Diverticulitis or diverticular disease is a particularly common condition in the developed world because of diets comprising of highly refined and low fiber food. This factor becomes quite evident because of the rarity of the disease in countries of Asia and Africa because of their high fiber vegetable diets. To answer your question, diverticulitis is a condition that affects the diverticula in the colon. Diverticula are small forward bulging pouches in the colon that get infected or inflamed in this condition.
Although there is a good chance of there being no visible symptoms, you could experience bloating, constipation, mild cramps, fever, nausea, tenderness in the lower left side of the abdomen and chills. Diverticulitis can however be quite worrying because of the possibility of infections and the risk of perforations or tears, bleeding and blockages. In the presence of any such complications it would be imperative to consult with a doctor.
Under normal circumstances however natural treatments can be very effective and the dietary changes that constitute the bulk of the treatment would be necessary no matter whether you choose to avail of natural remedies or pharmaceutical treatments. Here are the main areas that you need to focus on:
- Your dietary intake of fiber needs to be increased significantly and it would be wise to add fiber rich foods like whole meal cereals, fresh fruits and vegetables to your daily meals.
- Make it a point to eat slowly, chewing every morsel thoroughly.
- You fluid intake is another area that you need to pay attention to. Drink a lot of water and include a lot of natural liquids like water, fresh fruits or vegetable juices, and milk.
- Your levels of physical fitness or rather the levels of physical activity are also an extremely important consideration. If you find that joining a gym is to time consuming you can simply perform light stretching or aerobic exercises at home. Ten to twenty minutes of walking, jogging or cycling could also make a world of difference.
- Never strain to evacuate the bowels. This is one of the worst things you can do.
In addition to the general guidelines above there are some ingredients that act as potent remedies when added to your daily diet.
- Garlic can improve and enhance digestive functions and help eliminate toxins.
- Papaya is another invaluable addition as it cleanses the digestive tract.
- Pears can help to reduce the inflammation and lessen the symptoms.
- Brown rice has a high fiber content as compared to the polished white version we generally use. Brown rice is not just healthier, but could help reduce the inflammation.
answered by S D