Category: General health

Diverticulitis – What can I eat?

Posted in Diet, digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, General health, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

This article is for people suffering with an episode of Diverticulitis rather than just having Diverticular disease/Diverticulosis.

Not sure what the difference is? Then check out my post about Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis Vs Diverticulitis.

Diverticulitis is an inflammation or infection of one or more diverticula (pouches) in the bowel. It can cause diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain or discomfort, blood in the stools, a fever and various other symptoms. If you have been diagnosed with diverticulitis, chances are that you’ll be taking antibiotics to help clear the infection. You may also be advised in some cases to undertake a clear liquid diet. For a detailed explanation of what this entails, click here.

You may also be told you are allowed a soft foods/low residue/low fibre diet. This means plain/bland and easily digestible foods that do not contain much fibre. This allows the bowel to rest.

Include:

  • white bread
  • white pasta
  • white rice
  • white crackers (e.g. Saltines)
  • chicken/turkey breast (no skin and cooked without adding fat)
  • white fish (no skin and cooked without adding fat)
  • boiled/mashed potatoes (no skin)
  • clear Jelly/Jello
  • limited low fat dairy (a small portion of low/no fat yoghurt)
  • limited eggs (preferably cooked without the addition of fats)
  • decaffeinated tea/coffee and carbonated drinks
  • applesauce, stewed fruits without seeds of skins
  • well boiled carrot and courgette with no skin
  • strained fruit juices without pulp
Even crackers can taste yummy after a clear liquid diet…

Please avoid:

  • fried foods (including fried eggs, potatoes, etc)
  • rare or medium cooked meat
  • fatty meats such as duck, lamb and pork
  • bacon and sausages
  • high fat dairy products such as cream and butter
  • brown, high-fibre bread, pasta, rice, quinoa, etc.
  • fruit juices with pulp
  • raw fruit and vegetables with seeds and skin
  • alcoholic beverages
  • caffeinated beverages such as tea, coffee, cola, energy drinks
  • very high sugar sweets
  • chocolate
  • unhealthy fatty and salty snacks such as crisps, biscuits, cakes, etc.
Save the cake for when you’re feeling better…

Remember that everyone is different and sometimes even these foods may cause discomfort. Because of this, I recommend tracking your food and water intake alongside your symptoms to have a clear picture of what is going on. You can do this by using my Diverticular Disease Tracker which is available to download for free and print out immediately.

In addition, I’d recommend eating slowly, and having small portions regularly so that your digestive system isn’t overwhelmed by large meals. You can pick up more tips for good digestion by reading this post.

What do you eat when you have diverticulitis? Are you able to tolerate all of the foods on this suggested list? If not, which are unsuitable foods for you?

What does your poo say about you?

Posted in Diet, digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Gallbladder, General health, IBD, IBSTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

A lot of people don’t like to talk toilet, but it’s a natural function of the human body. We all need to eliminate waste from our body and are doing so all the time. For example, we eliminate carbon dioxide by breathing it out, we eliminate broken down proteins and excess water by producing urine, and finally, we eliminate unwanted food and fibre by producing solid faeces (stools/poo/poop).

So, why should we pay attention to the waste we produce?
Because it can tell us a lot about the current state of our health.

There are different characteristics we can look for to judge a healthy bowel movement. Of course, the ideal bowel movement would be easy to pass (without straining or pain) and would be soft but formed and brown in colour. However, for people with stomach problems, we can see a lot of different characteristics so keep reading to find out what your poo could be saying about you.

Where does it fit on the Bristol stool chart?

Ideally, you want a Type 4 stool, but a type 3 can happen frequently too.

If you find you are type 1 or 2, you need to read Coping with Constipation. if you have type 5 you may try adding a little extra fibre to your diet, for example with fresh fruit and vegetables or by switching your white bread, rice and pasta with brown alternatives. If however, your stools are type 6 or 7 regularly or over a period of time, you may wish to speak to doctor to figure out what the problem is. If you have type 7, you can look at my post about Dealing with Diarrhoea for tips.

What colour is it?

Stool is most often brown, but sometimes people find that it is other colours. This can be an indication that something isn’t right. So, look below and see if any of the following could be the problem. Please make sure to record any out of character bowel movements and mention it to your doctor.

Are there any of the following?

Now, you’ve looked at the type and the colour. What about anything not mentioned so far?

