How A Healthy Diet Can Help Manage Diverticulitis
Bowel disease, ranging from irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease to diverticulitis and cancer is on the rise in America. Many health professionals agree that modern Western diet, deficient in whole foods and consisting mostly of highly-processed foods is the culprit. Filled with sugar and fat, these refined foods not only wreak havoc on health but also specifically, the bowel. So, what is diverticulitis and what are the best ways to manage this disease using diet?
What Is Diverticulitis?
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Diverticula are pouches or herniations found in the bowel due to weakened areas of the colon wall that manifests in the descending and sigmoid colon. It is not uncommon for men and women over fifty years old to begin to develop diverticula. However, diverticulitis is not just for the older population. In addition to age, these weakened pockets can be formed due to chronic constipation and straining of the bowel, pregnancy, smoking, and obesity.
When multiple diverticula are found in the colon, it is referred to as diverticulosis. Diverticulitis, on the other hand, is the condition when these diverticula become infected and inflamed resulting in abdominal pain and cramping in the lower left quadrant, which is the location of the descending and sigmoid colon.
Learn more about the symptoms and available treatments now!