Diverticula are small pouches that form on the walls of the large intestine. This condition is called diverticulosis.

These pouches occur when the muscular layer of the intestine becomes weak . You can compare these pouches to a the weak spots that balloon in the rubber tube of a tire's inner tube with normal wearing.

When one of these diverticula pouches gets infected or irritated, the condition is called diverticulitis. These conditions usually appear during middle age, however they can appear at an earlier age also. Family history and the type of diet you follow are important predictors of whether or not you could develop the condition. A diet low in fiber is a cause of these conditions. Increased pressure that occurs in the colon to move the feces that comes with advanced age also may help to produce diverticulosis.  

Remember there are two types of fiber…digestible and indigestible

Examples of Indigestible fiber
  • nuts
  • seeds from bread
  • cucumbers or tomatoes
  • corn
  • popcorn
  • vegetables and legumes with skin.
 Digestible fiber…
  • grains
  • fruits without skin
  • certain vegetables.

Flare-ups of diverticulitis occurs when the colon becomes irritated when undigested fiber and fecal material accumulate in the diverticular pouches. Pressure in the lower abdomen from a tight fitting belt and irritation and over stimulation of the bowel from a viral infection or from food products containing caffeine or alcohol can also induce a flare-up. Pain is usually severe in the lower abdomen and it can be accompanied with high fevers. If not treated promptly with antibiotics, a surgical emergency can develop.

 

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