Marathon Monday......

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-20-2005
Marathon Monday......
16
Mon, 04-21-2008 - 8:04am

Lunch with Lance was delightful....:-)

Donna

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-15-2003
Mon, 04-21-2008 - 4:15pm

Grace, hope you feel better soon.

“You can only grow if you’re willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” -Brian Tracy
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-15-2007
Tue, 04-22-2008 - 7:14am

Hi, Deb...the jury is out on how to treat diverticulitis. The original thought was to eliminate nuts seeds, but it really doesn't seem to make a difference in studies. The trick is to eat lots of fiber to make everything move through without settling anywhere. So, seeds are ok if you are eating enough fiber. Of course, a lot of things that have fiber or are good for your heart health, have seeds in them or contain/are nuts. Constipation is a big cause of it.

My diverticulitis was caused by a side effect of a medicine. It doesn't seem to matter what I eat and well, constipation was never a problem for me with the diet I eat. I am waiting to hear what my next step is. I am told I have moderate diverticulitis with not acuteness present. No blockages. I have a feeling it is something that has to run it's course right now.

Grace


Be like a postage stamp.

Be like a postage stamp.  Stick to it until you get there.

Bob Proctor

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-08-2001
Tue, 04-22-2008 - 8:11am

Yes, totally different work. He's been in automotive parts for a dealership for the past 30+ years and before that in the motorcycle industry. He's looking for maintenance type of work either for a management company for cooperative apartments or in a hospital setting.

We'll see what happens.

Susan

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-15-2003
Tue, 04-22-2008 - 9:29am

That's interesting!

“You can only grow if you’re willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” -Brian Tracy
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-15-2007
Tue, 04-22-2008 - 2:38pm

Hey, Deb....I found this online while researching what to do. It seems that everyone is different and the food diary seems to be a good idea.

Grace

What is the treatment for diverticular disease?

A high-fiber diet and, occasionally, mild pain medications will help relieve symptoms in most cases. Sometimes an attack of diverticulitis is serious enough to require a hospital stay and possibly surgery.
Diverticulosis

Increasing the amount of fiber in the diet may reduce symptoms of diverticulosis and prevent complications such as diverticulitis. Fiber keeps stool soft and lowers pressure inside the colon so that bowel contents can move through easily. The American Dietetic Association recommends 20 to 35 grams of fiber each day. The table below shows the amount of fiber in some foods that you can easily add to your diet.
Amount of Fiber in Some Foods
Fruits
Apple, raw, with skin 1 medium = 3.3 grams
Peach, raw 1 medium = 1.5 grams
Pear, raw 1 medium = 5.1 grams
Tangerine, raw 1 medium = 1.9 grams

Vegetables
Asparagus, fresh, cooked 4 spears = 1.2 grams
Broccoli, fresh, cooked 1/2 cup = 2.6 grams
Brussels sprouts, fresh, cooked 1/2 cup = 2 grams
Cabbage, fresh, cooked 1/2 cup = 1.5 grams
Carrot, fresh, cooked 1/2 cup = 2.3 grams
Cauliflower, fresh, cooked 1/2 cup = 1.7 grams
Romaine lettuce 1 cup = 1.2 grams
Spinach, fresh, cooked 1/2 cup = 2.2 grams
Summer squash, cooked 1 cup = 2.5 grams
Tomato, raw 1 = 1 gram
Winter squash, cooked 1 cup = 5.7 grams

Starchy Vegetables
Baked beans, canned, plain 1/2 cup = 6.3 grams
Kidney beans, fresh, cooked 1/2 cup = 5.7 grams
Lima beans, fresh, cooked 1/2 cup = 6.6 grams
Potato, fresh, cooked 1 = 2.3 grams

Grains
Bread, whole-wheat 1 slice = 1.9 grams
Brown rice, cooked 1 cup = 3.5 grams
Cereal, bran flake 3/4 cup = 5.3 grams
Oatmeal, plain, cooked 3/4 cup = 3 grams
White rice, cooked 1 cup = 0.6 grams
Source: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Release 15. Available at www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/cgi-bin/nut_search.pl. Accessed April 5, 2004.

The doctor may also recommend taking a fiber product such as Citrucel or Metamucil once a day. These products are mixed with water and provide about 2 to 3.5 grams of fiber per tablespoon, mixed with 8 ounces of water.

Avoidance of nuts, popcorn, and sunflower, pumpkin, caraway, and sesame seeds has been recommended by physicians out of fear that food particles could enter, block, or irritate the diverticula. However, no scientific data support this treatment measure. Eating a high-fiber diet is the only requirement highly emphasized across the literature and eliminating specific foods is not necessary. The seeds in tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, strawberries, and raspberries, as well as poppy seeds, are generally considered harmless. People differ in the amounts and types of foods they can eat. Decisions about diet should be made based on what works best for each person. Keeping a food diary may help identify individual items in one's diet.

If cramps, bloating, and constipation are problems, the doctor may prescribe a short course of pain medication. However, many medications affect emptying of the colon, an undesirable side effect for people with diverticulosis.


Be like a postage stamp.

Be like a postage stamp.  Stick to it until you get there.

Bob Proctor

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-15-2003
Tue, 04-22-2008 - 2:46pm
I wonder if docs just don't tell older folks about these (big) changes and what the current thinking is.
“You can only grow if you’re willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” -Brian Tracy

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