Anti-inflammatory teas such as slippery elm, marshmallow, and chamomile may help lessen intestinal inflammation. Antibacterial teas such as goldenseal are known to have antibacterial properties but have not yet been proven effective in humans.
A doctor may recommend a temporary liquid diet to someone experiencing a flare-up of symptoms. Some foods and drinks that people can prepare at home for a liquid diet include: water, coffee, and tea without milk. strained fruit juices with no pulp, such as white grape or apple juice.
During acute attacks of diverticulitis, eat a low-fiber diet. Avoid foods that may contribute to nausea or pain, such as caffeine, spicy foods, chocolate, and milk products.
Yes, drinking water may help resolve diverticulitis. However, the overall management of diverticulitis depends on the extent of the disease. Only hydration may not help in all cases. It is advised to maintain a liquid diet, such as clear liquids or broths, during the first few days of the diverticulitis attack.
Stay with liquids or a bland diet (plain rice, bananas, dry toast or crackers, applesauce) until you are feeling better.
A high-fibre diet can often ease symptoms of diverticular disease, and paracetamol can be used to relieve pain – other painkillers such as aspirin or ibuprofen are not recommended for regular use, as they can cause stomach upsets. Speak to your GP if paracetamol alone is not working.
Several drugs are associated with an increased risk of diverticulitis, including steroids, opioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve).
Take fiber supplements — You can take fiber supplements like Metamucil, Citrucel or Benefiber to bulk up your stool. Seeds and nuts — In the past we advised diverticulitis patients to avoid whole pieces of fiber, like seeds, corn and nuts.
At the start of a flare-up, your doctor will likely want you to stick to clear liquids for a few days, until your symptoms start to improve. “It's important to not aggravate the flare-up more,” Ehsani says. Clear liquid options include: Plain water, or water with honey.
Diverticulitis is an intestinal disease that can cause fatigue in some people. The fatigue may be caused by infection, inflammation, or sleep disruption due to pain. It could also be related to nutritional deficiencies such as anemia, dehydration, medication side effects, or surgery.
To help with the pain, your provider may suggest that you: Rest in bed and use a heating pad on your belly. Take pain medicines (ask your provider which ones you should use). Drink only fluids for a day or two, and then slowly begin drinking thicker liquids and then eating foods.
For this reason, if you are experiencing bad diverticulitis or flare-ups you may be advised to stick to a liquid diet until the infection or inflammation of the growths has calmed down. As part of a liquid diet, you can consume food such as broths, popsicles, water, green and ginger tea, juices and smoothies.
Research suggests that a diet low in fiber and high in red meat may increase your risk of getting diverticulitis—inflammation of one or a few pouches in the wall of your colon. Eating high-fiber foods and eating less red meat may lower the risk.
Plus, probiotics have anti-inflammatory effects, which may help to ease inflammation from diverticulitis. Probiotics are available in supplement form, but they can also be found in certain foods, such as yogurt, kombucha, and fermented vegetables.
In about 95 out of 100 people, uncomplicated diverticulitis goes away on its own within a week.
Dairy: “Cottage cheese and Greek yogurt are real winners if you're recovering from a flare-up: They're high in protein, calcium and other nutrients and don't have any fiber. They're also soft, moist and easier to get down if you're not feeling well,” says Taylor. You can also have milk and cheese.
Eggs contain protein that can be easily digested, and it will not irritate your digestive tract. Therefore, scrambled eggs can be taken during diverticulitis.
Fresh fruits, like apples, have the most fiber when eaten with the skin. 13 However, if you're having symptoms of diverticulitis, look for lower-fiber options, like applesauce. Bananas are another good source of fruit fiber.
A diagnosis of diverticulitis no longer means you have a long list of foods to avoid. At one time, doctors recommended avoiding nuts, popcorn, seeds and even fruits or vegetables with seeds (like tomatoes or strawberries). But recent studies suggest those foods do not contribute to flare-ups and are fine to eat.