Diverticulitis is the inflammation of small pouches in your large intestine. The presence of these small bulges is fairly common, but it can become problematic when they become inflamed or infected.
Diverticula, or the small pouches, are formed in weak portions of the large intestine. They are usually found in the sigmoid colon, which is on the lower left side of the gastrointestinal tract. They are often due to weak spots in the colon.
Diverticulitis symptoms are severe abdominal pain (often in the left side), fever, and nausea, chills, and cramps. Since it has similar symptoms to a lot of other gut issues, it can be hard to diagnose. However severe symptoms signal that you need treatment as soon as possible.
While the presence of diverticula is fairly common, only 5% of these cases turn into Diverticulitis. It is more likely as you get older.
Other risk factors include:
In order to diagnose diverticulitis, your health care provider will often check your medical history and touch your stomach to gauge pain levels.
They can also run the following tests:
Once diagnosed, diverticulitis is often treated with antibiotics. Often it will be recommended to rest, and follow a low-fiber diet or liquid diet until inflammation goes down. This prevents the risk of further inflaming the diverticula.
In extreme cases, surgery is sometimes required. This is only if the infection reaches a point where it is creating blockages and affecting your entire digestive tract.
A lot of scientists theorize that one of the main causes is a low-fiber diet. This leads to constipation which puts pressure on your abdominal wall and causes diverticula.
It is also thought that infections of these diverticula can occur from gut dysbiosis, parasites, and bacterial infections.
By increasing the consumption of high-fiber foods (implementing a more high-fibre diet), you can reduce the risk of diverticulitis significantly.
Joanna recommends a couple of shifts that made a huge difference in preventing her own diverticulitis from flaring up.
The takeaway here is that anything that improves overall digestion will reduce inflammation.
This results in less flare ups of diverticula.
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There is honestly no one “correct” dietary changes for diverticulitis.
However, it is often suggested to follow a high-fiber diet in order the keep the digestive system flowing smoothly.
It is recommended to eat 14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories eaten in a day.
The western diet typically does not contain nearly enough fiber, so it is important to make a conscious effort. This amount is recommended to ANYONE, regardless of if you have diverticulitis or not. It does help to follow this to both treat and prevent intestinal inflammation.
Here are some common high-fiber foods to include in your diet:
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Joanna personally does not adhere to a special diet but has found a routine that works for her.
Her diet includes things such as oatmeal, fresh fruit, nuts, starchy carbohydrates, proteins, and soups.
She recommends finding foods that feel good to YOUR body, as no template for eating will be perfectly fit to your own gut. You are the only one who can properly know what works for your digestive system and what does not.
Some fun tips Joanna has found through experimentation are:
All of these work for HER, which is part of the reason it is so important to find your own eating pattern.
If you listen to your body it will be much easier to prevent a flare-up.
One of Joanna’s main shifts that has changed her gut has been to REDUCE stress. You are probably so tired of hearing this advice, but it is truly a game-changer.
Here are some ways she lowers her stress:
Setting boundaries
Especially if you are a type A person, setting boundaries for yourself is critical. Saying no to certain opportunities and not overloading your plate are so helpful in giving your body time to rest and relax.
Sleep
Prioritizing sleep is truly one of the best things you can do for your body. Joanna sets a strict sleep schedule in order to be asleep by 9:30 and have a full 8 hours a night.
Moving body
Moving your body not only is healthful for your physical well-being, but it also helps with mental well-being.
Exercise boosts both endorphins and helps to lower cortisol levels (stress hormone). Adjusting your exercise to fit your current needs is a KEY part of making the most of your workout.
Joanna recommends low-impact exercise such as walking or yoga over higher intensity cardio or strength training.
This turns exercise into a way to both strengthen and stretch your body, rather than being hard on your cells.
Being intentional with food
Since food literally feeds our gut it is crucial to think about WHAT and HOW we are eating.
Opt for foods that feel good to you and are nutrient-dense.
Self-care
Or as Joanna calls it, “living slow.” This could be anything from sitting down to read a book to taking a hot bath at night. Take the time to care for your body.
These are more natural remedies for treating inflammation in the body. Since inflammation and stress are so directly linked, it makes sense that taking steps to reduce stress can help prevent a diverticulitis flare-up.
Joanna recommends a few steps to take for anyone on their gut journey.
As with any podcast, I asked Joanna to give us her three convictions around gut healing.
Here were the three convictions she provided:
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All three of these are absolutely key to anyone trying to figure out their own health problems.
Taking ownership over your own symptoms and treatment is one of the first steps anyone should take in their healing journey, whether that be diverticulitis or anything else.
Want to learn even more about the gut and ways to heal it?
Learn all the secrets via my signature book, A Gutsy Girl’s Bible: a 21-day approach to healing the gut. Grab your copy on Amazon HERE.
Wrap Up
Time to wrap this up. As always, a huge goal for this show is to connect with even more people. Feel free to send an email to our team at podcast@agutsygirl.com. We want to hear questions, comments, show ideas, etc.
Did you enjoy this episode? Please drop a comment below or leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
Bio: Joanna Fowler
Joanna Fowler is the Co-Founder and CEO of The Water Cooler, a social media management and branding company and the Founder of Nesting Story, the blog and YouTube channel, where she shares her real, honest, and inspirational stories about womanhood, motherhood, creating a beautiful and functional home, life with twins, lifestyle, and wellness.
Joanna resides in Burlington, Ontario, Canada with her four kids and rescue pup Oliver.
It’s a busy life, that’s for sure and amidst all this Joanna has learned how to manage her chronic illness and is continuing to find balance and learn that stress is her body’s worst enemy.
After a complete thyroidectomy, a bout of Diverticulitis and being diagnosed with SIBO, Joanna has and is continuing to learn the art of slowing down, living intentionally, and saying no to create space, take care of her body and be present for family, her businesses and most importantly, herself.
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Xox,
SKH
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