Diverticulitis - Diet
All content is checked by medical journalists.The fact that diet and lifestyle play a decisive role in diverticulitis is also reflected in how common intestinal diverticula are today: Autopsies have shown that the prevalence in western countries has increased from five percent to 50 percent from 1910 to today - analogous to the changed eating habits. Find out everything about the right diet for diverticulitis here.
ICD codes for this disease: ICD codes are internationally recognized codes for medical diagnoses. They can be found, for example, in doctor's letters or on certificates of incapacity for work. K57
Diverticulitis: prevalence and frequency
Diverticula are much rarer in Asia and Africa than in Europe and the USA, but a Western diet also increases the diverticulum rate significantly in Asians and Africans. In contrast, diverticulitis and diverticula in general are very rare with a vegetarian diet. Today we know that it is mainly fiber that normalizes the pressure in the intestine and thus prevents diverticula from forming and inflaming in the intestine.
Diverticulitis: nutrition in the acute stage
What exactly the right diet looks like for diverticulitis also depends on the stage of the disease. In acute diverticulitis - painfully inflamed diverticula - it is first of all important to relieve the bowel as much as possible. In most cases it makes sense to completely avoid solid food for a few days while taking antibiotic therapy. In the hospital, the person concerned is then artificially fed; In the case of uncomplicated diverticulitis treated on an outpatient basis, liquid food and light foods are initially on the program. Be sure to discuss your respective “diverticulitis diet” with your doctor!
Once the inflammation subsides, you can gradually start building up your diet, for example with tea and rusks, mild soups and baby food. You should definitely avoid spicy, high-fat and gasping foods during this phase of the diverticulitis diet. Little by little, you can add more and more foods to your diet.
After diverticulitis: change your diet slowly
After the acute phase of diverticulitis is over, doctors recommend a diet rich in fiber and swelling material to prevent relapses. It is important that the stool in the colon becomes bulkier and softer so that new diverticula do not form and the existing protuberances do not become inflamed again. It is important that you drink a lot - otherwise the fiber can make the stool even firmer.
In the long term, the following tips are helpful for a diet for diverticulitis and diverticulosis:
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. These foods are rich in vegetable fiber and have a high water content - making them ideal for the diverticulitis diet. They also supply your body with important vitamins and secondary plant substances.
- When it comes to vegetables, it is better to use easily digestible varieties such as tomatoes, carrots and zucchini rather than fluffy cabbage vegetables (exception: broccoli). Also, watch how your body reacts to onions, beans, and lentils - these foods are actually very healthy. However, if this makes you feel badly bloated, it is better to limit the triggers; Gases in the intestine can promote the development of diverticula.
- Whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta and brown rice are more suitable for the diverticulitis diet than their white counterparts, as the fiber content is significantly higher. They contain all the natural components of the grain, while white flour consists only of the inner core of the grain.
- However, if you have diverticulosis - i.e. a series of diverticula in the intestine - it is also important to pay attention to hard, sharp and difficult to digest food components. Coarsely ground grains, nuts, and kernels can damage the diverticula in the intestine. Finely ground whole wheat flour is more suitable. Also make sure to chew every bite thoroughly while eating and not to swallow the seeds of apples, pears or melons.
- Some people find it difficult to get the required amount of fiber for a diverticulitis diet through food alone. Then you can also use wheat or oat bran and ground flax seeds. It is important to always consume these "digestive aids" with plenty of water to avoid constipation.
- For diverticulitis, limit your constipating foods such as black tea, chocolate, cocoa, bananas, and white flour products (e.g. toast and white buns) to prevent constipation.
- Do you drink much! Fiber is only helpful if you consume at least two liters of water or herbal tea at the same time.
Give yourself time to switch to a high-fiber, balanced diet. It makes sense to gradually increase the fiber content. It is best not to see your diet as a restriction or a “diverticulitis diet” - as part of a wholesome and high-fiber diet, you can not only cook and enjoy many delicious dishes, but also do something good for your intestines and blood vessels. You can get more information about the ideal diverticulitis diet from your doctor or from a nutritionist.
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