Nutritional Therapy for Diverticular Disease - Diverticulosis

According to nutritional therapy, a high-fiber diet that's low in fat and sugar can prevent the symptoms of diverticulosis and the development of diverticulitis. Many practitioners recommend a vegetarian diet as an effective way of meeting these suggestions. Fiber, of course, can make stool softer and easier to pass through the bowels. Lowering the intake of fat and sugars may also allow food to move through the digestive tract quicker and with fewer complications. Foods with a lot of fiber include brown rice, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.

Certain items that can become trapped in the intestinal pockets should be avoided, including nuts, berries with seeds, and popcorn. For the fiber to have a positive effect on bowel movements, you should increase your daily intake of water by more than five glasses. Some researchers say that vegetarians have a lower rate of diverticular disease; studies have shown that Seventh-Day Adventist vegetarians (who eat no beef, fowl, or seafood) have a diet that is higher in fiber and lower in fat than the diet of the general population and lower rates of diverticular disease and colon cancer.

For someone with diverticulosis, a naturopathic physician may recommend adopting a vegetarian diet. The following are a few food selection tips:

Eat a wide variety of whole grains, beans, and vegetables, all of which provide protein.
Avoid food items such as seeds and popcorn that are small enough to become trapped in intestinal pockets.
Protein combining (eating beans together with rice, for example) is not necessary to get needed protein.
Do not overload your meals with eggs and dairy products; this will result in a diet high in fat and cholesterol.
Cook vegetables if raw ones cause irritation.