Diet and Diverticulitis

Tuesday, November 06, 2012 by: Hesh Goldstein
Tags: diet, diverticulitis, dietary fiber

(NaturalNews) Before getting into diverticulitis I need to inform of you something that I forgot in the constipation article. The best, easiest and most natural way to take a dump is to squat, seriously. Stand on the toilet, then squat and let her rip. This position puts the channels of elimination in a straight line making the passing of doo doo effortless. If you don't believe me, give it a try.

Diverticulitis is another of the "civilized diseases." While 30 percent of Americans suffer from the discomfort of diverticular disease, it is extremely rare in undeveloped nations living on a diet of unrefined foods and not subjected to the SAD (Standard American Diet). It has become increasingly obvious that our low-fiber diet of highly refined foods is the major cause of diverticulitis and colon cancer.

For diverticulitis to occur, the neck of the diverticulum becomes blocked by swelling or doo doo, bringing about bacterial invasion. From this an abscess can form, spasm can occur, resulting in intestinal destruction. This in itself may require surgery. If perforation of the abscess occurs it leads to peritonitis, which is inflammation of the inner walls of the abdomen covering the abdominal organs, and is a severe surgical emergency.

The healing of any of these complications can result in fibrosis and narrowing of the colon, which may require surgery down the road.

So, in diverticulitis, prevention is better and easier than the cure.

When the diverticula become filled with bacteria large amounts of B vitamins are consumed and blood loss may occur, which explains the fact that anemia is so often found in people with diverticular problems.

Clearly, since a lack of fiber is the major cause, the commonly used low-fiber diet is not at all beneficial because lack of fiber in the diet causes chronic poor eliminations and constipation. The constipation then causes an increase in the gas pressure against the colon walls. To add insult to injury, the low-residue, low-fiber diet takes two to three times as long to pass through the colon. This then encourages excessive water absorption and leaves a very concentrated small stool, which is difficult to pass and demands more forceful peristaltic contraction to move it along its way. Then all this excess work puts more pressure on the colon walls, helping to produce little pockets in the diverticula.

But, a high-fiber diet composed of unrefined grains, raw fruits, and vegetables helps prevent diverticular disease and favors proper intestinal action in several ways. On such a diet the stools are two to three times as bulky as those formed on a low-fiber diet. The fiber absorbs water, making a softer stool that is passed easily with less forceful peristaltic contractions. Transit time is also reduced, with an average of 12 to 24 hours as compared to 36 hours or significantly longer on a low-fiber diet.

Contrary to the situation with a low-fiber diet where excess abnormal bacteria produce harmful carcinogenic substances from normal bile acids, cellulose actually encourages friendly bacteria development, which in turn produces several of the B complex vitamins for use by the body. In addition, while a low-fiber diet with its sticky doo doo tends to cake the intestinal membranes, fiber will help clean the walls and stimulate local circulation.

There's an interesting juxtaposition here concerning diverticular disease - while a low-fiber diet is the major cause of the disease, the initial stages of treatment require adherence to a low-fiber diet. The duration of this is short and only lasts as long as it's necessary to reduce the localized irritation. Once the inflammatory stage of diverticulitis is under control, then, the gradual introduction of high-fiber foods is absolutely essential to reach maximum results.

So, during any given meal within the healing cycle of the acute stage, the meal should consist of only one type of liquid. In other words, fasting brings about cure. The liquids to choose from are as follows:
Water (the best, but most difficult)
Carrot juice
Carrot and lettuce juice
Celery and lettuce juice
Beet juice
Watercress juice
Grape juice
Apple juice
Slippery elm tea
Comfrey tea
Marshmallow tae
Chlorophyll liquid (wheatgrass is best)
Spiulina liquid drinks

Bear in mind that we are talking about fresh juices here, not store bought, pasteurized juices.

This liquid diet (fast) should be continued until all painful symptoms have subsided. At that point semisolids are added slowly and carefully, watching for any adverse reaction. Add papaya, mashed banana, steamed carrots, baked yams, or sweet potatoes.

Once it becomes apparent that these foods are well tolerated, other cooked and pureed foods of higher fiber content can be added, including grated raw foods. Begin with grated apple and raw grated carrot. It still will be necessary to avoid fruit skins and fruit, and fruit and vegetables with small hard seeds such as tomatoes, cucumbers, figs, strawberries, raspberries, guavas, etc.

The next stage includes the addition of grains and proteins. Brown rice or quinoa well cooked and well chewed are the best choice of grains. Tofu is a good protein. Once these are well tolerated the diet can proceed to include all natural unrefined food. Thorough chewing the food until is becomes liquefied in the mouth is absolutely essential in the initial stages of this diet.

The process of weaning toward a high-fiber diet will take 6 to 8 weeks. This diet will then help heal the intestinal walls and prevent further severe attacks of diverticulitis. In long-standing cases the diverticula may remain for years. This can only be known by x-ray. Some cases never go away. But most cases will remain symptom-free despite the presence of the old diverticula as long as a high-fiber diet is rigidly followed and bowel eliminations remain regular.

Basically, the diet change is 90% of the solution. Bran helps add fiber and speeds up normal bowel function. Stick to the high-fiber approach even with up to 10 days of gas or discomfort. The body has to readjust. Also, drinking six to eight large glasses of water is a very useful aid to proper bowel function, especially if bran is employed as well.

Above all, if you suffer from this malady, see a naturopath and NOT an MD. One treats naturally and one treats with synthetics and a knife.

Aloha!

About the author:
I have been doing a weekly radio show in Honolulu since 1981 called "Health Talk". In 2007 I was "forced" to get a Masters degree in Nutrition because of all the doctors that would call in asking for my credentials. They do not call in anymore. Going to www.healthtalkhawaii.com enables you, among other things, to listen to the shows. I am an activist. In addition to espousing an organic vegan diet for optimum health, I am strongly opposed to GMOs, vaccines, processed foods, MSG, aspartame, fluoridation and everything else that the pimps (Big Pharma, Monsanto and the large food companies) and the hookers (the doctors, the government agencies, the public health officials, and the mainstream media) thrust upon us, the tricks.
After being vaccinated with the DTP vaccine as a child I developed asthma. After taking the organic sulfur crystals (they are harvested from the pine trees in Louisiana) in November of 2008 for 10 days my asthma reversed and has not come back over 4 years later, 18 cases, so far, of autism have been reversed, as has cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, osteoarthritis, joint pain, astigmatism, gum disease, increased sexual activity, heavy metal and radiation elimination, parasite elimination, free radicals elimination, faster athletic recovery time, increased blood circulation, reduced inflammation, resistance to getting the flu, reduction of wrinkles, allergy reduction, reduced PMS and monthly period pain, nausea, migraines and so much more. And it's only possible because of the oxygen it releases that floods the cells of the body. The sulfur, as proven by the University of Southampton in England, enables the body to produce vitamin B12 and the essential amino acids. You can find out more about this incredible nutrient also on my website - www.healthtalkhawaii.com -.
My book, "a Sane Diet For An Insane World", has been published. It can be viewed at
www.asanediet.com.