BS: Diverticulitis

Subject: BS: Diverticulitis
From: kendall
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 07:25 PM

Ever since last April, I have had diverticulitis to one degree or another. It is a pain in the guts, and, although I have stopped eating nuts, seeds corn and all, it still wont go away. Today I had another CAT scan, and it is now joined by Duodinitis!
I'm taking the friggin' meds, so the doctor gave me more meds. I know that some of you have had this problem, any thoughts?

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: MarkS
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 07:39 PM

Diet like you mentioned and a week on antibiotics worked for me when I was diagnosed with the same problem some time ago. Trouble is that when you get it, you never really loose it and you have to be careful with your diet. If you are careful, you can manage it with very little problem.
Best of luck
MarkS

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Sorcha
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 07:48 PM

During a flare up, ONLY clear liquids until the pain goes away. NOTHING in the diet that does not digest completly. There are other things than nuts and corn that cause problems. Cheese for the diahrrea. No applesauce during a flare up.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: kendall
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 08:14 PM

clear liquids during a flareup. Now, that makes sense.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Deckman
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 08:29 PM

Super Simple ... Stop putting ANYTHING in your mouth. This will solve a host of problems! CHEERS, Bob

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: SINSULL
Date: 19 Aug 03 - 09:15 PM

Coffee? Tea? Alcohol? Anyone know?

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 01:20 AM

If you have the opportunity, experiment to see which foods are your trigger. It isn't always the ones the doctors tell you to avoid.

It will be nasty and painful in the short term, but once you've found your triggers, as with so many illnesses, it's much MUCH more easy to live with afterwards.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Mudlark
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 01:49 AM

Also, timing can be important. Gravity rules. Don't go to bed on a full stomach whatever you eat. And try raising the head of the bed.

Small bites, keep track, no scarfing of anything, until you know it's ok...the less of troublesome stuff you put in your body the less trouble you'll have.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: open mike
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 01:51 AM

i seem to remember my grandma having that and
even the tiny seeds in banana raised havok
with her intestines.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Peg
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 10:54 AM

Sorry to hear you are not doing too well Kendall. As the ancients said, let your food be your medicine...in other words, don't assume the meds will completely solve this problem. They are western medicine's answer to symptoms, but do not always address the underlying problem which is subtle and probably took years to settle in.

I try to watch my habits with food etc. because I seem to have a somewhat delicate constitution that goes out of whack once in a while. According to Ayurveda (an ancient Indian system well worth following), one's "doshas" go out of balance due to various things like improper food, stress, fatigue, and various stimulants (including coffee and television). When I feel kinda lousy and like nothing I eat is what I want, I look at the last few days and try to figure out how to get back in balance. In Ayurvedic terms, I have a tendency towards a Pitta imbalance, which can be aggravated by hot humid weather, spicy food, alcohol, stress and staying indoors too much. If you are curious about how this system may help, I recommend the book Perfect Health by Deepak Chopra. There are also many websites dealing with Ayurvedic principles, most of which are very easy to implement.

One thing many people forget (because it becomes so ingrained over the years) is to chew food very thoroughly. Most of us don't. (I know I don't) This can be a very important variable with digestive complaints, and it is worthwhile to make a new habit of chewing very well and eating slowly.

Drinking cold liquids during meals also disturbs digestion. A glass of wine is okay. Follow a meal with a hot drink, preferably herbal tea. Fennel, chamomile or peppermint are all very good for digestion. Food combining may also help immensely. (No starches with meats; green veggies with meats or protein, or with starches. Fruit alone or before a meal)

I would guess that giving up coffee and tea for a time might help (it gave my guts a nice rest when I did it for four months); try decaf or green tea.

Good luck!

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: kendall
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 12:13 PM

Thanks, Peg. Very helpful info. As you say, the pills help to heal the damage, but I need to find out what is causing the damage in the first place so the pills wont be necessary.
This getting old is really getting old.

Last weekend I travelled to Hampton New Brunswick, (750 miles round trip) and threw my system out of kilter with un accostomed foods and beer. That must have had something to do with it.

It looks like I must give up everything I like to avoid another flareup.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: KathWestra
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 06:00 PM

Diverticulitis is an infection of the colon ("gut" covers a lot of parts. Diverticulitis is a colon thing.)It's something that happens when you have a condition called diverticulosis--"pockets" that bulge away from the colon wall. The tendency to have this is inherited; my mom also had it.

