Diet for diverticulosis

  I have been diagnosed with diverticulosis, and would like a diet that I can print out from the computer. Hopefully I can control this condition with diet so that it does not become inflamed.    
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Dear Rosemary,
Diverticulosis is a condition of the large intestine (colon) in which the lining of the colon protrudes through the muscle layer to form sacs or diverticula. The diverticula result from increased pressure in the colon associated with straining during defecation.  As you can guess, the smaller the stool size, the more pressure required to expel the material from the colon.  
The predominant cause for having small stool is an insufficient quantity of roughage (also called fiber) in the diet.  This conclusion is based on the observation that diverticulosis is extremely common in countries in which diets tend to be low in fiber and is uncommon in parts of the world such as Africa and the Orient where diets are high in fiber.
To prevent the formation of diverticula you should eat a diet rich in fiber.  Examples of foods rich in fiber are whole wheat bread, whole wheat cereal and almost all fruits. Vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables such as lettuces are good sources of fiber too. Meat, chicken or fish do not provide much fiber. Also beware that processed foods are also lacking in fiber.   You can also increase the amount of daily fiber intake by taking  bulk forming agents such as Metamucil or a similar product at bedtime.  Three  teaspoons of Metamucil will add 10 gms of fiber to your diet.
Most patients with diverticulosis do not have any manifestations of this condition. A few patients, however, may present with problems such as inflammation or bleeding. These problems result when small pieces of stool block the opening to the diverticulum, causing a local inflammatory response.  
Because obstruction of the diverticular sac is associated with complications, it has been suggested that avoiding foods with seeds or nuts (such as popcorn or pomegranates) will reduce the risk of complications.  Although this suggestion makes sense, there is no experimental evidence that the risk of complications is reduced by avoiding seeds.  A general rule is that small amounts of these foods are probably OK.  
You should also know that a diet rich in fiber  may reduce the incidence of colon cancer and also lowers blood cholesterol levels. So there is more than one reason to make some changes in your diet!
I hope that I have been able to answer your questions.  This information is provided for informational purposes only.  Always consult your physician for specific medical issues.
HFHSM.D.-sg
*keywords: diverticulosis, fiber
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