April 10 , 2007
Diverticulosis
Joanmarie Pellegrini, MD
Last time I listed my "Top 10 Disease Fighting Foods". Several people asked if it is acceptable to eat seeds and nuts even if they have diverticulosis. The answer is a resounding yes. It is a well entrenched medical myth that seeds and nuts will cause a diverticulum to get inflammed and possibly rupture. It is believed that a seed will get into the pocket and get stuck. However, that just has not been shown to be true. In fact, there is abundant data to show that a high fiber diet that includes seeds and nuts will reduce the risk of developing diverticular disease. This is because a high fiber diet will add bulk to the stool and in turn will reduce stress on the wall of the colon. It should be obvious however, that if you notice that a certain food causes pain then you should avoid that particular food.
If you would like more information on diverticular disease, you may visit this web site: http://www.patients.uptodate.com/ for an excellent discussion on diverticular disease.