With its emphasis on organic, unprocessed grains, vegetables and fruits, the macrobiotic diet may improve colon health in people with diverticulitis. In diverticulitis, small pouches in your intestinal lining become inflamed or infected, causing abdominal pain, bloating, nausea or fever. You may have these pouches, or diverticula, for years without having symptoms. When you're not having acute episodes of diverticulitis, an eating plan based on high-fiber, whole foods such as those on the macrobiotic diet may help keep your colon intact and prevent future flare-ups.
Causes
The pressure that you exert while straining to pass dry, hard stools may weaken your intestinal wall and cause balloon-like sacs to form in the intestinal lining, most frequently in your colon. The presence of these sacs is called diverticulosis. When one or more of these sacs become inflamed, the condition advances to diverticulitis. A low-fiber diet may contribute to the formation of these pouches by causing chronic constipation and pressure. When you eat a high-fiber diet with adequate fluids, digestive wastes pass more easily through your system. As long as you're not having active symptoms of diverticulitis, a high-fiber diet may help keep your colon healthy and intact.
Guidelines
The macrobiotic diet is a holistic approach to eating that's strongly influenced by Asian medicine and spiritual traditions. The diet aims to establish balance in your life and in your eating habits by focusing on whole, organic foods and beverages that do not overstimulate your system or promote disease. The diet emphasizes whole grains such as brown rice, vegetables, beans, soy foods such as tofu, nuts and small amounts of fish. Pickles, Asian condiments and teas and nutritious soups made of vegetables and beans are allowed on the macrobiotic eating plan. Advocates of the macrobiotic diet avoid or eliminate processed foods, foods made with refined sugar or flour, many dairy foods and foods high in saturated fat such as red meat.
Prevention
By focusing on high-fiber, unprocessed foods and limiting red meat and other foods high in saturated fat, the macrobiotic diet may promote digestive health, soften your stools and regulate your bowel movements. Eating high-fiber foods also eases the pressure on your colon during bowel movements. Grains, vegetables and beans rich in vitamins and minerals may help prevent the inflammation of your digestive tissues. Foods high in lean protein, vitamins A and C and zinc encourage tissue healing and help your body resist infection. Orange, yellow, red and dark-green vegetables and fruits offer vitamins A and C. Whole-grain foods, fish, nuts and eggs provide protein and zinc.
Acute Diverticulitis Diet
When particles of food or digestive waste become trapped in one of the diverticula, an infection may develop in the pouch. Infections in diverticulitis may lead to an abscess formation or even a bowel perforation. If you're following a macrobiotic diet or another high-fiber eating plan, your health care provider may switch you to a liquid diet consisting of clear juices, broth, water, ice pops and gelatin during an acute phase of diverticulitis. During flare-ups of the condition, when high-fiber foods may irritate your digestive tissues, a clear liquid diet allows your colon to heal. After your abdominal pain, nausea and fever are less severe, you may advance to a diet of soft, low-fiber foods. When your symptoms have resolved, your provider may allow you to return to a macrobiotic eating plan to promote the health of your digestive system and decrease your risk of future flare-ups.
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