Diverticulitis Prevention

It may be impossible to totally prevent the development of diverticulitis. It appears that as we age, we are destined to develop this disease. But, knowing that very few things are written in stone, there exist two very important steps you can take to forestall your encounter with this seemingly pervasive health problem.

Eat more fiber and exercise!

It’s that simple – or so it sounds on paper!

If a low-fiber diet greatly contributes to the development of diverticulitis, then ensuring that your body receives the fiber it needs should have stave off the appearance of the disease.

Now before you toss this suggestion as being too difficult, too complicated, or just downright not practical considering your hectic lifestyle, consider several other factors related to a high-fiber diet. This type of diet helps to reduce your risk of heart disease. It also helps with keeping diabetes at bay. And certainly seems to improve your chances of skirting an encounter with cancer.

Interested now?

Besides, increasing the amount of fiber in your diet isn’t nearly as difficult as everyone makes it sounds. Let’s first examine exactly what dietary fiber is.

Depending on your age, your parents may have called it “roughage” or even “bulk.” Today we refer to it as dietary fiber. It includes all parts of plant foods that your body can’t digest or absorb.

Now this may seem odd that some substance which you body is unable to digest is so vitally important to your health. But as you read the many benefits of dietary fiber, you’ll understand this a little more.

In fact, dietary fiber is the only food component your body can’t absorb. It passes through your stomach and your small intestine and right on into your colon virtually unchanged. In contrast, proteins, carbohydrates and fats all get broken down by your body and absorbed.

Fiber is classified into two types: insoluble and soluble. The insoluble type helps to promote the movement of material through your digestive system. It also increases you stool bulk.

This means that insoluble fiber may be of benefit to you if you are afflicted with chronic constipation or if you suffer from irregular stools. Some of the best sources of insoluble fiber include whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts and a wide variety of vegetables.

Soluble fiber is found in such foods as apples, citrus, carrots, barley and psyllium. This type of fiber dissolves in water where it forms a gel-like material. This is the fiber that is famous for helping to lower blood cholesterol levels as well as your glucose levels. Other good sources of this fiber include oats, peas and beans.

So what’s so great about a high-fiber diet?

Plenty, so it seems!

Scientists can cite at least five distinct advantages of eating a high-fiber diet.

First and foremost, the consumption of a diet high in fiber can lower your chances of developing diverticulitis. It can also reduce your odds of developing hemorrhoids and irritable bowel syndrome.

Eating an abundance of fiber may also help prevent constipation. Fiber actually increases the weight and the size of your stools in addition to softening them. A bulky stool is easier for your system to pass and thus it decreases your chances of being constipated.

But if you suffer from chronic loose, watery stools, fiber may also help your system to solidify these. It does this by absorbing water and adding bulk to your stool.

So how much fiber do you need?

It depends on your age. If you’re a woman younger than 50, then you require a minimum of 25 grams of fiber. That’s according to the advice of the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine. If you’re female and older than 50, then you require a little less – only 21 grams a day.

If you’re a man, then your fiber requirements slightly higher than a female’s. For those men younger than 50, 38 grams is the standard the National Academy has set. If you’re male and older than 50, your requirement is only 30 grams.

Soluble fiber – especially that found in beans, oats, oat bran and flax seed – may help lower your total blood cholesterol levels. It does this by specifically lowering your low-density lipoprotein – what’s known as the bad cholesterol levels.

Fiber also has this remarkable ability to actually slow the absorption of sugar in your body, which in turn helps your system to control blood sugar levels. And if you have diabetes, you know that this might help you bring your levels closer to a healthy range. If you don’t have diabetes, a high-fiber diet is still important. It can help prevent the onset of type-2 diabetes.

Needing a nudge to help you lose weight? Yep, just turn to that high-fiber diet. In this aspect, a diet rich in fiber works to help you shed those excess pounds in several ways.

First, foods rich in fiber generally demand that you chew them longer than other foods. This provides your system with enough time to register that you’ve eaten enough.. So you’re less likely to overeat.

But adding fiber to your diet can also make a meal feel larger and it “stays with you” for a longer period of time. This means you won’t get hungry again as quickly than if you had eaten other foods.

And finally high-fiber foods are a dieter’s friend because they’re what nutritionists describe as being less “energy dense.” They have fewer calories than less fiber-filled foods, but they take up the same volume. Think about that. You can eat more, feel fuller and still keep within your calorie count for the day!

If you don’t think you can get enough fiber solely through your diet, consider using a fiber supplement. For the most part, these supplements are in powdered form. You just mix them with water or another liquid. They can supply a substantial percentage of your fiber needs for the day.

Drink fluids to prevent diverticulitis

Increasing your fiber intake is great, but the medical experts also remind us that, along with that, you really need to be increasing the amount of fluids you drink throughout the day. Fiber works most efficiently when it’s able to absorb water.

Water is the mechanism it uses to soften the bulky waste found in your colon. If you don’t increase your water intake while you’re increasing your fiber consumptions, you could find yourself constipated! Most health experts recommend you drink a minimum of eight glasses daily.

Exercise as preventive medicine

Yes, add diverticulitis to the growing list of diseases and disorders exercise can either prevent or help relieve. It’s recommended so much, you might even think it is that “magic bullet” to better health that everyone is searching for.

In this instance, it’s vital that you exercise if you want to keep from being a statistic of diverticulitis. Physical activity helps the bowels to work more efficiently. It also reduces the pressure in the colon.

Physiologists and other medical experts have long recommended a minimum of 30 minutes of some type of physical exercise every day – at the very least, three times a week.

If you’re currently not participating in some type of physical exercise, then you’ll want to check with your personal physician before embarking on a new activity. He’ll be able to gauge the level of exercise your body can handle. He may even have some good suggestions as to the best types of exercises available for your specific circumstances.

Dealing with stress

No, the presence of stress in your life isn’t a direct cause of this disease. But it does seem to be a contributing factor. If you feel that your stress levels are too high, there are plenty of reasons to learn how to manage stress intelligently. Diverticulitis is just one more.

You may want to investigate a variety of relaxation techniques. Meditation is a great tool to help you center your emotions. Practicing yoga is another. There are many resources not only in the forms of books and courses you can consult to help you decide the route that’s best suited for your situation, but be sure to check the internet as well.