Diverticulosos becomes diverticulitis when undigested bits of stuff--the aforementioned corn, seeds, nuts, etc.--get trapped in one of the pockets and start to fester and cause an infection. Antibiotics are the ONLY way to cure it. Don't play with that. You could land in surgery otherwise, having a bit of your colon removed. Not recommended! Clear liquids ABSOLUTELY until the antibiotics make the infection go away. You need to give your colon a complete rest while the antibiotics do their stuff. When you've got the infection, it's very important not to eat fiber, which will aggravate the inflammation. NO salads (or fruit, or cooked veggies, or other "roughage").

HOWEVER, once it's gone, scholars really differ on what you can and can't eat. You may not have to give up "everything you love." I stay away from sweet corn, which triggered my initial attack a couple of years back. I also avoid raspberries, and poppy and sesame seeds. The Mayo Clinic website has a good section about diverticulitis. They say that the nutritional and fiber benefits of eating nuts and seedy fruit and whole-grain breads with sunflower seeds and wheat berries far outweigh the risks of those things "causing" an infection. Everyone agrees that you MUST eat lots of fiber--fruits, vegetables, whole grains--and much less fat. Most docs recommend a daily dose of Metamucil (or FiberCon or another brand with the same purpose). Everyone says get more exercise. Everyone says drink LOTS of water (8 8-oz. glasses a day). All that stuff is good for more than diverticulitis, so it has broad benefits. I don't EVER want to experience the pain I had in June & July, so I am following this advice to the letter. Check out the Mayo website, Kendall. That and the Johns Hopkins site have very clear discussions of various conditions with consumer-friendly recommendations.

Other than antibiotics, which are critical to clear up the infection, I don't know what drugs are given for this. My doctor didn't prescribe anything, nor did he mention any long-term therapy other than the nutritional stuff mentioned in the previous paragraph.

I had a particularly vicious attack in late June/early July. I was on clear liquids for about 5 days, antibiotics for almost four weeks. Since it cleared up, I'm back to eating (and drinking) normal stuff. This includes caffeine and alcohol in moderation. Roasted almonds. Whole-grain bread with sunflower seeds. Raw and cooked veggies. Less fat. More fish. Less meat.

Good luck, Cap'n. I have lots of empathy for your situation. All this and a missin' cap, too. Life is tough!
XO Kathy

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 06:09 PM

why would they say less fat and meats? Sounds like the grains and seeds are more of what is causing the problem? mg

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: SINSULL
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 07:20 PM

Kathy is saying what works for her. And she was in vicious pain a short time ago.

Question: How do you define "when the infection is gone"? When the pain passes? When the prescription is finished? Five days after the last dose?

And what other options besides clear liquids? How about some nice soft mashed potatoes? Or plain pasta in the broth?

Do you keep a diary of what you have eaten so that you can eventually relate an attack to a food?

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: kendall
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 08:01 PM

I can't live on clear liquids. To me that means water.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: kendall
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 08:17 PM

I just went to the Johns Hopkins site. They recommend, to ease the discomfort of divertiulitis, eat cooked veggies, refined bread, cereals.
Fruit and veg. juices, without skin or seeds. tender or ground meats, low fat milk products, eggs, low fat cheese/ broth/ creamed soups, with cooked vegetables, white rice and refined pasta.
Now, that I can live with.

Then, when the flare up is past, resume a diet high in fiber and low in fat.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: catspaw49
Date: 20 Aug 03 - 10:58 PM

Kendall, when we talked about this before, I think I said that the word "some" is really operative. Some foods, some people.......All of us who have this are often affected by different foods which is why that so many Docs are now saying, "It's all up to you." I have been fortunate enough to isolate a few problem foods and avoid them. For me it seems that the small, hard, seedy-like things are the worst. I have had no problems though with well chewed nuts....but I gotta' tell ya' that I rarely eat them. One good attack that leaves you in the hospital with surgery being contemplated makes one very careful. Hulled veggies and fruits like corn, peas, amd grapes have so far not been a problem although I have a friend who can't do any of them.

You can generally feel an attack coming on well before it gets serious if you tune-in. THEN is the time to go back to the liquid-white-mashed diets and progress back to normal. For "some" of us, that works quite well. I find that if I stretch the times for each step just a bit longer, I heal faster and can get back to fiber faster and without pain.

