Diverticular Disease: What You Need to Know

Diverticula are sacks along the walls of the large intestine and many elderly people suffer from this disease. The majority of the population will suffer from diverticulosis at some point during their lives and studies have shown that this disease affects approximately half the general population over 60. Many people suffer from diverticular disease and do not even know it, since only when the diverticula become infected and inflamed do they actually seek treatment.

Diverticular disease is generally caused by diet and can cause pain, tenderness in the stomach, blood in the stool, cramps and gas. These are very serious symptoms and at this stage of the disease patients usually suffer intolerable pain.

The only way to prevent diverticulosis is to prevent the formation of these pockets in the first place through a healthy and balanced diet, which is high in vegetables and fiber and smaller moments of red meat and fatty foods. Research has shown that men over 60 who consumed large amounts of fatty products and red meat and had diets low in fiber were more likely to have diverticulosis when compared to those who had high fiber diets and consumed low quantities of fats and meat.

The most effective way of preventing diverticular disease is to consume large amounts of fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber, this is a very important addition to your food intake which lowers the risk of diverticulosis considerably. These fruits and vegetables will help to stimulate the proliferation of beneficial microorganisms in your intestines. These microorganisms can help to increase bowel movements and function to keep wastes flowing through your intestines. This waste, if not flowing freely, can help to create the pouches that caused diverticular disease or can infect and irritate existing pouches.

Red meat and fatty foods are one of the major problems which cause the formation of bad intestinal bacteria which can produce substances that allow diverticular formation by weakening the colon.

As with most major diseases, prevention is better than cure in terms of diverticular disease since usually antibiotics, a clear liquid diet and lots of race are needed to treat diverticular disease and allow your intestines to heal naturally. Eating a healthy diet, low in fats and red meat and high in natural fiber can help to prevent diverticular disease and is so much easier and safer.