Lactobacilli have demonstrated to reduce Symptomatic Uncomplicated
The probiotic strains Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Saccharomyces boulardii, and bifidobacteria may help maintain the health of the intestines and these strains have been found to be some of the best probiotics for diverticulitis sufferers.
They will not cure diverticulosis. Maintaining a healthy balance of good bacteria in the gut may support digestive health and therefore play a part in preventing new diverticula from forming, or indeed could prevent the worsening of existing diverticula.
Many fiber supplements include insoluble fiber supplements, such as psyllium and glucomannan (3 to 5 g per day of either supplement). Your doctor may also suggest soluble fiber supplements, such as flaxseed and oat bran, which can be less irritating than insoluble supplements.
Eat more fiber.
A high-fiber diet decreases the risk of diverticulitis. Fiber-rich foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains, soften waste material and help it pass more quickly through your colon.
Traditional therapy includes fiber, rest, antibiotics, pain control and surgery for selected cases. Natural treatments for diverticulitis include eating a high-fiber diet with more anti-inflammatory and probiotic foods and using supplements, such as slippery elm, aloe vera and protein powder made from bone broth.
Lifestyle remains the major culprit behind diverticulitis flare-ups, such as a high-fat, low-fiber diet commonly found in Western countries.
Magnesium supplementation can help prevent constipation and reduce cramping and intestinal spasms associated with diverticular disease. Soothing and healing demulcent herbs like slippery elm, aloe vera, marshmallow root, and deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) reduce mucosal damage and inflammation.
Bulk-forming laxatives such as Metamucil or Citrucel may be recommended after the diverticulitis flare-up has resolved. These types of supplements can help add fiber to the diet while treating either constipation or diarrhea. Fiber supplements can include psyllium, methylcellulose, and polycarbophil.
Mild cases of diverticulitis are usually treated with antibiotics and a low-fiber diet, or treatment may start with a period of rest where you eat nothing by mouth, then start with clear liquids and then move to a low-fiber diet until your condition improves. More-severe cases typically require hospitalization.
Plus, probiotics have anti-inflammatory effects, which may help to ease inflammation from diverticulitis. Probiotics are available in supplement form, but they can also be found in certain foods, such as yogurt, kombucha, and fermented vegetables.
“It's important to point out that someone with active diverticulitis should eat a low-residue diet – one that is low in fiber and fat to give the GI tract a rest,” Hawkins says. “Since diverticulitis usually warrants hospitalization, one will be placed on such a diet under medical supervision.
Probiotics combined with mesalazine have also emerged as an alternative potential therapeutic strategy in preventing recurrent attacks of diverticulitis. One series reported that treatment with mesalazine and/or lactobacillus casei induced remission in 88% of their patients at a median follow-up of 2 years.
Supplementation with probiotic strain reuteri ATCC 4659, whether with standard antibiotics for diverticulitis or alone, has been proven to be effective in reducing abdominal pain, inflammatory markers and accelerate recovery.
Dairy: “Cottage cheese and Greek yogurt are real winners if you're recovering from a flare-up: They're high in protein, calcium and other nutrients and don't have any fiber.
For patients who want to reduce their risk, a reasonable recommendation is to follow an anti-inflammatory diet. For example eating a high amount of green leafy vegetables, dark-yellow vegetables, coffee and tea and low consumption of red meat, processed meat, refined grain and sugary beverages.
High-fiber foods include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and dried beans and lentils. In the past, doctors often recommended people who had diverticulosis should avoid foods such as nuts, popcorn, and seeds because it was thought these particles could enter or block the diverticula.
Instead, the quartile with the highest fiber intake had a greater prevalence of diverticulosis than the lowest (prevalence ratio = 1.30; 95% confidence interval, 1.13–1.50). Risk increased when calculated based on intake of total fiber, fiber from grains, soluble fiber, and insoluble fiber.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): Several studies have shown that the risk of bleeding in diverticula is higher in people who take NSAIDs. 2 OTC NSAIDS include Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen) and Aleve or Naprosyn (naproxen).
The PEN guidelines from Dietitians of Canada currently recommend ensuring adequate vitamin D levels in those who have diverticular disease.
13 However, if you're having symptoms of diverticulitis, look for lower-fiber options, like applesauce. Bananas are another good source of fruit fiber. They also have a lot of potassium and can be especially helpful if you're recovering from a stomach upset. If you're prone to constipation, avoid unripe bananas.
In the past, doctors had recommended that people with diverticular disease (diverticulosis or diverticulitis) avoid hard-to-digest foods such as nuts, corn, popcorn, and seeds, for fear that these foods would get stuck in the diverticula and lead to inflammation.
Give it time, approximately 6-8 weeks, and your colon should start to function more normally. When a long piece of colon is removed, however, a faster transit time may be a permanent side effect of the surgery. Nausea is common after surgery. Be sure to take your pain medication on a full stomach.
But genetics might be partly involved in getting diverticulosis. Although you aren't born with diverticulosis, you're more likely to develop it in a certain part of your colon if you're of European or Asian descent. It's also possible that genetics could influence your likelihood of developing chronic inflammation.