Constipation, a diet low in fiber and lack of exercise can all contribute to diverticulitis. Diverticulitis is an infection or inflammation that develops in a pouch within the large intestine. The condition can cause fever, nausea and severe abdominal pain. If left untreated it can progress to a more serious condition requiring surgery.
Diverticulitis Diet
Physicians treat infections, including diverticulitis, with antibiotics. During treatment a doctor usually recommends that the patient follow a clear liquid and low-fiber food diet for several days while the infection heals, according to MayoClinic.com.
Processed Foods
Good advice for anyone, whether he has diverticulitis or not, is to reduce processed foods. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases notes that diverticulitis wasn't noticed in the United States until the early 1900s, when processed foods became widely available. The institute equates increased use of processed foods with lowered fiber intake.
Professional Insight
Traditionally, people with diverticulitis have been advised to avoid hard-to-digest foods such as popcorn, seeds and nuts and even some vegetables with soft seeds. The reasoning was that tiny husks or seeds could get caught in the digestive tract. But gastroenterologists now say there's no evidence that it's beneficial to avoid these foods. "It's a common misconception that diet can trigger diverticulitis," says Dr. Michael Picco, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist. "In fact ... no specific foods are known to trigger diverticulitis attacks. Although nuts, seeds and popcorn were once discouraged in the diverticulitis diet, that's no longer the case."
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