Natural Diverticulitis Remedies: How Diet and Herbs Can Help

Diverticulitis occurs when the walls of the colon become weak and form pockets, and these pockets become inflamed. This can be brought on by food and waste that gets trapped in the pockets and produces toxins. Modern medicine usually proposes surgery to remove the pockets as the solution. However, it won't prevent new pockets from forming. Hence, natural diverticulitis remedies that address the cause of this painful condition are worth trying. When it comes to treating the cause of diverticulitis, diet is extremely important. Poor diet that's high in refined foods is actually what's responsible for the illness in the first place. The body needs plenty of fiber to keep the food moving quickly and easily through the colon. Without it, a great deal of strain is placed on the intestines and constipation easily results. This contributes a lot to the intestinal wall becoming weak. Make sure you have a diet that's high in roughage such as seeds, nuts, whole grains, vegetables and fruit. Brown rice and oats are particularly beneficial. Bran is considered to be extremely beneficial as it has five times the fiber of whole wheat. Two spoons of bran a day should be enough to keep stools soft and easy to pass. If you do suffer from constipation, it's important that you cleanse the bowels through natural means and not laxatives. Research has indicated that kiwi fruits are very effective at eliminating constipation. Eating two kiwi fruits a day is enough to improve the frequency, ease, and quality of bowel movements, even in chronically constipated elderly people. If it's not possible to do this, a more economical alternative is to take a kiwi fruit extract supplement that will do the same thing. Natural diverticulitis remedies also focus on decreasing the production of gas and reducing the inflammation in the colon. Herbs are particularly good for this purpose, and it's possible to get specially formulated herbal supplements. Some herbs to look out for are chamomile, which is highly regarded for its anti inflammatory properties. Another is meadowsweet, which can help improve the condition of the lining of the colon and the digestive mucosa. In regards to alleviating gas, ginger and fennel are particularly useful. They both stimulate digestion by increasing the production of bile acids. Fennel relaxes the smooth muscle of the intestine and stops spasms, thus allowing trapped gas to pass. Ginger encourages the muscular movement that forces food along the intestine. Find out more about these natural diverticulitis remedies and where to get them.