Every once in awhile you may feel an attack coming on and it's important to be able to go back and see what might have been the trigger.....if you can't remember, start keeping a journal. Some can get by with eating anyhing in moderation but that doesn't work for everyone. I can do well chewed nuts in moderation but I will guarantee that the seeds from one sesame bun or breadstick will cause a flare-up. Take the time to find out what you can and cannot eat and life will be a lot simpler. Just be sure you know what you eat.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Lyrical Lady
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 01:02 AM

My sympathies Kendall! I can tell you that besides being stung by a sting ray and having a caesarean section without anesthetics. ...the pain of diverticulitus is the worst! That is when it festers to the point of bursting! When that happens you are only inches away from having a bowel resection or a bag! The only remedy for the infection is antibiotics ( perferably the kind they treat antrax with)and that is on a a drip in the hospital for 10 to 14 days! The only way to manage the disease is to pay attention to your diet. Do not eat seeds, nuts ,grains or insoluable fiber for a year.. believe me it takes that long to heal your colon. I cannot eat berries ( including jam) rhubarb, peas, corn, cornmeal, tomatoes, cucumber, whole grain breads, brown rice, beans of any sort, potato skins ( especially new potatoes), or nuts of any kind. When you are experiencing pain, do not eat solid food. Water, tea, apple juice, clear soup and jello is about it. Usually during a flare up you'll notice very little bowel activity,,, when things start to move again and the pain is gone you should maintain a diet of refined foods for about a week. This includes white bread, rice, pasta, eggs, cream soups, cream puddings, plain yogurt etc. Once you feel better, you should introduce fibre slowly into your diet. Start your day with a high fibre cereal, drink lots of water and avoid the nasty things that can bring on another attack. Please remember Kendall that if you've been in pain for this long.. it means that your body has been suffering with a low grade infection for along time. Most people over the age of 40 have some degree of diverticulosis... because of our western diet. BUT diverticulitus is when the colon is inflamed. This is serious stuff.   Diverticulosis can be managed with diet... diverticulitus requires medical attention. When this is brought under control... I promise... you will feel so much better. Good luck Kendall.

LL

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 01:46 AM

Oh great, thanks for reminding me it's heredetary!

My mother has this (along with about 20 other things - enough to fill an A4 sheet), so I guess I better start watching out for symptoms.

Mother has false teeth, so doesn't eat things with seeds in much. Her problem foods are fatty meats esp. pork, salty biscuits and certain acidic fruits (sharp apples and citrus). Her attacks have put her in hospital several times because like so many other people, she cheats on her diet - when out with people she says 'Oh I mustn't have that', but at home when no-one is watching, she'll eat it. I must read that list again and see if 'self-harm' or Munchhausens' Syndrome is mentioned.

It is interesting though, that the stomach acid can dissolve a gold crown, tooth enamel and small bones, but sweetcorn passes through entirely unscathed.....

Good luck finding your triggers Kendall, I hope it's not too long a search.

Peg - any more info on that book and method please? I've not been able to find/keep a link open to anything about it on the Web.

Cheers.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: catspaw49
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 01:47 AM

Thank you LL...Barb knows of what she speaks Kendall! She and I were hospitalized at the same time and bad as I was, she was much worse. In the aftermath, both of us went through about the same thing, but note how many foods trigger a response in Barb versus the number that trigger a responce in me. I think if we were to make actual exzct lists, hers would be 8 or 9 times greater than mine.

The post attack diet she refers to I call "Liquid/White/Mashed" as that gives the general idea and when I said above that I stay on this at each stage longer as it helps me to get better faster, to be specific, I maintain each phase for about 10-12 days before moving on. I think there is also the "Fear Factor" involved with me because I think back to that night I went to the hospital (and the days preceding and following) and I will do damn near anything to avoid that in the future!!!

Barb makes a good point as well with the time you seem to have had this would indicate that you have never really healed from the first attack. You never truly "heal" this problem without surgery, but you can go along at a managed level as many of us do but it's important to clear up the problem as best possible or you'll continue as you are now and eventually wind up in really bad shape!

