Diverticulitis is a painful disorder that involves small pouches in the digestive tract that can swell up and even get infected. According to the Mayo Clinic, there is no diet that cures diverticulitis, but eating a specific way will help you to feel better with diverticulitis while maintaining adequate nutrition. Good nutrition can also decrease the severity and frequency that the pouches in the digestive tract become swollen.
Diverticulitis Cycles
Sometimes people with diverticulitis feel fine, but they are prone to sudden attacks of diverticulitis where the pain can become debilitating. Their pain may go in cycles where they feel fine, then horrible, they get a little better and the cycle starts over again. There are specific nutritional recommendations for each of these stages of the cycle.
Fiber
According to the University of California at San Francisco Medical Center, a diet rich in fiber can help to prevent diverticulitis and prevent inflammation of the pouches in those who have diverticulitis. Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber, and so are whole grains like 100 percent whole wheat bread, brown rice and oats. The UCSF Medical Center explains that foods with fiber add bulk to the stool so that it is easier to make a bowel movement and the pouches are less likely to grow or become infected.
During An Attack
An "attack" of diverticulitis is when the pouches in your digestive tract become so inflamed that you have severe pain and sometimes even bleeding. According to the Mayo Clinic, you may need to drink only clear liquids such as broth, clear soda and thin fruit juices during a diverticulitis attack. Foods may aggravate the pouches, making your pain worse during a diverticulitis flare up.
When You Feel A Little Better
After a few days of a diverticulitis flare up, most people start to feel a little better, according to the Mayo Clinic. The Mayo Clinic states that at this point, you may be able to eat low-fiber, solid foods without aggravating your body. Good choices for low-fiber foods to eat toward the end of a diverticulitis attack include white bread, canned peaches, yogurt, mashed potatoes and plain noodles.
After the Attack
When the diverticulitis attack is over and you are feeling back to normal, the UCSF Medical Center recommends gradually increasing the fiber in your diet, working up to 25 to 30g of fiber each day. If you increase your fiber intake too quickly you could cause another diverticulitis flareup. Add about 5g of fiber back into your diet every other day until you reach your goal. It is important to drink at least eight glasses of water a day so that you don't get constipated. High fiber foods to be gradually added back into your diet include brown rice, beans, vegetables like broccoli and fruits such as apples.
