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Diverticulitis diet


Bengal_80

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Does anyone have an idea of a what a good diet would be for someone with Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis?

 

About a month ago I had abdominal pain for about four days that kept getting worse, so went to the doctor and was told I had the symptoms of diverticulitis. So I was on antibiotics for 10 days and after the first day on it the pain went away. My wife wanted me to go get it checked out some more so I had a CT scan last week. Had to drink the contrast liquid...about puked it up before I got to the hospital but it stayed down, thankfully! Got the message yesterday that I do have diverticulosis and some small inflammation in them. Now they want me to go to a specialist and do a colonoscopy and I am dragging my feet! 

I do have some pain but not a lot, its mostly after I eat or drink. So I thought I would see if changing my diet would help and if anybody has a suggestion for that. The thought of this disease has got me down a little, I'll admit.

 

I should mention that I am 35 and the doctor said I'm younger then most people that experience this. But it does run in my family and I understand it is hereditary.

 

Anyways...if anyone has some ideas or suggestions would be great to hear them.

Thanks,

 

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Ugh, that sucks. My father suffers from Diverticulitis and developed it pretty young as well if memory serves (he's nearly 80 now). I have so far been lucky enough to avoid it. Hopefully Khat will see this and offer some advice, but I would recommend (as does The Mayo Clinic):

  • Exercise - At least 30 minutes per day. It doesn't have to be high-intensity, brisk walking will suffice. 
  • Get plenty of liquids - Water, green tea, no alcohol, and definitely nothing with sugar, as it is an inflammatory. 
  • Include as many fruits and nuts in your diet as you possibly can, as they supply fiber and fight inflammation. 

What I really think you need is a dietary lifestyle change that reduces inflammation as much as possible. Unfortunately, I'm not a dietitian so I can only speak in generalities. I'm also loathe to say "Follow diet 'X'", as that never worked for me, and what you really need is a dietary lifestyle change, and the difference between those two is quite big... 

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I had been thinking about a dietary lifestyle change before this came up, just because I have psoriasis and I thought that might help with that.

As for exercise, I work in an office and its so easy to sit in my chair in the morning and the next thing you know its quitting time and I might have stood up a couple of times.....so getting 30 minutes a day would be an upgrade for me. We have been trying to go walking in the evening, but not doing the best with that.

Thanks for the tips

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I had been thinking about a dietary lifestyle change before this came up, just because I have psoriasis and I thought that might help with that.

As for exercise, I work in an office and its so easy to sit in my chair in the morning and the next thing you know its quitting time and I might have stood up a couple of times.....so getting 30 minutes a day would be an upgrade for me. We have been trying to go walking in the evening, but not doing the best with that.

Thanks for the tips

 

Sitting all day is simply horrible for your health. I'm lucky that I work for a healthcare conglomerate and was able to get one of these:

 

http://www.ergotron.com/ProductsDetails/tabid/65/PRDID/378/language/en-US/Default.aspx

 

I'll never go back to a sitting desk if I can help it. They're not too expensive ($350 or thereabouts) so it might be worth investigating.... 

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Sitting all day is simply horrible for your health. I'm lucky that I work for a healthcare conglomerate and was able to get one of these:
 
http://www.ergotron.com/ProductsDetails/tabid/65/PRDID/378/language/en-US/Default.aspx
 
I'll never go back to a sitting desk if I can help it. They're not too expensive ($350 or thereabouts) so it might be worth investigating.... 

Nice desk. What about one of these ... ?

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5639135

It's said a laying down desk is 10,000 times better than a standing desk. ...and they're reportedly only 90 dollars.
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I have it and get bouts every now and again, some requiring medical attention.  Parents had it too.

 

Just to chime in and agree with but also contrast a few things...

  • Getting/staying active really helps, more than you realize.  I definitely have more symptoms in the less active winter months, and its a battle trying to stay active when my tendency is to hibernate.  I'm constantly fighting to not be lazy.
  • Liquids, especially water.  It's surprising how much water is recommended and how many people don't drink anywhere near that amount.  I don't keep track like I used to, but I always have water available, drink it with most meals and constantly have it around otherwise.
  • In terms of diet, for me its more about what to avoid more than anything.  What you have is little pockets that can trap food, and food that's hard to digest and/or easily caught is especially problematic.  It gets trapped, doesn't digest fast enough, and causes infection.  If I eat a big tub of popcorn, I'll pay the price everytime guaranteed.  Those husks get caught and wreak havoc.  Most nuts are bad news.  Sesame seeds are bad news.  Fatty and greasy foods are bad news.  Pigging out at a buffet is bad news.  A diet that provides regularity is a good thing.  You want a consistent "flow" of digestion and evacuation.

That being said, I'm not always following my own advice above and then sometimes I get painfully reminded.  Your doctor can prescribe some meds which can help when you start feeling the initial symptoms...after a while you can feel some of the early telltales...sometimes the meds help, but not always, at least for me.

