What to Eat with an Attack?

If infection has already occurred it is recommended that a person stick to a low residue diet which will have an effect where the bowel movements will decrease and the infection or inflammation of the diverticula can have a chance to heal.



A low residue diet is one that consists of a daily intake of no more than 10 grams of fiber. While on this diet for an extended period of time it is recommended that a multi-vitamin or mineral supplement be taken daily. This ensures that minerals and vitamins lost while on the low residue diet are made by taking supplements.


Grain products to be eaten while on the low residue diet include:

• refined white bread, buns and english muffins

• cereals including: cornflakes, rice bubbles, special K and cheerios

• biscuits including: arrowroot biscuits and water crackers

• white rice, refined pasta and noodles

• any fruit and vegetable juice excluding prune juice

• stone fruits, melons, grapes and canned fruit salad

• potatoes with no skin, alfalfa sprouts, beetroot, green beans, carrots, celery, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, mushrooms, capsicum, squash and zucchini

• well cooked meat fish and eggs can all be eaten too

AVOID:

• whole grains

• raw and dried fruits, sultanas, raisins, berries

• broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage

• all nuts and seeds

Good Luck

Seeds and Diverticulitis

Until recently, many doctors suggested avoiding foods with small seeds such as tomatoes or strawberries because they believed that particles could lodge in the diverticula and cause inflammation. However, it is now generally accepted that only foods that may irritate or get caught in the diverticula cause problems. Foods such as nuts, popcorn hulls, and sunflower, pumpkin, caraway, and sesame seeds should be avoided. The seeds in tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, strawberries, and raspberries, as well as poppy seeds, are generally considered harmless. People differ in the amounts and types of foods they can eat. Decisions about diet should be made based on what works best for each person. Keeping a food diary may help identify individual items in one's diet.

Good Luck

kerrie

Diverticulitis Symptom

The most common symptom of diverticulitis is abdominal pain. The most common sign is tenderness around the left side of the lower abdomen. If infection is the cause, fever, nausea, vomiting, chills, cramping, and constipation may occur as well. The severity of symptoms depends on the extent of the infection and complications.