Undigested food – Sometimes we see pieces of undigested food in our stool. One good example of this is corn. It may appear undigested because it has an outer coating of cellulose. A substance that humans can’t break down easily. Because of this some foods, especially plant-based foods that contain cellulose may appear undigested in our stools. If this happens from time-to-time, it’s no cause for concern. However, if you are finding that a lot of your food is being passed through undigested, it’s worth mentioning to your doctor.

Red blood – seeing a little blood in the stool could be due to various reasons, perhaps haemorrhoids, or a damaged anus. Or it could be bleeding from the lower digestive tract. If this hasn’t happened before, or is a lot of blood or is happening on a regular basis, see a doctor to get checked out.

Mucus – our stool always has mucus in or on it, but often it’s such a small amount that it isn’t visible to us. However, if your bowel movement is accompanied by mucus, it could be a sign of constipation or of inflammation in the bowel. Mucus can vary in colour and appear clear, yellow or even white and can look stringy. Again, if this is happening on a regular basis, it’s important to discuss it with your doctor.

Remember if you have any change in bowel habits, report them to your doctor since they can be a sign of an underlying health issue. Don’t be embarrassed, doctors are trained to discuss bowel habits and reporting yours could change your life or even save your life!

Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis – What can I eat?

Posted in Diet, digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, General health, IBS, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

This article is for people wanting to know about foods to eat if they have diverticular disease/diverticulosis NOT diverticulitis. If you aren’t sure what the difference is or what you have, click here to find out.

One of the most common questions people have when they are diagnosed with Diverticular disease (DD) /Diverticulosis is ‘What can I eat?’. Unfortunately, there is no clear answer to this question. As an active member of various Facebook support groups, I see people all the time asking can I eat this or that. And the answer to the question is as follows.

There is no answer. Based on the latest medical research, there are no disallowed foods for diverticular disease/diverticulosis. This means, anything you ate before diagnosis, should be safe afterwards. Since you ate them just fine before you discovered the diverticula/pouches in the bowel. However, it is largely believed that eating a diet high in fibre is beneficial for those who have diverticular disease since it keeps the bowels moving and prevents stool causing the diverticula to become inflamed or infected. So perhaps upon discovering you have diverticular disease, you may choose to adopt a higher-fibre diet or a healthier one. This could include swapping white bread, rice and pasta for their healthier brown alternatives, eating more fresh fruit and veg or perhaps eating a high-fibre cereal for breakfast. However, there are cases where a high-fibre diet doesnt work out for various reasons and so, you may be advised to adopt a low-fibre diet instead.

Some doctors will advise their patients that they shouldn’t eat seeds, nuts, popcorn, sweetcorn, etc due to the chance of them being lodged in the diverticula/pouches. Although, current research shows this not to be the case. However, some people do have problems with these foods and if it makes you feel better to avoid them, then that’s fine, too.

A lot of discovering what you can eat, is about trial and error. Everyone is different. Many people with diverticular disease/diverticulosis also suffer with other digestive problems such as IBS that can cause symptoms in response to particular foods. So my advice is that if you are feeling unwell, you can try an elimination diet, or you can simply go day by day and keep track of your food intake by keeping a food diary. I’d recommend for those newly diagnosed especially, keeping track of your food and water intake, your symptoms and your bowel movements. You can do this easily using the Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis Tracker which you can find here and download for free. It includes instructions for how to fill it out. You can even take your completed tracker pages to the doctor or nutritionist so that they can help you look at what foods may or may not work well with you and your needs.

Some advice I can give to ALL sufferers of Diverticular Disease/Divertiulosis is to drink LOTS of water. Two to three litres (4 – 6 pints/70-100 fl. oz) per day. This will help keep you hydrated, healthy and prevent constipation. Also chew your food well and avoid large portions. In fact, simply following my Tips for Good Digestion may help you avoid digestive discomfort.

Diverticular Disease/ Diverticulosis Vs Diverticulitis

Posted in Diet, digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, General health, IBD, IBS, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , 6 Comments

Is there a difference between diverticular disease/ diverticulosis and diverticulitis?

Yes, quite an important one, too and here’s what it is…

DIVERTICULAR DISEASE/DIVERTICULOSIS

The condition of having diverticula or ‘pouches’ along the wall of the large intestine.