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I have it and get bouts every now and again, some requiring medical attention.  Parents had it too.

 

Just to chime in and agree with but also contrast a few things...

  • Getting/staying active really helps, more than you realize.  I definitely have more symptoms in the less active winter months, and its a battle trying to stay active when my tendency is to hibernate.  I'm constantly fighting to not be lazy.
  • Liquids, especially water.  It's surprising how much water is recommended and how many people don't drink anywhere near that amount.  I don't keep track like I used to, but I always have water available, drink it with most meals and constantly have it around otherwise.
  • In terms of diet, for me its more about what to avoid more than anything.  What you have is little pockets that can trap food, and food that's hard to digest and/or easily caught is especially problematic.  It gets trapped, doesn't digest fast enough, and causes infection.  If I eat a big tub of popcorn, I'll pay the price everytime guaranteed.  Those husks get caught and wreak havoc.  Most nuts are bad news.  Sesame seeds are bad news.  Fatty and greasy foods are bad news.  Pigging out at a buffet is bad news.  A diet that provides regularity is a good thing.  You want a consistent "flow" of digestion and evacuation.

That being said, I'm not always following my own advice above and then sometimes I get painfully reminded.  Your doctor can prescribe some meds which can help when you start feeling the initial symptoms...after a while you can feel some of the early telltales...sometimes the meds help, but not always, at least for me.

Did you need to do a CT scan or colonoscopy?

 

Thanks for the info, I'm looking for all the tips I can get.

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Sitting all day is simply horrible for your health. I'm lucky that I work for a healthcare conglomerate and was able to get one of these:

 

http://www.ergotron.com/ProductsDetails/tabid/65/PRDID/378/language/en-US/Default.aspx

 

I'll never go back to a sitting desk if I can help it. They're not too expensive ($350 or thereabouts) so it might be worth investigating.... 

All the others in my office have moved to a standing or one they can move up and down as well. I have been thinking about it but could not find what I need. I use three monitors so it needs to be bigger then what I have seen so far. Some of the guys had leg extensions put on their desk and then bought chairs that are high  enough they can stand for awhile and then sit for a little.

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I would think that a diet high in fiber would help as it speeds digestion and the insoluble fiber would help clean out food stuck in the pockets.

 

As for additional fine tuning, I suggest a simple food diary. That way to can track your meals and find out which invoke the greatest reactions, rating the effects on a 1 to 10 scale. This will be an immediate, simple, and cost effective way to take control of your condition.

 

Good luck.

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Don't have much time but a few key points:

 

1) Inflammation is your biggest factor in causing you conditions of dis-ease.....psoriasis is inflammatory response.  Then there's your gut on fire.  Concentrate on an alkalizing, whole foods based diet that is very low or even better, without gluten (found in wheat, barley and rye).  This means no breads, pasta, tortillas etc...   Have one or two fruits a day max, greatly increase your vegetable intake and keep notes on how you feel after foods so that you may begin to eliminate foods that don't work well with your body's chemistry at this particular point in time.  Drink lots of good, pure water (not from tap).  Eating whole foods doesn't put the stress on your digestive system like processed foods, sugary foods do.  Avoid bad fats and increase good fats like avocado, xtra virgin olive/coconut oils, almonds, walnuts, pistacchio etc... (if tolerable)

 

2) Incorporate a high quality probiotic as well as testing your Vit D levels.  I would imagine they're low....so incorporate a good Vitamin D supplement as well.  I can recommend brands for both probiotics and vit D if you would like, just ask.  

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Did you need to do a CT scan or colonoscopy?

 

Thanks for the info, I'm looking for all the tips I can get

 

When I had my first significant episode, I went to the ER.  IIRC, CT and/or contrast CT was used to diagnose the issue and it was concluded/treated as a Diverticulitis attack (the intestinal infection), and I was told that I almost certainly had Diverticulous (the intestinal pockets).  I was referred to a specialist for a subsequent follow-up colonoscopy and was close to being due for one anyway because of age.  That first Colonscopy confirmed the pockets, some non-cancerous polyps, etc.  Recently, a subsequent age-based scheduled colonoscopy re-confirmed what I already knew.

 

I also have gotten kidney stones and had to have my gall bladder removed due to damage/infection/rot.  The symptoms of those issues can also be similar to those of Diverticulitis, so its always interesting when I start feeling bad...which one is it...or is it something else entirely?

 

Sucks to get old and/or not have perfect health.  Also sucks trying to avoid all the temptations to maximize good health.  I'm a sucker for a good temptation every now and again.  :)

 

Oh, and another point I meant to bring up before (got reminded reading Rugby's/Khat's posts)...EVERYONE is different.  What my system tolerates and what my system has a hard time with can be similar or very much different than others.  For example, my Mom (rest her soul) had the popcorn issue just like me...but she also had a hard time with corn and I don't.  Just something to keep in mind.  Get advice, but just remember we're not all the same...thank gawd.

