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When Constipation is More Than Constipation -- Dangers of Diverticulitis
Oct 29, 2007

When Constipation is More Than Constipation -- Dangers of Diverticulitis

What do baseball player Ken Griffey, Jr., dictator Fidel Castro and the late "ILove Lucy" star Desi Arnaz all have in common? They suffer [or suffered] from diverticulitis, a painful gastrointestinal condition that occurs when pouches [diverticula] in the wall of the large intestine become inflamed and infected.
You don't "catch" diverticulitis. Rather, it is often the result of a large intestine that has not been taken care of properly, where inflammation has created weakness in the intestinal wall, explains Daily Health News contributing editor Andrew L. Rubman, ND. Ideally, he says, your goal should always be to maintain optimal bowel health in order to keep digestive disorders from developing in the first place. How to avoid diverticulitis? Read on...
DIVERTICULITIS: A PRIMER
Diverticulitis doesn't happen overnight. Though there may be no outward signs or symptoms, it's always preceded by diverticulosis, when small pouches begin to bulge outward through weak spots in the wall of the digestive tract. About one in 10 Americans over age 40 have diverticulosis, and the number jumps to one in two Americans over age 60. Most have no symptoms, but some may experience cramps, bloating and constipation. Almost always, constipation is an early indication that problems may be brewing.
Dr. Rubman stresses that the earlier you pay attention to these seemingly innocuous symptoms, which in addition to those listed above can also include a change in stools, chronic gas, frequent headaches and/or skin rashes, the better off you will be. His advice: Visit a naturopathic physician as soon as possible. He/she will help you heal your digestive tract before more serious inflammation and infections develop, using a combination of dietary modification and natural treatments. Why an ND? Because naturopathic physicians focus on prevention while MDs often focus on disease treatment and related symptom suppression, explains Dr. Rubman.
From 10% to 25% of people with diverticulosis go on to develop far more serious diverticulitis. This painful disease, which typically occurs when bacteria become trapped in those intestinal pouches, can land you in the hospital with complications such as infection, bleeding, a hole or tear in the intestinal wall, blockage, abscess or fistula [an abnormal connection that has developed, usually from infected damaged tissue, between two organs, such as the colon and bladder].
Be alert to the symptoms of diverticulitis, including...
Pain and tenderness, especially around the left side of the lower abdomen.
Fever and chills.
Nausea and vomiting.
Cramps.
Constipation.
Occasionally, noticeable blood in the stool.
CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE ALONE: NOT THE ANSWER
Once they've developed diverticulitis, says Dr. Rubman, many people work with a mainstream gastroenterologist, who will prescribe conventional drugs such as anti-inflammatories to calm the tissues and antibiotics to discourage the infection and monitor the disease progression. In his opinion, conventional medicine alone is not enough, as it often only offers a band-aid approach -- prescribe drugs to put off surgery as long as possible, and when that no longer works, cut out the diseased portion of the colon. Not only is this major surgery, but often there are complications and the need for future surgeries can result.
Dr. Rubman points out that the condition doesn't have to be allowed to progress to this point.
NATURAL SUPPORT FOR THE DIGESTIVE TRACT
When you are first diagnosed with diverticulitis, you may have to lay off high-fiber foods at first to give the colon a rest. An acute attack may involve a hospital stay and treatment with antibiotics and a liquid diet. Once inflammation and infection are resolved, however, it's time to bulk up on fiber, which keeps stools soft and lowers pressure inside the colon, so the bowel contents can progress easily through it. Fiber also promotes healthy flora in the gut, and binds and transports excess bile acids and potential inflammation-causing substances out of the system.
To support healthy digestive function the natural way, Dr. Rubman advises his patients...
Follow a high-fiber diet. For example, choose whole-grain breads and cereals that list the word "whole" with the first ingredient, as in "whole wheat flour" or "whole oats" [Dr. Rubman recommends oat bran in particular]... eat brown rice instead of white rice... have nine servings daily [the current government recommendation] of fiber-rich fruits and veggies such as prunes, apples, kidney beans, lima beans, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and carrots to attain various forms of fiber.
Important: If you're not used to eating fiber, take it slow. Increase your intake gradually, in order to let your body get used to it. Otherwise, you may experience abdominal discomfort and gas.
Consider fiber supplements. In Dr. Rubman's practice, he has had great success with glucomannan, a soluble dietary fiber made from konjac plant. Glucomannan encourages better digestion overall... helps stimulate the conversion of cholesterol to bile acids... and decreases the intestinal absorption of cholesterol. All this may help mitigate many of the issues that may in fact be associated with the genesis of diverticulitis. Take one capsule 30 minutes before lunch and dinner with a large glass of water.
Follow Dr. Rubman's digestion-smart strategies. He recommends that you avoid antacids... chew food thoroughly... limit fluids with meals... cut back on refined carbohydrates [white bread, white rice, pasta, etc.] and processed foods... and eat three square meals a day instead of grazing.
Take omega-3 fatty acid rich fish oil to help modulate inflammation.
Eliminate dairy proteins and grain glutens -- eliminating these may help decrease potential inflammation associated with these foods in sensitive people. Whole grains that have minimal gluten and are well-tolerated include buckwheat, millet, quinoa, lentils, amaranth, rice and some oats.
Although these strategies will benefit anyone's, indeed everyone's, digestive well-being, Dr. Rubman cautions that diverticulitis poses serious threats to your health. Do not try to tough it out on your own, as you may do more harm than good by letting the disease progress to the point where you require drugs or surgery. Instead, seek expert medical care. Ideally that consists of a team of both a naturopathic physician and an MD, preferably a gastroenterologist who will work together to coordinate your treatment. To locate an ND in your area, visit the Web site of The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians [AANP] at www.naturopathic.org.
Source[s]:
Andrew L. Rubman, ND, director, Southbury Clinic for Traditional Medicines, Southbury, Connecticut.
Visibility: Everyone
Posted: Monday October 29, 2007, 5:13 pm
Tags: news-story [add/edit tags]

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michele s. (95) 		Monday October 29, 2007, 5:33 pm
Thank you Rabbit,I think most people do not realize that constipation and bloating can be early warning sign and should not be ignored.

Rabbit R. (85) 		Monday October 29, 2007, 6:27 pm

You're welcome michele and thanks for posting. :-)

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