This disease is thought by most medical professionals to be symptom-free. However, lots of Diverticular disease (DD)/Diverticulosis sufferers will tell you differently. The truth, really is that it’s not a condition that is very well known and the symptoms of it appear difficult to record and monitor since they vary so much from person to person and can be confused with other digestive tract problems such as IBS.

Generally, it is thought that those who have a diet lacking in fibre or who live an unhealthy lifestyle are more likely to develop diverticula in their bowel over time. However, there are suggestions involving a genetic predisposition to develop them, too.

DIVERTICULITIS

When one or more diverticula becomes infected and/or inflamed.

A lot of medical terms or parts of them come from either Greek or latin origins and diverticulitis is an example of this. The –itis suffix comes from greek and means inflammation or infection. We see this with lots of other words too, for example, tonsillitis, arthritis, etc.

Diverticulitis is an infection or inflammation of one or more diverticula in the bowel. The reason for diverticulitis is not well understood, but it is thought that living a healthy lifestyle and keeping stress to a minimum can reduce the likelihood of it taking place. However, there is no guaranteed magical fix-it that will work to keep you free of infection. It is often detected by the use of blood tests and CT scans. However, some doctors use X-rays as a fast way to check for perforations of the bowel, too.

Diverticulitis can vary from being mild to severe with complications. For the very mildest episodes a clear liquid and low residue diet will help you get through. However, for other cases antibiotics may be required or even in some cases hospitalisation and even surgery.

It’s worth mentioning that the overwhelming majority of those with diverticular disease/diverticulosis never get diverticulitis! And, out of those who do get it, only a few get repeated episodes and/or surgery.

So, remember, the diverticular disease/diverticulosis is the presence of diverticula or pouches in the intestine whereas diverticulitis is an infection or inflammation of one or more diverticula. It’s important to know whether a diagnosis of diverticular disease/diverticulosis or diverticulitis is given to know how best to deal with it is.  

Do you have Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis? Have you ever had diverticulitis?

Traveller’s tummy

Posted in Diet, digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Gallbladder, General health, IBD, IBS, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Traveller’s tummy or ‘Holiday tummy’ is something lots of people experience when they go on holiday. Some people get diarrhoea and others find they become constipated or experience nausea. Now, I have blog posts that deal with all three of these issues, but wanted to make a specific post about how to deal with this while on holiday. Whether this is because of the nerves from the flight, new food or water, we can’t be sure. Whatever the cause of your holiday tummy, there are some steps you can take to make sure you’re prepared for every scenario and can kick back and enjoy yourself.

Symptoms of ‘Traveller’s tummy’ can include:

However, if any of these symptoms are severe or do not improve at all within a couple of days, you should seek professional medical advice. You may be able to ask a pharmacist, or speak with a doctor or visit a clinic or hospital if necessary. Remember to take your travel insurance documents and your ID with you when visiting health centres. This will avoid large medical bills.

Drink lots of bottled water

Yes it is more costly and can contribute to plastic waste, but it is definitely the safest bet for something with a sensitive stomach. I opt for bottled water even in regions where I’m assured the tap water is safe to drink. Even just a slight change in mineral content or fluoridation can upset a sensitive stomach and have you heading for the toilet more frequently than you would like. Just be sure to recycle your plastic bottles when you’re done!

Avoiding the local water can be difficult, remember that fruits and salads may be washed in tap water and that the ice cubes used in your drinks may be made from tap water. You can easily ask for drinks with no ice, or if the ice comes from bottled water. You may even wish to use bottled water, to brush your teeth!

Eat sensibly

While I’m sure there are lots of delicious foods to try on your holiday, being cautious while you are experiencing any diarrhoea or stomach problems is a good idea. You can stick to plain foods such as white bread or white rice. Avoid spices and heavily-flavoured foods while your stomach is still unsettled.

After a day or two, your stomach is likely to be a little better and you can be a little more adventurous when sampling the local culinary delights.

Anti-Diarrhoea medication

Anti-diarrhoea medication is very useful to take on holiday with you, but beware, it isn’t recommended for everyone. Those with a stomach bug, food poisoning and diverticular disease/diverticulosis should not take anti-diarrhoea medication unless instructed to by a medical professional. If you’re not sure whether you should be taking it, speak to your doctor or pharmacist before your trip.