My advice would be to go on the LWM Diet for 4 to 6 weeks and then slowly move toward the high fiber goal while watching for triggers. I know this seems a long time, but in a lifespan of eating, it's pretty short. Your guts didn't wind up in the shape they are in overnight.....and they won't get better overnight either. Do the LWM thing and don't cheat for a month or so (and drink the hell out of water) and you'll be glad in the long run.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Peg
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 08:17 AM

re: Ayurveda, when describing this to a friend online, he found this website:

http://www.vaidya4u.com/b_char.html

I thought it provided an excellent introduction.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Amos
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 08:42 AM

Clickamos aqui:    http://www.vaidya4u.com/b_char.html

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: GUEST,Wordless Woman
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 10:47 AM

If you're taking antibiotics, which will wipe out all the bacteria - both good and bad - in your gut, you might want to consider taking probiotics (acidolphilus) to bring the flora back into balance. You may also find papaya tea helpful.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: kendall
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 01:10 PM

I'm starting to think you all know more than my doctor.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Lyrical Lady
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 04:53 PM

I forgot to mention Kendall, that another common trigger,for me anyway, is dried fruit, raisins, currants,apricots and especially dates...so watch out for those in muffins etc.
I tend to agree with you about the doctors not knowing too much about this disease. Diverticulitis is a common complaint with older people, and people tend to suffer from it in varying degrees. The longer you suffer without healing the initial attack, the more of your colon can become affected. I went many years trying to treat this on my own ( affeared of the dreaded cancer diagnosis!) I now have three feet of my colon which may have to be removed if I don't take very good care of self. I received the greatest amount of help and guidance from the nutritionist. I have only had one attack in the past year and a recent colonoscopy has shown that my colon is looking pretty good considering. Knock on wood! Take care!

LL

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 07:24 PM

Kendall I read somewhere that Llama milk is good for that particular problem. :>)

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: kendall
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 09:23 PM

Hey Doug, what happened to your cookie?

No one has mentioned it, but what about alcohol? I assume that is a no no.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Peg
Date: 21 Aug 03 - 09:32 PM

maybe until your current flare-up is better, Kendall, eliminating all poisons is the best bet. That includes caffeine, sugar, heavily-processed stuff, too.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: kendall
Date: 22 Aug 03 - 08:05 AM

No drinking at a bluegrass festival? I'll stick out like a skunk in the fog!

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Peg
Date: 22 Aug 03 - 09:08 AM

think about it, there are plenty of people who are teetotalers, either because they are in recovery or simply haven't a taste for it. It could be a fun diversion for a while.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Oct 06 - 11:09 AM

is it ok to have alcohol,

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Folkiedave
Date: 16 Oct 06 - 11:22 AM

It is a disease vegetarians suffer less from than meat eaters. It is virtually unknown in countires with a high fibre diet.

Google for diverticulitis+vegetarian to see some of this.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Old Guy
Date: 17 Oct 06 - 01:43 AM

I don't think alcohol is bad for diverticulitis.

If you eat plenty of fiber you won't have a problem.

Highly refined flour where the fiber is ground into dust is the culprit. No one had diverticulitis until highly refined white flour started to be made.

Some people say to avoid nuts and anything with seeds. that theory has been disproven. The only food to be avoided is popcorn because of the hulls.

The disease was first noticed in the United States in the early 1900s. At about the same time, processed foods were introduced into the American diet. Many processed foods contain refined, low-fiber flour. Unlike whole-wheat flour, refined flour has no wheat bran.

Diverticular disease is common in developed or industrialized countries—particularly the United States, England, and Australia—where low-fiber diets are common. The disease is rare in countries of Asia and Africa, where people eat high-fiber vegetable diets.

Fiber is the part of fruits, vegetables, and grains that the body cannot digest. Some fiber dissolves easily in water (soluble fiber). It takes on a soft, jelly-like texture in the intestines. Some fiber passes almost unchanged through the intestines (insoluble fiber). Both kinds of fiber help make stools soft and easy to pass. Fiber also prevents constipation.

Constipation makes the muscles strain to move stool that is too hard. It is the main cause of increased pressure in the colon. This excess pressure might cause the weak spots in the colon to bulge out and become diverticula.

Diverticulitis occurs when diverticula become infected or inflamed. Doctors are not certain what causes the infection. It may begin when stool or bacteria are caught in the diverticula. An attack of diverticulitis can develop suddenly and without warning.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: GUEST,Mikey Q.
Date: 06 Nov 06 - 10:57 AM

What is diverticulosos?

