Diverticulosis "Cure"
Diverticulosis is a common condition in which little pouches, called diverticula, develop along the gastrointestinal tract, usually in the lower part of the colon.
That condition poses no problem for most people for cure diverticulosis; however, in some cases, the pouches can become infected, rupture, or cause gastrointestinal bleeding.
In the past, physicians believed that a diet rich in fiber ("roughage" back then) could cause or aggravate diverticulosis, so they prescribed a low-fiber diet.
It turns out the opposite is true: Too little fiber can promote constipation, which increases pressure in the colon and thus the likelihood of developing diverticula; a high-fiber diet eases defecation and lowers intestinal pressure. In addition to eating lots of high-fiber foods, it's a good idea to consume 2 teaspoons of bran daily, such as barley-bran flour.
Fiber is any edible food material that passes through the intestinal tract undigested. There are two main types of dietary fiber: insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fiber is effective at increasing your feeling of fullness, stool size and bulk, and helps reduce constipation and hemorrhoids. Insoluble fiber includes wheat bran, whole cereal grains, and vegetables. (Perhaps you remember all the oat bran advertising in the media just a few years ago.) Researchers have suggested that insoluble fibers may reduce colon cancer and diverticulosis. Also, researchers are looking at high fiber diets for lowering the cholesterol level in the blood and managing diabetes. On the other hand, soluble fiber forms a gelatin-like substance in the intestines and increases the water content in stool. Soluble fiber is found in citrus fruit, legumes (dried beans and peas), oats, barley, and "gums" which are found in oatmeal and dried beans. Researchers have suggested that soluble fiber decreases blood cholesterol and results in a lower blood sugar after meals for diabetics. One raw carrot, 7 1/2", contains about 1.8 grams of dietary fiber, which is not much compared to I ounce All Bran cereal that contains 8.5 grams. The current recommendation is 1 gram of fiber per 100 calories. So if you are on a 2,000 calorie diet, you need 20 grams of fiber per day. What is bran? You hear so much about fiber and bran lately. Bran is the brown, outer covering of cereal grains such as wheat, rye, oats, barley, corn, and rice. It is not digested by the body as we lack the enzymes needed to break down this complex carbohydrate. As it goes through your gastrointestinal system, it absorbs water and swells. Because fiber stimulates the intestinal movement, food travels through the intestines faster. Any food that is undigested is excreted in the stool, as are other waste products. Foods that are high in fiber include: fresh fruits including edible peelings; raw vegetables; whole cereal grains; legumes (peanuts and ground nuts); dried beans, dried peas. So yes, grandmother was right when she said an apple-a-day is good for you, if you eat the peel. If your diet is currently low in these foods, start including one or two high fiber foods daily. Then, every three or four days, add another high fiber food, up to four high fiber foods per day. Also start adding bran to your daily meal plan. Start slowly since your intestines aren't used too much movement. Add one tablespoon of bran per day during week one. Each week following, add another tablespoon of bran until you are eating four tablespoon of bran per day. You don't have to buy raw bran, since processed bran found in packaged cereals contains about 90% of the fiber found in unprocessed bran. Try sprinkling the bran on your favorite hot or cold cereal in the morning. Remember to consult your doctor if you have any discomfort from eating a high fiber diet. Persons with colitis should stay on a low fiber diet.
| 