Diverticulosis is the formation of abnormal pouches in the bowel wall. Diverticulitis is inflammation or infection of these abnormal pouches. Together, these conditions are known as diverticular disease. Treatment options include a change of diet, antibiotics and (rarely) surgery.
Diverticular disease is caused by small bulges in the large intestine (diverticula) developing and becoming inflamed. If any of the diverticula become infected, this leads to symptoms of diverticulitis. The exact reason why diverticula develop is not known, but they are associated with not eating enough fibre.
Uncomplicated diverticulitis
Your doctor is likely to recommend: Antibiotics to treat infection, although new guidelines state that in very mild cases, they may not be needed. A liquid diet for a few days while your bowel heals. Once your symptoms improve, you can gradually add solid food to your diet.
Diverticulitis is more serious because infection can lead to other problems. Diverticulosis leads to diverticulitis in about 1 out of 5 to 1 out of 7 cases. Researchers think a diet low in fiber is to blame for a high incidence of diverticulosis.
Actually, no specific foods are known to trigger diverticulitis attacks. And no special diet has been proved to prevent attacks. In the past, people with small pouches (diverticula) in the lining of the colon were told to avoid nuts, seeds and popcorn.
Some people feel that certain high fibre foods such as multigrain breads, nuts, seeds and foods containing pips e.g. tomatoes, increase the risk of developing diverticulitis and therefore choose to avoid them. However, there is little evidence to support this.
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.
If you have diverticulosis
The main changes are adding fiber and drinking more water. Fiber absorbs water as it travels through your colon. This helps your stool stay soft and move smoothly. Water helps this process.
Once you developed diverticula, they are unlikely to go away. Bleeding and inflammation are two common complications of diverticulosis. Diet plays an important role in the prevention of the progression of diverticulosis, but will not be able to reverse the process.
A polyp found during colonoscopy in patients with colonic diverticular disease may be removed by endoscopic polypectomy with electrosurgical snare, a procedure associated with an incidence of perforation of less than 0.05%.
When stress is added to the overall picture, the problem of diverticulitis becomes an issue. This is due to the body impulses that will immediately address stressful situations by shifting the oxygen and blood from the digestive tract to the brain and muscles.
However, overstimulation of the bowels for those with diverticulitis can cause more pain. Coffee may also increase lower abdominal pain and worsen diarrhea. The bottom line is that diverticulitis and drinking coffee aren't a great combination.
If left untreated, diverticulitis may lead to a collection of pus (called an abscess) outside the colon wall or a generalized infection in the lining of the abdominal cavity, a condition referred to as peritonitis.
Diverticulitis stool characteristics
Color: The stool may be bright red, maroon, or black and tarry, which indicates the presence of blood. Stools may contain more mucus than normal.
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.
Your diet was likely lacking protein during your flare-up, and eggs will help you get plenty of it. “Eggs are a great source of protein, and they're easily digested,” Dr. Nazarian says. And they won't irritate your diverticula.
When you are recovering from diverticulitis, you should eat cheese as a low-fiber food. The inflammation that causes cheese cravings must be treated to help prevent future attacks. If you have intestinal issues such as diverticulitis, you can usually manage symptoms by eating a low-fiber diet.
Your healthcare provider may advise a liquid diet. This gives your bowel a chance to rest so that it can recover. Foods to include: flake cereal, mashed potatoes, pancakes, waffles, pasta, white bread, rice, applesauce, bananas, eggs, fish, poultry, tofu, and well-cooked vegetables.
Eggs contain protein that can be easily digested, and it will not irritate your digestive tract. Therefore, scrambled eggs can be taken during diverticulitis.