diet for patients with diverticulitis

Diverticulitis is inflammation of the diverticuli and a person with diverticulosis may get diverticulitis when stool gets caught in one or more of these pockets. This way they become inflamed or infected which typically causes fever, pain and tenderness in the abdomen. Bleeding and infection ate the two major signs and symptoms of diverticular disease. This condition usually clears up within a week with antibiotics and a liquid or soft diet. This means that your father should eat more soup, mashed potatoes, cooked or pureed vegetables, bananas, pudding. Basically, he needs to avoid food that requires a lot of chewing. After the acute infection clears up, he should eat a high-fiber diet including nuts, seeds, whole grains, fruits and vegetables and should also drink plenty of fluids and avoid constipation at all costs. Nuts are a good source of fiber and protein and even though nuts contain fat, it is mostly unsaturated. Hard stools or straining will cause more diverticuli to appear or the existing ones to enlarge.

I have read that a soft diet should be eaten during Diverticulitis episode, and to go to high fiber when things have calmed down. However, there are differences of opinion on nuts and seeds. Most research articles stress staying away from seeds or nuts that may get lodged in the diverticula sacs. Is your opinion a new approach?
I tried the Master Cleanse on two occasions (in the past 6 mos.) and have, on both occasions, thrown myself into a full blown diverticulitis episode that has required high doses of antibiotics. I believe the problem is not the cleanse as much as the night-time laxative tea. I read, after the fact, that no laxatives are recommended with this disease.
I have had this problem since I was in my late 30's; I am now 59. I have always been a high fiber eater since I was fortunate enough to be in the wholesale produce business. Now that I am retired, I am having more health problems with the disease. Once I start having the symptoms, I just can't seem to overcome the infection without the antibiotic. Any suggestions?
By the way, my mother died of colon cancer so I have been very aware of high fiber in my diet. My father, in his senior years, had serious diverticulitis on several occasions.
I appreciate your feedback.

I think people have been "guessing" about seeds and nuts and "guessing" one should avoid them. Prior to my first outbreak I had had an unusually large amount of pistachios. (Maybe two or three handfuls).

But I had also been drinking excessive amounts of caffeine which may have dehydrated me??

I go with science... and here's what the NIH (National Institute of Health) says....

(http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/diverticulosis/)

Avoidance of nuts, popcorn, and sunflower, pumpkin, caraway, and sesame seeds has been recommended by physicians out of fear that food particles could enter, block, or irritate the diverticula. However, no scientific data support this treatment measure. Eating a high-fiber diet is the only requirement highly emphasized across the literature and eliminating specific foods is not necessary. 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.

TERMS First: As you may be aware, a pouch in the lining of the colon that bulges outward through a “weak spot is called a diverticulum. Multiple pouches are referred to as diverticula. The condition of having diverticula is called diverticulosis. The condition of having one or more infected diverticulum is called diverticulitis.

These infectious attacks can be extremely painful, and are most often treated by the medical establishment with antibiotics which strip the entire digestive tract (anti-biology) and may lead to more serious and/or ongoing complications without ever addressing the CAUSE of the weak spots. After years or even decades of failure to address the cause, they commonly prescribe surgery to remove various
It is commonly agreed upon, that the pouches form as a result of pressure within the colon, which pushes through the weak spots, or small perforations in the layers of the colon wall. Yet, the modern-day medical bureaucracy will not address the CAUSE of these “weak spots.” They speak about theoretical low fiber diets adding to the pressure, but again, avoid discussion in general of the CAUSE of the weak spots and stick to the money makers; drugs & surgeries.

Shedding a little light on the manufactured mystery: Intestinal mucosal is the innermost protective membrane of the four layers of the intestinal wall. In nearly all instances of disease manifestation in the digestive tract, this protective layer must first be left unsupported (immune failure), subsequently eroded, and in some cases, burrowed through (negative bacteria), prior to damage or inflammation of the underlying layers occurring.

The immune system plays a key role in the support of this innermost protective membrane. Without adequate or “normal” immune support, the mucosal lining will break down and be stripped away. This is apparent in several autoimmune digestive diseases. Pain, inflammation, swelling, bleeding, weak spots, perforations, tissue damage, and tissue abnormalities of all kinds occur when the protective mucosal membrane is unsupported by immunity.

