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Diverticular Diet yet again!

Posted , 8 users are following.

phyllis1935
phyllis1935

I know that this has been discussed in many of the posts but I am still having problems stabilising my diet, if that is at all possible.

In the past, I have spent quite a lot of money getting advice from a private Nutritionist.  She advised me not to eat any raw fruit and vegetables but to eat them cooked only.  Also not to eat salad as lettuce in particular can take a while to pass through the digestive system.  Also she said that wheat is not a good form of fibre but Rye is better but Rye bread is usually heavy, more like a house brick.  Rye crackers are O.K. sometimes but won't make a good sandwich.

Yesterday, when I had a bad flare up, I thought that I have got to rethink my diet yet again.

I have been eating wholemeal bread but it seems to make me really bloated and uncomfortable.

I am going to start taking probiotics again but not sure which ones are best.

Any suggestions would be welcome

Phyllis

0 likes, 18 replies

18 Replies

  • Jokuar
    Jokuar phyllis1935

    Posted

    Hi Phyllis 

    when I have flare ups I tend to stick to certain staple foods that are bland and easily digested. In particular bananas mashed potato rice toast etc until it settles down.

    For some years now I have taken isphagula husk as a dietary fibre supplement and this seems to have reduced the frequency of flare ups and reduced my cholesterol level.

    hope you get better soon

    regards

    Pete

    • phyllis1935
      phyllis1935 Jokuar

      Posted

      Thank you Pete,  I find that bananas take a long while to go through the system and make me feel clogged up, where could I buy rice bread to make toast? That sounds like a good idea as I suppose that it is made with brown rice.
  • pauline15533
    pauline15533 phyllis1935

    Posted

    Hi Phyllis, I do sympathise with your dilemma. i also have a problem with bread. I have been keeping a diary; food, pain, exercise, stress levels. everything.

    For me,, Aloe Vera Gel and probiotics have certainly helped and so has cutting bread out as it leaves me low in energy and feeling bloated and whilst it's delicious it's not worth the after feeling. I also do the 5:2 fast. I watched the original programme and was fascinated by it and it has helped. For me stress is definetley a factor too. It's difficult to pinpoint one or even a few things and it seems it varies from one person to another as does the professional advice.

    I do wish you well and hope you feel better soon.

    ☺

    • phyllis1935
      phyllis1935 pauline15533

      Posted

      Hi Pauline, what is the 5:2 fast please?  Stress also affects me and I have a lot of it at the moment.  I have certainly felt a lot better today, fingers crossed for tomorrow.  Where do you get your Aloe Vera Gel from?  I always thought that it was very expensive, does it taste O.K.?  My husband can't seem to understand that there is no cure for this condition.
  • madge07350
    madge07350 phyllis1935

    Posted

    I find tough meat a problem.Sausage casings are out and I try not to eat chicken skin. Large meals are out too. I take aloe vera juice. This has not totally eliminated flare ups but I think it helps. I have avoided antibiotics for nearly a year now. Striking a balance between avoiding constipation and too much fibre giving too large stools (sorry! ) is difficult. I have read some websites that say once you have this condition a very high fibre diet simply aggravates matters.
    • phyllis1935
      phyllis1935 madge07350

      Posted

      I can't cope with tough meat either and don't like sausages much or large meals, I prefer chicken, usually casseroled in my slow cooker.  I also like steamed salmon.  As you say, getting the balance with fibre is very difficult and means either constipation or diarrhea.  I hate eating out and can never go out for the whole day.
  • tee40171
    tee40171 phyllis1935

    Posted

    I have noticed with me that small portions of food works for me.  The less you eat the better you will feel.Try to avoid fried foods and heavy meats.  Aloe vera and probiotics are good to have everyday.  That will make you feel much better.

