The Good And The Bad On Diverticulitis Foods
Most common among older people is a disease called diverticulosis which can develop. This disease occurs when a person develops bulging pouches in the lining of the large intestine. These bulging pouches are called diverticula’s.
When these little pouches become inflamed it will lead to a painful condition that is called diverticulitis. Some of the symptoms of this are pain, fever, diarrhea and constipation. Knowing the good and the bad on diverticulitis foods and following a special diet can drastically reduce the risk of diverticulitis.
Many have come to believe that this disease is caused by a low fiber diet. This is more than likely why in Asia and Africa you won’t find people with this disease because they have high fiber diets!
Diverticulosis usually causes little to no symptoms and many people who develop the disease are unaware that they have the diverticula’s present. When a patient who has diverticulosis has diverticulitis, which is the inflammation or infection of these pouches, the person may have to be treated with antibiotics, or surgery in severe cases.
Once a patient with diverticulosis is diagnosed with the disease their healthcare professional will advise them on a diet that is best for the person’s individual condition. However, a general rule among most doctors is when you’re not having any pain in the abdominal area, you don’t have a problem.
There are a few complications to the diet of a person diagnosed with diverticulosis. There are some foods that are considered safe to eat during the time of a diverticulitis attack. There are some that are great sources of fiber, however, some which are great sources of fiber can also be suggested against due to the ability of that certain foods to cause complications. There are some foods to avoid all together. So lets get down to the skinny on the good and bad of diverticulitis foods.
Study groups have been conducted by a variety of organizations, students, and doctors that together have compiled a list of foods that for most people with the disease consider being low risk diverticulitis foods. Meaning that this list, though it may be a little odd, are foods that are considered to not cause complications to the disease.
The top ten low risk diverticulitis foods are chicken, skinless potatoes, carrots, fish, bananas, skinless apples, peaches, tea, salty foods, and eggs. The skin of some of the food items may add fiber to your diet; however, for some they cause complications. You may have to try out some of the foods to see which are safe for you. Each individual person’s body is different so the diet could change depending on what type of affect different foods have on your body. Your doctor may suggest trying certain foods, but if you start to feel the onset of diverticulitis, then back off them again. Food diaries are very useful when finding out what foods work for your condition.
When you experience a painful attack caused by diverticulitis, your physician will usually prescribe a diverticulitis food diet that consist of mostly liquids in order to clear up infection.
In addition to the diverticulitis foods that are low risk listed above, there are a few to stay away from as well. The top choices of diverticulitis foods to avoid are sesame seeds (including on buns), corn, chili peppers, and spicy foods. Also many people have noted that nuts pose a problem. It is very important to remember that a food that may pose issues for one person may not for another and all diet changes should be discussed with your healthcare professional.
Once you find out what works for you, work with your doctor and develop your high fiber, low fiber, and no fiber diets. Then manage those and follow them according to your condition for the best results for your diverticulosis and diverticulitis.
Filed under: Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis
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