Although Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis and are not “officially recognized” as autoimmune conditions by “the establishment,” every indicator points directly to autoimmunity. In addition, in my experience, those who have diverticulosis or diverticulits often have other diagnosed “recognized” autoimmune conditions confirming the presence of autoimmunity. Many who are diagnosed first with recognized autoimmune conditions, are subsequently diagnosed with diverticulosis, and vice versa.
If you are suffering from Diverticulosis or Diverticulitis, I am going to refer you to a natural product manufacturer, Pristine Nutraceuticals, and the extremely effective, side-effect free product they have created known as DigestaCure

The best of health to you and yours, Dr. Ronald P. Drucker

I would like to share my experience.For 4/5 years i have been having intermittent and really quite unpleasant bowel pain.During this time i had visited my doctor several times and every time i was told i had IBS,was given dietary advice and Buscopan,which did not really help.I normally have a huge appetite and in the Summer of 2010,when dining out i felt very unwell and was unable to eat my meal.Things improved a little until eventually in Christmas of the same year i lost my appetite,had severe pain,Diarrhoea,vomiting,fever and generally felt very poorly.My Christmas lunch consisted of a childs meal and not much else.Again,sensing things were not right, i again visited a out of hours surgery in desperation.She told me i had IBS and would have to "put up with it".Things got worse,i attended my local hospital as i was unable,and unwilling to deal with the pain any longer.I was very unwell,had various tests,and was originally told i was suffering from Renal Colic.I wasn't.I had a kidney stone but i told the Doctor i knew from past episodes of RC that the original diagnosis was incorrect.They told me they suspected Diverticulitis,which came as no suprise to me as i had researched my symptoms and i had agreed.On NYE of that year i had an Ultrasound and i was told i had a mass on my Bowel.That was it,i lost it,i cried uncontrollably as the very mention of "mass" automatically is linked with Cancer.The radiographer assured me that i did not have Cancer.The Radiographer was on the telephone to my consultant and i vaguely remember the phrase "not drainable".I got the correct diagnosis of severe Diverticulitis.I had on the 2nd January 2011 a Bowel resection,appendectomy and was left with a reversable loop Ileostomy.My pain relief post op was an Epidural,which became dislodged and for reasons of hygiene was unreplaceable.The pain relief wore off until eventually i was placed on a Morphine pump.I was very unwell at that time but i did not realise it and did not appreciate fully that i had a Stoma.I was post op very weak indeed,had muscle wastage and the simplest task,like showering was a huge effort.I had no appetite and had lost 2 stones,ie 28 pounds and now weighed 10 stone and was a shade over six feet tall.I did not want to know how to care for my Stoma and was annoyed with myself for turning food away and was very emotional.I then accepted that i had a stoma and liased with my Stoma nurse and set off on the long road to recovery.I was discharged two weeks after the op.I struggled at home big time and spent my time on the sofa and only got up to go for a wee.I got dehydrated,as i had no appetite and my wound was Dehiscing and was readmitted.Gradually i regained my appetite and developed a DVT.Very gradually i recovered and had a reversal of my loop Ileostomy in Oct 2011.In common with Bowel surgery i have Hernias and am awaiting corrective surgery.So many people "do not look after" their Bowels as they are often overlooked at our peril.

Altering your diet can help to control diverticulosis and reduce the likelihood of diverticulitis.

Too little fiber, not enough water, a sedentary lifestyle and overeating can lead to digestive difficulties.

I was able to reverse my diverticulitis after 11 years of suffering through some simple diet and lifestyle changes. This website really helped me out:

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My reply is a question for ColinParker - hoping i can get the website that you listed since the moderator removed it.  Thank you! 

When doing research on diverticulitis, it says to stay away from anything with seeds. Can you give me examples of some foods this is referring to?

I'm suffering from chronic constipation, diverticulitis, ibs and other good stuff that comes along with that. I have taken fiber up to 3 times a day, even castor oil which helped. What can I take to help with the constipation?