     

    • phyllis1935
      phyllis1935 tee40171

      Posted

      I am going to buy some probiotics and check out Aloe Vera juice and stick with chicken or fish (not fried)  I am also doing small portions after the awful day that I had on Tuesday, not that I eat large meals nowadays.
    • madge07350
      madge07350 phyllis1935

      Posted

      I found when I first started probiotics that they gave me a touch of acid reflux. I try to remember to take it with a snack meal rather than my main meal.
  • MELEKIE
    MELEKIE phyllis1935

    Posted

    I find small meals and avoiding any bread helps I also getting pain cramps and first d Buscapan helps. I'm wondering. actually after loads of tests wether I'm allergic to certain foods. Like wheat lactose other. The medics don't seem to look for the obvious sometimes. They then put me on Omzaprazole for acid reflux but has done nothing Infact I feel worse I obviously have tried all the foods to avoid acid reflux and still in pain. It's so annoying therefore going to get tested for allergy to certain foods privately. The last two years been a nightmare of pain I'm better when I DON'T EAT BREAD .if I do U swell up like a balloon. Think for me the main culprit. Plus milk I now drink soya milk. No coffee chocolate. tomatoes fatty foods. Orange juice cranberry juice.

    • phyllis1935
      phyllis1935 MELEKIE

      Posted

      I am going to try making soda bread using spelt flour which is not  supposed to cause bloating.  I will only eat may half a slice to start with.
  • sunni13905
    sunni13905 phyllis1935

    Posted

    For me any red meat is a trigger.  I'm also having the problem of regulating how much fiber is enough.  just went through a 3 week flare up and now am bound up.  Last week did a mainly liquid with a small meal so that I could take my metformin for my liver (it needs to be taken with solid food)  For me the problem is the diet for helping my Liver disease pretty much contadicts the diet for my Divi.One says eat mashed potatoes, rice.. etc. and the other is Oh No..Starchy food is bad!  So when I have flare ups I stick to the Divi diet until back normal then when the plumbing is in order go back to the Liver..I have a lot of food notes..lol

    I also started taking Metamusil to help with the cholesterol and help move things along.  It's a fibre supplement, that you can get in orange flavored powder form or pills. I still eat fresh fruit but not with skins or seeds. Peaches, plums, apples.. Still haven't figured out how to peel a blueberry yet...I also eat some fresh raw veggies, again with no skins I've stuck to carrots, sweet potatoe, tomatoes and cucumbers (de seeded of course).  I also started drinking kefir milk.  doesn't taste great but it helps.  I blend it with fruit and it goes down fine.

    As with everything it's a case of trial and error.  What works for one doesn't always for another. 

    All the best

    Sunni

    • phyllis1935
      phyllis1935 sunni13905

      Posted

      Hi Sunni,

      I can't seem to eat any fresh fruit, even peeled apples, so stick with stewed apples but of course with cooking apples they need sugar.  I also drink a small glass of apple juice if I feel bunged up and that usually helps.  I have actually had one slice of bread this lunchtime, had porridge for breakfas with soya milk.  I have had diarrhea twice today and yet the other day I was worried about a blockage. I am going to make some soda bread later with spelt flour and see if that is better as it is not supposed to cause bloating and has lots of healthy properties.

      The trouble is that with this condition, everyone has varying amounts of pouches and in different places, so I suppose that it is no wonder that there is no medication or dietary answer for all sufferers. As you say It is so much trial and error and maybe a suggestion from someone else may just help.  Maybe there isn't the perfect diet where the bowel is stabilised.  

      I can never go out first thing in the morning as I don't want to go far from our bathroom.  If I did have an early appointment for anything then I wouldn't eat anything before I went but then would risk having a fainting attack.

      You seem to have it even worse as you also have the Liver problem to cope with.  I haven't heard of Kefir milk.  Do you just liquidise it with the fruit?  Maybe I could try that.