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Nov 06 - 11:26 AM

Little pockets in the lining of the gut where food can get trapped. 'Osis' is the disease, 'itis' is a flare up.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Nov 06 - 11:41 AM

Think about trying some cooked oats-- although it is fber, it is soft, water-soluble fiber that dissolves in the gut without leaving little bits that get trapped in the pockets. Many people find that the oat approach soothes the whole gut so that the pockets can heal.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 06 Nov 06 - 12:18 PM

I was told that the pockets never heal. You just have to cope with it.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 06 Nov 06 - 02:16 PM

I once had a 'colonoscopy' (is that the right word?) during which a TV camera was pushed up my rear end (not one of those big old BBC jobs, I hasten to add - that would have required rather a lot of vaseline - probably more than the National Health Service could afford!). Anyway, the doctor found these little pockets in the lining of my bowel - and even showed me on a TV monitor (a bit too much information, but I'm sure he mean't well).
Over the last few years I've had some problems with my health - only occasional pain - but I can feel generally lousy for weeks at a time. I'm not sure whether these episodes are related to the diverticulae, or not, and the medics don't seem to know either. Nevertheless, there are foods that I have learned to avoid (not too much bread and no cheese, for example). On the other hand I have found that eating porridge (ie. oatmeal) for breakfast does help. I put half a cup of oatmeal, in a deep ceramic bowl. I then add a cup of skimmed milk and half a cup of water. After stirring I microwave it for 4 minutes and then add a couple of teaspoons of honey - it tastes quite good as well (although I never would have believed it until I tried it).

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Nov 06 - 02:25 PM

A friend of mine in NYC has been without health insurance since the events of 9-11. His business went almost belly up and he can't afford it, so he has to be very careful to catch his diverticulitis before it flares into something that needs treatment. He swears by a product called "Colon Cleanse" (a drink--we've discussed this elsewhere at Mudcat--it is bulky psyllium and tends to fill those pockets and when it passes through it takes everything that was in those little pouches with it.) He also said he eats peaches when he feels it coming on. Sometimes he mixes the fruit in with the Colon Cleanse.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Morticia
Date: 06 Nov 06 - 03:24 PM

I can't eat eggs or any protein on it's own and I have to avoid coffee when I have a flare up. It really does seem to be about each individual and triggers, I'm afraid.I've talked to so many people who have different triggers.

Usually though, I can eat anything that doesn't eat me first.....getting older isn't for sissies, is it?

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Old Guy
Date: 06 Nov 06 - 08:34 PM

You are supposed to have a Colonoscopy at 55 and every 5 years after that. I had one and was diagnosed with Diverticulosis.

The only cure is to have the last 18" of your colon. the Sigmoid colon because it s S shaped, removed.

I refused to do it and I have been eating a high fiber, low carb diet. I have lost 60 pounds and I have had no more flare ups.

It is caused by straining for a BM when constipated. Eat more fiber and you won't get constipated to begin with and avoid the disease altogether.

Colon Cleanse is bullshit. Eat fiber like you were intended to eat.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Nov 06 - 10:22 PM

Hey, Old Guy, to each his own. I'm just passing along something a friend says works.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Old Guy
Date: 07 Nov 06 - 12:03 AM

So does eating fiber and it probably works better than colon cleanse.

I also have IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome. It causes general cramps and loose stools or constipation. Once you have it, there is no cure.

It can't be associated with any particular food. It just comes and goes. Fiber helps that too.

There are all kinds of snake oil for IBS too but they help very little or not at all.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: GUEST,. gargoyle
Date: 07 Nov 06 - 11:06 PM

An herbal "cure" is "capsicum" (red-pepper, cyan-pepper)

I know this from my long departed father; he suffered from the problem.

To get the capsicum into his gut, he "concealed" a 1/8th teaspoon full in a Tablespoon full of sour-cream....twice a day.

The condition is created by a small (enlarged/epanded/blown-up) section in the intestines (a "bubble" in a long tube - a "weak spot") and the offending digestive material "slips" into the pocket and (molders, ferments, putrifies) the capsicum "cleans the area." For my father, the most offending food was NUTS, (high in fiber, oil, protein) which seemed to pocket themselves, in the intestinal-spot, like a chipmonk's-cheeks.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Paul Burke
Date: 08 Nov 06 - 03:23 AM

I had a shuftiscope examination for bowel cancer a few years ago. You've never seen anyone so pleased to be told that they've got diverticulosis. At least it wasn't cancer. Now I know what the symptoms are caused by, and how a reasonably high- fibre diet can control the condition, I can forget about it. The only danger is if one ruptures, as happened to someone I know. A week or two in hospital saw him all right, bowel fixed and intact.