Stool softeners

Should you get constipated and find it difficult to eliminate stool, you should try a stool softener. These are often taken in the evening so that they work overnight, meaning by the morning, you are able to have a bowel movement. Common stool softeners include lactulose, milk of magnesia and ;axatives such as Dulcolax or Senna.

However, if you don’t fancy trying medication, up your water and fibre (US: fiber) intake and try get some gentle exercise to get the bowel moving again. You can also eat prunes, figs, Weetabix, licorice and drink prune juice or black coffee. You can also read my post about constipation if you need more information.

Rehydration sachets

As I mentioned in my post about diarrhoea, re-hydration sachets can be extremely helpful when recovering from diarrhoea and re-hydrating your body. During this time, you should definitely avoid alcohol since that can cause further dehydration. This is especially important when visiting a destination with a hotter climate and swimming in the sea.

Have you experienced traveller’s tummy before? How did you deal with it?

Coping with constipation

Posted in Diet, digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Gallbladder, General health, IBS, Medical examinationsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

Getting constipated is something that happens to everyone from time to time and there are many different reasons for why we get constipated. These could include, stress, holding off going to the toilet, a diet lacking fibre, a bowel complaint such as irritable bowel syndrome, poor gut motility, surgery, certain medications including pain killers such as codeine, etc, dehydration or even a sedentary lifestyle.

Whatever reason you are dealing with constipation, here are some helpful ways to deal with it.

Drink plenty of water

The job of the large intestine/bowel is to absorb water from our waste back into our body so that we don’t become dehydrated. However, if we don’t drink enough water, this can make our faeces (US: feces) too dried out and hard, meaning that it doesn’t move as easily in the bowel and is hard to eliminate.
Drinking lots of water will keep you hydrated and mean that not too much water is absorbed from the faeces in the large intestine, keeping your bowel movements smooth and soft.

Exercise

Staying active is very important. The body needs to get up and move in order for the muscles to be exercised well and to work properly. This includes your intestines. Spending too much time being inactive can make it more difficult for the bowel to work effectively.
Gentle exercise each day can really help to keep you regular. For example, a small walk to the shop, going up and down the stairs, or even doing some gardening or housework are all good ways of keeping your body moving.

Prune juice, raisins and figs

When a lot of people are constipated, the first things people recommend are prune juice, raisins and figs. These can all help shift stubborn waste and help us to go to the bathroom. It’s always worth keeping these handy snacks and drinks in your home if constipation is something you suffer from frequently.
NOTE: Those with diabetes should be aware that these snacks can be high in sugar and should only consume them if it is recommended to do so.

Glycerine suppositories

Sometimes people with constipation strain and push when trying to go to the bathroom. This isn’t good because straining is linked with the formation of haemorrhoids and hernias. If you want a drug-free method that works quickly to help get things moving and make going to the bathroom less hard work, you can try a glycerine suppository. They are available at pharmacies and are like a small jelly bullet. Your pharmacist can tell you more about the product such as if it is safe for you and can help tell you about how to use it. You can even get ones suitable for children and infants.

Stool softeners

Milk of Magnesia, senna, Laxido, Lactulose and Movicol are all common stool softeners. These medicines, prevent the bowel from absorbing so much water from the waste and so help it to stay soft and easy to pass. However, near in mind that these medicines can take time to work and that it’s important to be patient before taking the next dose. You can discuss with your doctor or pharmacist which stool softener is the right one for you.

Increase fibre in your diet

Since constipation can be caused by a lack of dietary fibre (US: fiber), it’s important to make sure that your diet includes lots of high-fibre foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grain cereal and crackers, brown bread, pasta and rice.
Bear in mind, though, some people with bowel problems such as IBS and diverticular disease/diverticulitis may experience discomfort after high-fibre foods. For these situations, you should speak to your doctor about if a soluble fibre supplement might be more suitable for you.

Complications

If constipation is something that you are experiencing frequently, it’s important to discuss this with your doctor because sometimes, getting constipated can be an indication of a problem. For more guidance and tips of constipation in children and babies or indications of when you should visit a doctor with constipation, click here.

What tips do you have for those suffering with constipation? Let us know in the comments.

5 Ways to reduce nausea

Posted in Diet, digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Gallbladder, General health, IBD, IBS, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

It is quite common for people with digestive problems to suffer with nausea. This can be because of food choices, poor eating habits, stress, gastritis, medication or could even be unexplained. If this isn’t something you suffer with frequently, you don’t need to worry because everyone feels nauseous from time-to-time. However, if you are feeling nauseous on a regular basis, you should mention it to your GP/PCP or gastroenterologist.

