In people affected by diverticular disease, pouches or pockets called divertucula develop in the wall of the colon or large intestine. Doctors think these pouches, which can sometimes cause rectal bleeding, form because of high pressure from gas, waste or liquid inside the colon pressing against weak spots in the colon wall. A patient with diverticula, with or without bleeding, is said to have diverticulosis. A painful and potentially serious condition called diverticulitis can develop when a diverticular pouch becomes inflamed or infected. Diet plays an important role in the formation and treatment of diverticular disease.
How Diet Affects the Colon
A diet containing sufficient fiber or roughage produces a bulky stool that readily travels through the colon and prompts regular bowel movements. In contrast, a diet low in fiber produces a small, hard stool. This requires the colon to exert more pressure and may lead to the formation of diverticular pouches. Stool from a diet low in fiber also moves more slowly and remains in the colon for a longer period of time, causing constipation. Straining to produce a bowel movement can also increase pressure on the colon walls.
Diverticular Bleeding Symptoms
A hole or perforation developing between a diverticular pouch and a blood vessel can cause the sudden onset of rectal bleeding. The blood may be dark red or bright red clots. Usually a person with diverticular bleeding feels no abdominal pain, and the bleeding stops on its own. Rarely, the blood loss can cause a person to become light-headed or faint. Speak to your doctor if you experience any rectal bleeding, and seek immediate medical attention if the bleeding is severe.
Recommended Diet
You can reduce your chances of complications from diverticulosis by adding fiber-rich foods to your diet. These include fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads, bran cereals, brown rice and legumes such as peas and beans. Try to consume between 20 and 35 g of fiber every day, as well as drink eight 8-oz. glasses of water daily, to promote a healthy digestive system and prevent the formation of diverticular pouches. If you already have diverticulosis, however, changes in diet may not prevent problems with bleeding.
Should Certain Foods Be Avoided?
In the past, some doctors recommended that patients with diverticulosis avoid nuts, seeds or hulls, for fear that these "high-residue" foods could lodge in the diverticular pouches, prompting bleeding. Newer research contradicts this belief, however. A 2008 study reported in "The Journal of the American Medical Association" found no increased incidence of diverticulitis and diverticular bleeding associated with the consumption of nuts, seeds, corn and popcorn.
References
- Cleveland Clinic: Diseases and Conditions -- Diverticular Disease
- University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health: Health Information -- Diverticular Bleeding
- "The Journal of the American Medical Association"; Nut, Corn, and Popcorn Consumption and the Incidence of Diverticular Disease; Lisa L. Strate, et al.; 2008
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