But they did tell him that he mustn't hold back- and he doesn't. World champion petomane.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 08 Nov 06 - 05:00 AM

Capsicum? That's chili, isn't it?

Eat plenty of curry - that's obviously the answer! And, of course, curry usually contains turmeric - not only an anti-bacterial but also, I believe, rich in anti-oxidants as well.

Nevertheless, I would imagine industrial strength vindaloos are probably inadvisable if any sort of inflammation is involved.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 08 Nov 06 - 06:43 PM

I am another victim. Hatefull stuff but I was relieved that it wasn't cancer. In fact the IBS and diverticulitis may have saved my life as a colonoscopy turned up a polyp that was removed in time. I still often have the pain but I am still kicking.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Old Guy
Date: 08 Nov 06 - 09:04 PM

WYSIWYG:

What is this cure for IBS?

My doc prescribed Dycyclomine which does very little for it. Usually I just sit down and rest for an hour or so and the cramps go away. They might come right back or they might not come back for a week or a month or two. It is unpredictable and not seemingly linked to any food. The cramps might result in loose stools or constipation. Mine are usually loose stools but some times not accompanied by anything, just cramps

Diverticulosis is a completely different matter. It is the existence of little balloons extending from inside your sigmoid colon into your abdominal cavity. Hard feces gets trapped in them and causes inflammation. It left alone they can rupture and give you peritonitis, infection in your abdominal cavity.

One study found that seeds and nuts would get trapped in them but this has been disproved my later studies. The only thing to really be avoided is popcorn because the hulls can get stuck in them like fish scales.

The best way to keep any feces from getting stuck in the diverticulii is to keep the feces soft by eating lots of fiber. We were designed to eat more fiber than we do. Modern, highly processed food with not enough fiber is the culprit. When white flour was invented, it created the disease which virtually did not exist before.

Some snake oil mongers show you photos of god awful things that look like roots that came out of somebody s butt. Then they tell you "that is what is caked inside you" The roots are psyllium powder or clay or something similar that somebody ate and it took a "set" like Jello and retained the shape of their intestines. It's a scam.

Your intestines are slick and slimy and nothing can get caked to them. However they can get clogged with digested food that does not contain enough fiber to retain moisture and keep it soft. That can get stuck in the diverticulii, cause them to get infected and cause a flare up of diverticulitis. Read about it here.

Eat lots of fruit, veggies, whole grain products, less sweets and starchy baked goods and you will do fine.

A polyp was removed from my colon but they do not necessarily always turn into cancer. I changed my diet perminantly and I have never had a flare up since. Plus I have lost 60 pounds in the process and my weight is still going down.

IBS continues to be a separate problem for me but not a chronic or debilitating one.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: Old Guy
Date: 08 Nov 06 - 09:06 PM

PS:

I eat all the greasy red meat, bacon, sausage etc I want and I still loose weight. My cholesterol is 152.

Subject: RE: BS: Diverticulitis
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 Nov 06 - 09:29 PM

My viewpoint is that IBS is a dysfunctional pattern of peristalsis, when the normal waves of action that move material from mouth to potty become spasmodic and when food is ejected before the small intestine has fully digested it. It can include sensitivity to trigger foods, but the syndrome has far more to do with learned patterns of eating/elimination and being physically agitated over things. Eating for IBS need NOT be bland-- it isn't the heat of any spices that sets it off, and some spices actually help.

IBS is not food allergy. It is very important to move beyond the mindset that you "just can't" eat certain foods, unless they have been individually and specifically determined to be true allergies. In a true allergy, even a small amount is dangerous. IBS is sensitivity, not allergy. When you have IBS, you are not a forever-victim. You're more likely to be a healthy person who needs to resolve a stuck habit that's inadvertently been reinforced by countless repetitions. That is not to say that ithe problem is all in your mind-- but it is important to know that much of the solution is in your mind, at your disposal. You CAN change the phenomenon.

A happy gut, in recovery from IBS, is a gut comfortably full of soluble fiber-- so the muscle walls can have something to hold into, and a happy mass that will absorb the spasms at the site where they occur, and not be passed down along the gut forcing ejection. Like a tunnel full of fluffy pillows would absorb shockwaves.

