by Josh Komon

Created on: February 18, 2009   Last Updated: February 19, 2009

If you're reading this, chances are you have, or think you might have Diverticulosis. More realistically, you are currently suffering from Diverticulitis. I am confident in this hypothesis, because there are usually no symptoms of Direrticulosis, until your diverticuli become infected. Diverticuli are small pockets in your intestine, caused by bowel pressure, which is ultimately caused by a low fiber diet. When these pockets gather waste, bacteria can grow, and cause an infection. These bacteria are anaerobic, and can be difficult to kill. What you would feel, is stomach pain. It may feel like a hernia, or a muscle pull, but the pain can move, and upon close observation will be internal.

So what do you do? If you have diverticulitis, you can get a prescription for antibiotics from your doctor. The antibiotics will take care of the infection pretty quickly, and the pain will go away. It is important to take care of the problem with in a week or two, as neglect of the problem can lead to complications, including but not limited to fusion of internal organs. In short, it's best to see your doctor if you have abdominal pain that will not go away.While antibiotics or surgery can work as treatments for diverticulitis, the ultimate goal, is to live your life, normally, with diverticulosis. Once you've been diagnosed, you will hear no end of stories about grandparents who ate pop corn, and suffered from an infection, or a cousin who can no longer eat peanuts. These are just old wives tales. While eating an unpopped kernel of popcorn might have some basis in truth, eating peanuts, seeds, or any other hard food is still chewed, and the thought that such things could get stuck in your diverticuli is sort of ridiculous. My doctor assured me that the only thing that matters when living with Diverticulosis, is to maintain a high fiber diet.

Getting enough fiber is easier than it sounds. I know how awful it sounds, as I am a picky eater, and concern myself with the flavor of my food. Well, there are many supplements out there, which can easily exceed your daily recommended allowance of dietary fiber. If supplements aren't your thing, I can recommend high fiber snacks and cereals. There are several options, especially in the cereal department. I, however, prefer products by FiberOne. They have several cereals which contain 35% or more of your DRA, and snack bars that offer the same. I was skeptical of the taste at first, but one bit convinced me otherwise. If FiberOne doesn't do it for you, Quaker also makes cereal cookies which are high in fiber. Your local grocery store is likely to have several option for foods which are high in fiber. You should try several products, and decide which one is best of you.

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