Nausea isn’t always followed by vomiting and there are things you can do to reduce nausea without relying on drugs.

  1. Drink water – Drinking a little water can help to settle your stomach, but take small slow sips and drink water from the cold tap rather than chilled water from the refrigerator.
  2. Take your mind off it – Thinking about how you feel sick can make you feel even worse. Try to take deep breaths and think about something else. For example, put on a TV show or a movie that you enjoy.
  3. Try some ginger – sipping on ginger tea, eating a ginger biscuit or chewing on a little crystallized ginger can really help to reduce nausea. You could also try sipping ginger ale – but again, slowly and small sips.
  4. Get some fresh air – Go and sit in the garden or on the balcony, or even open a window or door
  5. Sniff a perfume – put a spray of fragrance on a wrist and sniff it. Avoid food smells and stick to fragrances you enjoy. Having a little sniff of your wrist can help. If you don’t have a perfume or fragrance, an essential oil or even vapour rub can help alleviate nausea.

If none of the above work, then it’s time to consider a nausea medication. The best idea is to speak to your doctor or your local pharmacist about which product is the best for you!

Do you suffer with nausea? How do you cope with it? Let me know in the comments.

What to pack in your hospital bag

Posted in digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Gallbladder, General health, Hospital, IBD, Medical examinations, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Maybe it’s just me, but after being in hospital a few times with diverticulitis and then from a gallbladder removal surgery, I like to make sure I always have a bag ready for the hospital. Usually, this bag lives under the bed, but sometimes it accompanies us in the back of the car on long journeys and trips. But, it makes me feel better knowing that everything I need is ready to grab and go should I end up in hospital. Below, I’ve included my list of things that I keep packed in my hospital bag.

My List

  • pyjamas/nightie
  • comfortable and easy to put on footwear (e.g. slippers/sliders/crocs/flip flops)
  • underwear
  • wet wipes
  • toothbrush/toothpaste
  • hairbrush and headbands/hair ties
  • lip balm
  • flannel/face wash cloth
  • travel soap/liquid soap/body wash
  • towel (not white)
  • pillow (not in a white pillow case)
  • chargers for any smartphones, tablets, e-readers
  • feminine hygiene/sanitary products
  • comfortable bra/bandeau bra

If course, if it is a planned visit, you can pack especially for your stay remembering to include any books/tablets/chargers/etc. medications.

If you don’t want to have a bag packed constantly, I’d recommend keeping a list of everything you’d like to have with you in the hospital so that if the worst happens, either you, a family member or a friend can see exactly what to pack for you – and do it relatively stress-free. You can keep the list stuck to the fridge or family notice board or even inside the bag or suitcase you would use to pack for the hospital so that it’s in there for when you need it.

What do you think of my hospital bag list? Is there anything else you always take with you? Let me know in the comments.

7 Tips for good digestion

Posted in Diet, digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Gallbladder, General health, IBD, IBS, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

Eating is something we do to get all of the nutrients that we need to be healthy and live an active lifestyle. A lot of people suffer with poor digestion and get symptoms such as stomach ache, bloating, indigestion, acid reflux or even just feeling sluggish. So, what can we do to prevent these problems?

Try these 7 tips to help your digestive system work in tip-top condition.

1. Eat slowly

When eating, it’s a good idea to eat slowly. This way you’re more likely to chew your food and not eat more than your stomach needs to satisfy your hunger.

2. Chew your food well

Digestion begins in the mouth, here we physically break down food by using our teeth, but we also begin to chemically digest food using our saliva. An enzyme in our saliva called Amylase helps us break down carbohydrates into sugars that will give us energy before we even swallow our food. To make food easier for our stomach to digest, we should chew our food very well until it is like a paste and is easy to swallow.

3. Avoid drinking lots of liquid while eating

Drinking lots of water at the same time as eating can overfill our stomach and cause us a lot of discomfort. It can even cause our stomach to stretch over time.
It’s best to avoid drinking for around 20-30 minutes either side of your meal. Of course, you can have a couple of small sips to cleanse your palette or wet a dry mouth, but our stomach and stomach acid can do a better job to digest our food without a lot of water entering the stomach at the same time.

4 . