Diet and nutritional guidance to treat diverticula (or diverticulosis)
Diverticula are deformations of the intestine (or stomach), which are presented in the form of bags hanging out of the intestinal wall due to weakening of these walls. These bags are formed in two stages: the diverticula, which are only "sacks" that hang in the colon and are not inflamed, and diverticulosis, which is when these sacks become inflamed.
Diet plays a crucial role in the treatment of this condition. In diverticulosis, you need to leave the bowel at rest, and once the inflammation disappears, then you should use a residue-free diet which needs foods and radical changes eliminating others.
Allowed Foods
- Fiber: among the best foods for this condition are those rich in water and fiber, like fruits and vegetables and whole grains.
- Whole grains: the best are oats, bran, amaranth and brown rice. The oats should be preferably raw; you can do a puree with some fruit or dissolved in orange juice. Although they are very good to try and combat this condition, you should not include cereals frequently in the day, as they may cause constipation which is not advisable.
- Take two liters of water per day: this should be something you will not forget because the humidity in your cud makes a good deposition. The water will help to collect toxic waste and fat
- Avoid: tomato seeds, guava and small fruits with small seeds, as these are not now recommended.
- Easily digestible foods: are those soft with the guts that don’t take a lot to digest.
- The best foods for your stomach at the moment are: brown rice, miso, tofu, apple, papaya, semi-cooked vegetables (steamed), vegetable soups and broths, vegetable milk, extra virgin olive oil, etc.
- Garlic is generally not recommended for irritant; however, if you take a small bit (half the size of your pinky nail) every day, you will help enormously regenerating intestines and will keep your colon clean very well.
- Condiments allowed: sea salt (use the least possible), parsley, rosemary, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, saffron, basil, cumin and sage.
Supplements, juices and highly recommended food to heal the intestines
- Aloe juice or lemon juice with cactus: are regenerative for tissues and intestines and powerful debuggers.
- Apple juice: it's great at night, or eating an apple or two a night, shelled at the moment. The sweet of apple with pear is an elixir for the diseased intestines.
- Agar agar jelly: is great for the intestines.
- Take linseed (flaxseed) served with papaya or fruit in the morning.
Not Allowed Foods
- All processed and refined products like white sugar, refined flours, cookies, cakes, white bread (very harmful to the intestines) sweets, sodas (soft drinks are terrible), cereal box or processed (such as those sold in supermarkets, etc.).
- Avoid the fried, red meat and sausages, these products only clog the intestines and cause fermentation that creates a host of ailments and also further irritate and weaken your intestines.
- No of irritating vinegars, mustards, peppers, pickles, vinaigrettes, mayonnaise, ketchup, coffee, chocolates and canned.
- No diet sugar, which is not healthy. The best is the honey bee, is easily digested and also has excellent properties to regenerate tissues, purifying, has lots of minerals and vitamins, has antibiotic properties.
- Cow's milk products (cheese, yogurt processed, etc.) You must remove them without thinking. These products are very difficult to digest, stick to the intestinal lining and only weaken and sicken more your intestines.
- Consume egg in moderation, two or three per week, and well cooked.
How should I eat?
The best practice is to make smaller meals, small portions instead of eating too much at one meal, so you body does not accumulate waste and disposal is faster and smoother.
Recommended Diet for diverticula
- Eat food in small portions, including vegetables, fruits without seeds and whole grains each day.
- Chew slowly; do not eat in a hurry.
- Prefer foods that are easy to digest (see detail on food).
- Avoid very hot or very cold; seek normal food and warm drinks.
- Do not mix fruits with any meal. You must eat fruits alone on an empty stomach, two hours after a meal and wait 20 minutes after having eaten them. If you combine the fruits with other food, you will induce food fermentation in the stomach that is nothing healthy and will only irritate your intestines.
- Fresh cheeses are allowed (and only twice a week, if you really want to heal).
- Try not to eat chicken at this point, choose fish two or three times a week, and try a diet based on vegetables and grains at the moment.
- At meals, you can make vegetable purees and soups, always accompanied by a juice or salad vegetables.
Herbal remedies for diverticula
All those anti-inflammatory and digestive as chamomile, spearmint, peppermint, hibiscus and Boldo.