Dealing With Diverticulitis
One of the most painful issues you can have is diverticulitis. This condition of the colon can be incredibly painful, especially if you let it go too long and get a major infection. Unfortunately, this is also a condition that not a lot of people really know that much about. Let’s take a look at what diverticulitis is and how you can deal with it.
What is it?
Diverticulitis occurs when diverticula form. These little pouches are found in the colon, and normally they’re fairly small and actually not that dangerous or painful. However, if they get infected or become inflamed, that’s when they start to cause pain and complications. Generally, these diverticula form in the lower section of the large intestines.
Symptoms
One of the problems with diagnosing diverticulitis is that it’s hard to tell when you have it and when you have other types of bloating or tenderness in your abdomen. Those who have inflamed or infected diverticula will also have diarrhea and may experience a low-grade fever and the chills. However, these are all signs of other things, too. There aren’t any outward signs that distinguish diverticulitis from some other conditions. However, one thing that does indicate diverticulitis is consistently experiencing these symptoms. The longer you have them, the more concerned you need to be.
If you notice a large amount of blood in your stool, it’s a sign that a hole has developed between one of the diverticula and a nearby blood vessel. Generally, there’s no pain and the bleeding stops after a short period. However, even if that’s true, you still need to see a doctor right away because blood in the stool can be a sign of something much more serious.
Causes
No one is quite sure why diverticulitis forms in the colon, but most medical experts think it occurs when the high-pressure spots of the colon press up against weaker spots.
There does seem to be a link between having diverticulitis and eating a diet that is low in fiber. No one is sure why, but many think it has to do with being constipated or not moving things through the bowels regularly. By eating more fiber, you can help decrease the chance of diverticula forming within the colon.
Eating High Fiber Foods
There are a number of different foods that are high in fiber. Almost all vegetables, fruits, whole grains, peas, lentils, and dried beans are good fiber choices. You should also change out regular pasta for whole wheat pasta and eat brown rice instead of white rice. Another good way of adding some fiber to your meals is by putting extra vegetables in your pasta, stew, soup, or pizza.
Overall, people need to get between 20 and 35 grams of fiber a day, but very few Americans do. That’s why a lot of people do take a fiber supplement. While these supplements aren’t quite the same as fiber from plant sources, they do still help.
You may also want to start taking an acai berry supplement. Research has shown that a supplement such as the acai berry may be able to provide you with a number of benefits.
You can buy the best organic acai berry products here.
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to treat, diagnose, or cure any diseases.