IBS can debilitate you fast, and severely. I ended up chairbound, as a result of IBS in combination with being over-medicated for high blood pressure. (At the peak, my worst trigger was water, so imagine the dehydration!) It took 2 years' agressive rehab to get a grip on being alive again.

It is very worth treating, and for many people, getting it handled reveals a whole lot about your life that is very good to explore. Treating it, and recovering from it, requires that we drop almost all of the conventional wisdom about dieting, so do not try to do both at the same time!


What I did for starters (I call it Level 1)

Increase water-soluble fiber:
<> Oats in any form;, rolled and cooked are best.
<> Oat bars (if low in sugars)
<> Oat bread (it will be oat/wheat flour, but NOT whole wheat flour)
<> Oat bran (look in the cooked cereals dept. where the cream of wheat is), added to anything
<> Boiled/baked potatoes, mashed potatoes (no butter)
<> Sweet potatoes-- baked till very soft, plain with salt optional, no butter. Pumpkin (low-sugar pumpkin pie is GREAT for this medicinally)
<> Oat/sweet potato bread is great, so is pumpkin bread.
<> Black beans
<> White rice, basmati rice, jasmine rice
<> Pasta, cooked well; small varieties like orzo or couscous are best to start
<> Spinach
<> Corn chips, corn tortillas

Small amounts to start, chewed slowly. Be sure to sip water as these are eaten, and between. Dried-up stuck poop is not going to help, a bit. Picture the inside of your gut holding a nice bowl of somewhat firm oatmeal-- that's what you want in there. That's why it has to be water-soluble fiber, not just "fiber."

Increase digestive-aiding spices:
<> Cumin (a powerful anti-spasmodic)
<> Mexican food (avoid fats)
<> Indian food (avoid fats)

Increase helpful forms of dairy:
<> Yogurt
<> Cheddar cheese

Increase helpful habits:
<> Keep half a loaf of oat bread in the car.
<> Eat a slice of oat bread before each meal, chewing slowly, and sipping water to keep up with the starch.
<> Eat a slice of oat bread about 20 minutes after each explosion, chewing very slowly and sipping water.


Decrease trigger foods:
Varies by individual. For some folks it's tomatoes, coffee, milk, SUGAR, vinegar, fats, fried chicken-- often, it's just what we crave. You will know your triggers when you feel good on the oat bread but then add something else and explode in short order. I started with just oat bread and weak tea for several days, and then reintrodiced foods one by one till I could spot the triggers and say goodbye to those dear old friends for awhile.)

Decrease trigger habits:
<> Don't eat fast.
<> Don't eat too much at a time.
<> Don't get empty-- keep nibbling plain oat bread between meals.
<> Don't rush around after eating.
<> There are trigger SMELLS. Avoid them!

In general, settle the hell down.


Go to Level II when the above is not enough:

Use Immodium as directed and preventively, but not exceeding specified dosage.

Carry a small bottle of cumin (grocery spice shelf) and sniff at it when things start to feel uneasy down there. A vial of Essential Oil of Cumin ($5-10) is better but pretty smelly-- you can get it at the health store's aromatherapy dept. You will FEEL the tense gut relax like a string has popped, and avoid a lot of nasty explosions. (Look in aromatherapy research-- it's a powerful anti-spasmodic) Any explosion you can head off is one more brain cell retrained that you need not explode every time you eat.


Level III

When the above approaches are not enough, document everything you have tried and take that to the doc, and request a prescription anti-spasmodic to add to the above.

If all of that doesn't work, it's time to consider stress medication to interrupt this terribly debilitating cycle.

Whatever level one is at, this can resolve amazingly quickly if you follow the above regimen. It's also possible to slip on the regimen, especially at first, and be right back where you were-- till your brain learns a new set of signals to send your gut.


AVOID till you're well:
<> Whole wheat bread
<> Brown rice
<> Wheat germ
<> Fibrous greens & veg



Once you feel you have it managed--

Here is the amazing truth: Once you are doing really well you can even start adding back in some of the trigger foods and habits, as long as you keep the oats and other water-soluble starches coming in. If you have retrained your gut and the connections in the brain to trust the eating process again, you absolutely should be able to add back in small amounts of your favorite foods, unless they are true allergies for you.

~Susan