Diverticulosis Dietary Therapy
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Stages of Diverticulosis
- Diverticulitis – Diverticulitis means that one or more of these weak-walled diverticuli has become infected and inflamed. At this point, the physician will want to put the bowel and even the patient at rest. Early on, a diet consisting of clear liquids is often prescribed to ensure maximum bowel rest. As recovery proceeds, the diet is advanced to a Low Fiber Diet, progressing gradually to a High Fiber Diet when recovery is complete.
- Quiet, early and moderate diverticulosis – This is where most people are. The physician may have discovered a few or a moderate number of diverticuli on colonoscopy as an incidental finding when screening for colon cancer. Because it is just mentioned in passing, not too much importance may be attached to it. This is a mistake, as now is the time that something can really be done. Remember, it is the increased pressures that the colon can exert within itself that causes diverticulosis. A bulky stool helps prevent this. Plant fiber, especially the insoluble fiber, is the best. These are the fibers that do not produce colon gas. The easiest to take are wheat bran, amaranth, barley and others as listed in Fiber Content of Foods.
- Quiet but advanced, fixed and/or narrowed diverticulosis – In many older folks, the diverticulosis has become so severe that the colon, just above the rectum, becomes fixed, twisted or gnarled by fibrous tissue within the bowel wall. At this stage, the colon is less likely to be massaged back to its normal size. The dilemma here is that large stools can seldom be produced, as the only thing that can get through this narrowed portion of the colon is smaller, even pellet-like stool. Still, it is worth trying small doses of extra food fiber or supplements to see what can be accomplished.
