Nutritional behavior in diverticulitis
In the stage of acute inflammation, complete abstinence from food is initially indicated. This relieves the bowel and the diverticulum is not further irritated. In addition, food intake often leads to severe pain in the area of the inflammation.
For this reason, affected patients are first supplied parenterally via the vein with the most important nutrients and fluids. After the symptoms have subsided and antibiotic therapy has been initiated, a slow dietary build-up with high-fiber food can begin again. Subsequently, a high-fiber diet should be followed to prevent a recurrence of diverticulitis.
If the diet was previously very low in fiber and is now completely changed, the intestine must first get used to this new diet. This can lead to temporary abdominal pain and flatulence. The high-fiber diet has been shown to reduce the pressure on the intestinal wall from within, which reduces both the discomfort and the risk of recurrent diverticulitis.
Suitable and unsuitable food
For this reason, cereal fiber is particularly recommended. These are contained in wholemeal bread, bran or muesli mixtures, for example. However, since most muesli mixtures contain sugar, it is recommended to make your own muesli.
Nuts and almonds are also very high in fiber. In addition, potatoes, salad, fruit and vegetables strengthen the intestinal motility and thus promote recovery. Especially legumes such as peas and beans contain a lot of fiber.
However, white flour products, sugar, large quantities of meat, sausage, cheese and fish should be avoided. These foods contain relatively little fiber. Furthermore, you should drink a lot, at least 2 liters per day.
The dietary fibres bind the water, which increases the volume of stool. This promotes intestinal movement and lowers the intestinal pressure from within. As a result, the intestine is not too much burdened and the probability of diverticulum formation decreases.
Other foods, such as cocoa or foods containing cocoa, black tea and red wine also promote constipation and should rather be avoided if there are problems with digestion. On the other hand, lactic and fruit acids from yoghurt or apples are digestive and therefore recommended if you have a tendency to constipation.
