Diverticulitis Diet

By Anna Lynn Sibal

When we are constipated or having trouble moving our bowels, our tendency is to try to push it out. We may not be aware of it, but pushing hard bowels out by force can have serious and harmful consequences.

Basically, emptying our bowels forcefully tends to weaken the muscles surrounding the colon. Among the few things that this can cause is the formation of diverticula in the colon. Diverticula are small but bulging packets that form on the lining of the digestive tract, particularly the large intestine. By themselves, diverticula are not really that harmful. The harm begins when fecal matter and other body fluids get into the diverticula, causing them to get inflammed. When infection sets in, the condition turns into diverticulitis.

Diverticulitis is treatable. Severe cases may require surgery, but mostly it goes away with the proper diet, rest and medication, usually antibiotics. The presence of diverticula in the digestive tract itself may not present any symptoms. However, once diverticulitis begins to rear its head, it should be treated, or else it would lead to complete bowel blockage.

Proper diet is vital to treating diverticulitis. The early stages of treatment will require a low-fiber diet. Sometimes, the diet required is a totally liquid one. This is necessary to allow the colon to heal and fix itself. During this time, fiber intake should be no more than 10 grams a day.

What would be good for you to eat if you are being treated for diverticulitis and are waiting for your colon to heal? If your doctor prescribed a clear-liquid diet, then you have to avoid eating any solid food as much as possible. You can take in as much water or fruit juice as you like, as long as the fruit juice is clear and free of any pulp. You can also eat broth, tea or coffee, as long as you do not put cream in your coffee. It is also all right for you to eat gelatin or popsicles if they do not have any solid bits in them.

If your doctor put you on a low-fiber diet instead of a clear liquid diet, you should be able to eat white bread or white rice. Noodles, pasta and macaroni are also good. The same goes for low-fiber cereals. If you are going to eat fruit, be it raw, cooked or canned, just make sure that you are not eating the seeds, the skins or the membranes along with the fruit itself. The same goes for canned or cooked vegetables. Milk, yoghurt, cheese and eggs are also good. Avoid eating nuts as much as possible.

Once you have recovered from your diverticulitis, you should prevent its recurrence by eating a lot of high-fiber foods. Drinking a lot of water would also help keep diverticulitis away because fiber needs water to make the bowels softer and easy to move. Also, you should also get plenty of exercise. Getting on your feet regularly instead of sitting down helps regulate the pressure on your colon and prevent constipation.