“Diverticulitis Diet” or “Diverticulosis Diet”. What’s the Difference?
Even though they have similar names, a Diverticulitis Diet is not the same as a Diverticulosis Diet.
Both times, the culprit is something your doctor will call a “diverticula.” It’s a pocket, or bubble, in the side of your colon.
Most people who have diverticula live their whole lives never knowing they have them, and never having any symptoms or ill effects. The problem happens if one of those diverticula someday develops a leak, or a hole, that allows material to pass from inside your colon outside to your abdomen.
If that happens, you’re likely to develop a serious infection. Some people have even died from the infection, so it’s important to get it treated and to take care of it.
As far as “Diverticulosis” vs “Diverticulitis”, here’s the difference:
Diverticulosis: No leaks or perforations.
Diverticulitis: At least one leak or perforation.
As for the dietary difference, the biggest one is dietary fiber. One of the best ways to prevent diverticula (and therefor avoid diverticulosis) is to eat a lot of fiber. That’s what people call a “diverticulosis diet.”
But if you already have diverticula, and one or more of them has a leak in it (or, if you’ve been treated for the problem in the past), then high fiber may be precisely the wrong thing to do!
Remember what dietary fiber is. It’s the rough material that your body can’t digest. That rough texture, when put up against the weak walls of diverticula that are leaking, is very likely to make your diverticulitis worse.
That means that during a crisis, your “diverticulitis diet” is one that is low in fiber. Totally the opposite of a “diverticulosis diet”.
Then, after your doctor gives you the all-clear, you switch back to a high fiber diverticulitis diet.
How do you reduce the amount of fiber in your diet during a crisis? The solution is to make simple substitutions.
Instead of high-fiber whole wheat bread, buy white bread or English Muffins. Instead of bananas, buy cherries. Instead of orange juice with pulp, buy orange juice without pulp.
September 13 2008 08:24 pm | Diverticulitis Diet