***Disclamer: Always consult a medical professional before taking on any new diet, exercise, or taking any medications; natural or otherwise. You assume any risk, and full responsibility for any adverse side affects that may occur should you choose to follow the recommendations in this article; and agree to not hold the Author, Publisher, or any other entity affiliated with this article liable. The Author is making no claims of being a medical professional, and as such cannot offer any professional medical advice, prescriptions, or any other treatment options. The following is the based upon the Author’s findings and personal experience only***
Most people are taught that the best treatment is prevention at a young age, as they are given vaccinations to prevent the flu, Malaria, Measles, and many other such illnesses. Still, we all must acknowledge that some things just happen. Which would seem to be the case with diverticulosis. A very large number of the population actually suffer from diverticulosis; and never even realize that they have it. According to multiple sources, it is very possible to actually go without any symptoms at all. No pain, no bleeding, no cramping or loss of appetite – nothing. However, that is definitely not always the case; and what if you have no symptoms, but your doctor diagnoses it? That’s what I hope to answer here. A breakdown of the illness; what it is, what are the symptoms, and how you can treat it naturally.
What is it? – Diverticulosis, which can turn into diverticulitis, is weak spots in the lining of the colon. You know, that organ that men dread because at some point, as they grow older, they’ll have to get it inspected. These weaker spots in the wall of the colon, actually allow pockets, or pouches to form from the pressure inside of the colon. Sometimes, these pouches are small, and there are few. Other times, there are many, and they can grow large. The fact is, that if you have any of these pouches on your colon, you have diverticulosis.
This is not always painful, and, as stated above, there may be no symptoms at all; so you may never know you even have it until some chance discovery by a medical professional. However, there can be symptoms (which will be listed below). Now, if there become complications such as the rupturing of one of these pockets, or excessive symptoms, then the illness becomes diverticulitis. The key word here is complications, or aggravation. Those complications are exactly what the difference between diverticulosis and diverticulitis is.
What are the symptoms? – Now that you know basically what it is, let’s discuss what you might experience if you have diverticulosis. Thomas Bartram, in his book, Bartram’s Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, defines it as follows:
“Continuous cramp-like pain in the left abdomen (iliac fossa), distension, flatulence, incomplete emptying of rectum. Colon is tender to touch and mass may be palpated. Constipation and left-sided pain are the hallmarks. Complications include abscess, faecal peritonitis from burst pouch.”
So, what does that mean? Some of it is obvious, like the cramps in your stomach area. You could also have to pass gas more than normal, or you could even end up constipated. If the pockets burst, the result could be the “abscess” mentioned above, and an infection in the lower intestine/bowel area. In addition, you could end up with blood on your toilet paper, or in your stools, loss of appetite, or a fever or chills.
Natural Remedies – As mentioned above, prevention is an awesome remedy for most things. However, the actual cause of diverticulosis, is widely debated and inconclusive; so this is not really an option. Diet, however, and several basic remedies can be applied effectively to offer relief. Let’s start with what everyone probably wants to see first; the remedies.
Thomas Bartram, seems to offer the most complete offering of remedies available. Including recipes and herbs specific to various symptoms. He recommends a tea made with equal parts of the following herbs:
“Agrimony (to stimulate a healthy flow of bile). Avens (to check excessive secretion by toning-up of bowel tissue). Hops (an alvine nervine for strengthening the walls). Liquorice (to support the immune system). Red Clover (anti-neoplastic to discourage malignancy).”
In addition, he recommends drinking a concoction of Fenugreek, Wild Indigo, or Goldenseal if there is a large presence of bacteria. However, he states that Fenugreek seeds will work in more mild cases. To prepare the Fenugreek seeds, he offers the following recipe:
“1 heaped teaspoon to each cup of water gently simmered 10 minutes. Dose: 1 cup 2-3 times daily, seeds consumed as well as the liquor.”
Let me be clear here, by “liquor” he is referring to the liquid In the cup, not the alcohol in your cabinet. So, in essence, you need to make sure you consume everything in the cup. Apparently, your more common symptom, abdominal discomfort, can be treated rather simply; just add 1-2 drops of peppermint oil to milk or honey, and drink it. My recommendation, is to make a mild tea from it. You should note, though, that peppermint oil can be very potent, so don’t overdo it.
Finally, he offers the following recipe for tinctures, which are much more concentrated forms of the herbs:
“Wild Yam 2 [parts]; Marshmallow 1 [part]; Elderflowers (to reduce inflammation) 1 [part]; Ginger quarter. Dose: 1 teaspoon before meals thrice daily; every two hours acute cases.”
Another recipe may prove to be efficient, is to use 1 part Calamus, 1 part Marshmallow, 2 parts German Chamomile, and 3 parts Wild Yam in a tea, which you should drink three times daily.
DIET – This is the part everyone should pay attention to. Through proper diet you will experience best chances for long-term relief. It will also prevent the occurrence of diverticulitis (the aggravated form of diverticulosis) much better than simple treatment once it occurs. It may come as no surprise, but the lack of fiber, and the positive effects inherent in fiber, is a big cause of aggravation. Speculation is even made that lack of proper diet can even be the cause of diverticulosis to begin with. However counterintuitive to what we just said, if you are having a more serious set of symptoms, DO NOT consume products that are high in fiber such as bran. It will only make the situation worse. Slippery Elm, and other high demulcent foods (foods that contain substances that will relieve inflammation or irritation) are good things to consume until the aggravation is better controlled. Additionally, you should avoid ham, bacon, fried foods, pickles, caffeine drinks and alcohol.
Once you get the condition under control, then you can add bran and fiber rich products back into the picture. Which, unlike when you have the more severe symptoms, will likely provide some relief.
As with any condition, treatment can be very complex. However, if you are looking for the holistic, and healthy approach to controlling any illness, there are almost always options out there. A licensed medical practitioner may even be able to guide you to good sources in your area. One thing to keep in mind, is that diagnosis is always best left to professionals, and if the condition is too bad, you should remember that doing what’s best for you is what is most important. The above information should help you out along your journey however, and once you understand it, you should be able to easily implement these basic changes into your routine; and enjoy the relief it brings.
*My thanks to the medical professionals whose work I must credit the vast majority of the article; especially Thomas Bartram, whom I reference numerous times throughout, and was a key resource.*
Resources:
Bartram, Thomas. “Diverticulosis.” Bartram’s Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine. New York: Marlow &, [1998]. 153. Print.
Hoffman, David. “Diverticulitis.” The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal. Boston: Element, 1996. 199. Print.
<http://www.diverticulitis.net/news-updates/what-is-the-difference-between-diverticulosis-and-diverticulitis/>
by Robert Fusco, M.D.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001303/>
A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia.
