Diverticulitis Diet

Diverticulosis is an inflammation in small pockets that are in the wall of the colon. These become filled with stagnant (non-moving) fecal material that then becomes inflamed. This causes abdominal pain and discomfort as well as fever. There are two basic diets that persons with diverticulitis follow. One diet is used following a bout of diverticulitis and one is a diet that you follow in order to prevent diverticulitis from occurring.

A person can have diverticula’s (the pockets) forming in several areas of their body – esophagus, small intestine, large intestine and also the stomach. Most cases seen are when it forms in the large intestine. Pockets can form and never be noticed by the person, as they do not normally cause any symptoms. When they become inflamed or infected is when the person is going to notice symptoms. Symptoms range from a change in bowel habit, abdominal pain that is severe, fever and nausea. Cases that are mild require only antibiotics, diet change and rest. When the diverticulitis is severe surgery may be necessary to remove the diseased pockets. The key to preventing Diverticulosis from becoming diverticulitis is maintaining a high-fiber diet.

If you suffer from a mild case of diverticulitis, treatment will consist of a clear liquid diet or a low-fiber one, depending on doctor recommendation. A clear liquid diet consists of fluids that have a minimal amount of residues in them such as strained fruit juices, fat-free broths and gelatin. Rest is also highly recommended as well as a prescription for an antibiotic. After you experience an attack of diverticulitis, you will need to gradually increase the fiber in your diet. A good rule of thumb is to slowly increase the daily intake of fiber you add to your diet, so that your digestive system has a change to adjust before you go from resting with clear liquid diet or a low-fiber diet to a high fiber one. You should add anywhere from 5 to 15 grams of fiber each day until you are at the level recommended by your doctor.

There is a diet that can be followed for those wishing to prevent occurrences of diverticulitis. It is important to eat high-fiber foods and plenty of water. Foods high in fiber are fresh fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains. A high-fiber diet helps to soften the waste product as it moves through the colon and actually helps it to move through the colon. When waste moves more smoothly through the colon, pressure from within the digestive tract is reduced. A high-fiber diet is one that consists of 25 to 35 grams of fiber daily. There are many ways to get the fiber in your diet, food is one way and supplements are another. It is really important that you take a lot of water when you are taking fiber supplements or when you are eating a high-fiber content diet. The reason for drinking plenty of water is that how fiber works is that it absorbs the water and increases the soft bulky part of the waste in your colon. Should you not drink enough water to replace the water being absorbed in your colon, the fiber can then actually have a constipating effect and you will become constipated.