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Don't have much time but a few key points:
 
1) Inflammation is your biggest factor in causing you conditions of dis-ease.....psoriasis is inflammatory response.  Then there's your gut on fire.  Concentrate on an alkalizing, whole foods based diet that is very low or even better, without gluten (found in wheat, barley and rye).  This means no breads, pasta, tortillas etc...   Have one or two fruits a day max, greatly increase your vegetable intake and keep notes on how you feel after foods so that you may begin to eliminate foods that don't work well with your body's chemistry at this particular point in time.  Drink lots of good, pure water (not from tap).  Eating whole foods doesn't put the stress on your digestive system like processed foods, sugary foods do.  Avoid bad fats and increase good fats like avocado, xtra virgin olive/coconut oils, almonds, walnuts, pistacchio etc... (if tolerable)
 
2) Incorporate a high quality probiotic as well as testing your Vit D levels.  I would imagine they're low....so incorporate a good Vitamin D supplement as well.  I can recommend brands for both probiotics and vit D if you would like, just ask.  


thanks for the thoughts.. I really do appreciate the help as this is totally new for me. Could you PM the brands you recommend?
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I would think that a diet high in fiber would help as it speeds digestion and the insoluble fiber would help clean out food stuck in the pockets.
 
As for additional fine tuning, I suggest a simple food diary. That way to can track your meals and find out which invoke the greatest reactions, rating the effects on a 1 to 10 scale. This will be an immediate, simple, and cost effective way to take control of your condition.
 
Good luck.


thanks, that's a great idea, will definitely use it.
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When I had my first significant episode, I went to the ER.  IIRC, CT and/or contrast CT was used to diagnose the issue and it was concluded/treated as a Diverticulitis attack (the intestinal infection), and I was told that I almost certainly had Diverticulous (the intestinal pockets).  I was referred to a specialist for a subsequent follow-up colonoscopy and was close to being due for one anyway because of age.  That first Colonscopy confirmed the pockets, some non-cancerous polyps, etc.  Recently, a subsequent age-based scheduled colonoscopy re-confirmed what I already knew.
 
I also have gotten kidney stones and had to have my gall bladder removed due to damage/infection/rot.  The symptoms of those issues can also be similar to those of Diverticulitis, so its always interesting when I start feeling bad...which one is it...or is it something else entirely?
 
Sucks to get old and/or not have perfect health.  Also sucks trying to avoid all the temptations to maximize good health.  I'm a sucker for a good temptation every now and again.  :)
 
Oh, and another point I meant to bring up before (got reminded reading Rugby's/Khat's posts)...EVERYONE is different.  What my system tolerates and what my system has a hard time with can be similar or very much different than others.  For example, my Mom (rest her soul) had the popcorn issue just like me...but she also had a hard time with corn and I don't.  Just something to keep in mind.  Get advice, but just remember we're not all the same...thank gawd.


I'm still on the fence about a colonoscopy..the ct scan showed the pockets but they still want to do one.

good point about being different, I have a twin and he doesn't have any issue....at this point.
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thanks for the thoughts.. I really do appreciate the help as this is totally new for me. Could you PM the brands you recommend?

 

No need to PM as maybe others could also benefit.  My advice to each and every person would be to start a high quality probiotic as well as Vitamin D3 supplementation as over 90% of Americans are deficient.  We've been taught to fear the sun, to our detriment.   

 

Anyways, probiotics: 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0010WAZU2/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1434043449&sr=1&keywords=garden+of+life+defense+ultra

 

http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Probiotics-Fiber-Prebiotics-Supplement/dp/B00LPS9XSG/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1434043487&sr=1-1&keywords=earthflora&pebp=1434043492520&perid=EE75978D1C964BD59BD7

 

Vit D: 

http://www.amazon.com/Carlson-Laboratories-Super-4000IU-Supplement/dp/B0090QNC8M/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1434043538&sr=1-1&keywords=carlsons+d3+drops&pebp=1434043545438&perid=0B5E4FB2445C487E98B1

 

 

 

Wish you the best on your journey.  Staying away from inflammatory foods will go a long way towards your recovery.  Keep properly hydrated and get exercise....enough to make you sweat profusely, at least 3 times a week but preferably 5-6 days/wk.  If strenuous exercise, allow for proper recovery and nourish for proper recovery.  

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On that d3 - I work nights 1/2 the time.  I do a decent amount of stuff outdoors in my free time but still feel it in the winter when that's less of an option.

 

Its said that you need approx 30 mins of total sun exposure per day, meaning sitting buck ass nekkid in the sun, which rarely happens unless you're Matthew McKindaGay.   Even in the warmer months I find that challenging as our lives are so busy....so I supplement with D3 as well.  

 

I was in Germany for 2 months (Nov and Dec) this past year and in the winter the sun's out about 2 hrs a week it seems.  Felt miserable there.  Couldn't live in a place like that, or Seattle....where the sun is rare for months at a time.  

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