The human intestines will sometimes develop small pouches known as diverticula. These little bulges in the large intestine (colon) are very common and most people over 40 end up having them. Generally speaking, they do not cause issues. However, when too many of them form, or when they get too large, they can cause diverticulosis. This can cause nausea, fever, intestinal blockages, and general pain and discomfort. One of the best treatments is a gentle diet. As such, there are many types of food you need to avoid if you have this condition. Here are 10 foods to stay away from if you have diverticulosis.
1. Nuts
You probably won’t need a long-winded explanation to know why nuts are bad to eat if you have a colon full of diverticula. You’ve likely seen that these nuts don’t really break down like other forms of waste. This means that they’re going to scrape the bulges and get trapped in there behind them, potentially causing inflammation and pain, and possibly even infection. Nut butters are okay, but whole nuts will just do too much to upset the condition.
2. Seeds
You’re basically dealing with the same thing when talking about seeds. While many seeds seem like they’re very small and thus wouldn’t cause any harm, the fact is that people who eat seeds aren’t just eating a single or a few seeds. They’re consuming them by the handful, which is going to cause the same general symptoms as eating whole nuts. These food items are just something that you should avoid with this condition.