannot tell if the discomfort I sometimes feel, is related to the Irritable Bowel or the Diverticulitis.
Are there any books or information I can get with regards to all foods that cannot be eaten etc.
Thanks.
Yes, there is an ebook available by clicking the link above that has a complete diet outlined.
With the the combination of diverticulosis and on temporary blood thinner I ended up in hospital having colonoscopy, one upper scope – and one upper internal ultra sound – with 5 blood transfusions. I have always had a problem with constipation – once bleeding stopped – blood level was ok – was released after 4 days. Drs have me on Miralax?? I have no pain, no fever. As body returns to normal functions – saw a little blood first time – so far so good. No special diet provided – almost too nervous to eat
I have been diagonosed with it just a few weeks ago and am i learning alot of things that I liked I can not eat anymore and it is changing my eating habits. I just want to be able to live normals as I can and not have the pain.
I was recently hospitalized with a diverticulitis infection and was told that I had an abscess and my stomach wall was infected. When I went for my followup visit I was told not to eat any cruciferous vegetables. This leaves me so confused as to what is left for me to eat because I love green vegetables. In fact, I love all vegetables. Can you help me with any suggestions about I can eat? My pain in infrequent depending on what I eat and as of today I am going to start a food diary. I just need to know what to eat.