      Best wishes,

      Phyllis

    • MELEKIE
      MELEKIE phyllis1935

      Posted

      I'm suppose to have acid reflux and take Omzaprazole it's just no good still in pain Im also. still in pain as in previous post. I ended up in hospital because they gave me Naproxen my surgery and Ibaprofen plus onzaprazole together in AE. This is a no no. Reason I have derverticulitus and this inflamed my stomach lining ten fold hence a bleed black stools old blood from somewhere my bowel. I have given up on the diet thing as I have tried everything for a long time re acid reflux did all the right things 're food drink. Seems for me the worst thing is bread. Actually a consultant I saw on Tuesday thinks to do with my bile duct I'm waiting a CT scan. Actually acid also has a affect on stomach problems. also I had my gallbladder out in 1992 .I'm not sure soda bread is going to help as Soda drinks and ant fizzy drinks like cola or Orange juice cranberry are a no no to . Makes acid reflux worse infact it's. terrible cause pain 're acid. I as said maybe my problem pain my stomach is due to a heitus hernier that's become bigger. last CT scan 18 months ago said my CT scan normal really speed me off because it wasn't but consular t I was under I made a complaint about withheld that info or to let me. know. I had a heitus hernier and thought had the right to play God when could been cause my ongoing pain .!! Really I given up with these medics and I'm going to ask for simple tests like for allergy tests to rule out celiac disease lactose intolerance and gluten or wheat intolerance. My. New consulrant on Tuesday has given me more meds a powder to put in water .Another load of hollow excuse my none faith in doctors !! However anything not to be in pain. By the way it's called. COLESTYRAMINE POWDER I have. been taking one to to sachets a day since Tuesday she said can make me constipated anyway is beeing constipated good for derverticulitus. NO AND A NO. !! .
    • pauline15533
      pauline15533 MELEKIE

      Posted

      Hi Melekie, I totally understand your frustration. I have acid reflux too and on exactly the same meds. I had bern feeling pretty good recently so I went to the gym this week and have had a flare up...is it the gym or diet and if so what. No one knows. Round and round in circles. I wish you well and hope you get some answers very soon.

      P x☺

    • sunni13905
      sunni13905 phyllis1935

      Posted

      Hi Phyllis,

      I hadn't heard if Kefir milk either till I was suggested it by someone on here. smile It's a fortified probiotic milk.  sorta the consistency of really runny yougurt.  You can get it in a couple different flavors; strawberry, blueberry plus original.  so far I like the strawberry the best.  I mix it up in the blender with peaches, mango, honeydew, cantalope, pineapple.. etc. I found it in my grocery store's natural and organic section with the greek yougurt and soy milk. was pleasantly surprised too considering how rural we are.

      Sunni

    • phyllis1935
      phyllis1935 MELEKIE

      Posted

      Hi Melkie,

      I was half way typing a message to you when my finger must have pressed the wrong key on the keyboard and it disappeared somewhere, goodness knows where, so I will start again.

      I really feel for you as you have so many problems to cope with as well as Diverticular disease which is bad enough on it's own.

      As far as I know, Bicarbonate of Soda, a teaspoon of which is put into soda bread is alkaline and not acid, as it can be used for indigestion.  I have made some soda bread this morning using spelt flour which is a very old form of wheat, I belive that it was used in Roman times, it is not supposed to cause bloat and has lots of health giving properties.

      I was tested for Coeliac disease many years and the test was negative but it doesn't mean that someone is not intolerant to wheat.  

      I was advised by a nutritionist not to eat wholemeal bread as although it is high fibre it can be very harsh on the digestion system, she suggested rye instead but I find it very difficult to make rye bread in my breadmaker, even spelt flour in the breadmaker has to have a proportion of wheat to be successful. Any rye bread that I have found to buy is heavy like a brick. This is why I have made the soda bread with the spelt flour.

      I find lunchtimes when I would have a sandwich difficult, as I am never sure what to eat and rye crackers get a bit boring as do rice cakes.  

      Are you in the UK?

      Best Wishes

      Phyllis

       

    • phyllis1935
      phyllis1935 sunni13905

      Posted

      Hi Sunni,

      I will google Kefir Milk and see if I can find it, I not sure if you are in the UK like me but a lot of our fruit in the supermarkets is very hard and even when left in the kitchen for a few days sometimes goes mouldy instead of softening, especially apples because we can never get home grown apples any more, at least not where I live.  I will definitely try this though.  One of my grandaughters used to make smoothies but used a banana as well but I have a problem with bananas.

      I have been having porridge for breakfast made with soya milk since having the bad flare up on Tuesday and have felt O.K. but have had a couple of bouts of diarrhea, when at the beginning of the week it was the opposite and I felt heavy and clogged up which is probably why I had the awful pain that made me feel nausious and almost faint.

      Thank you for your help

      Phyllis

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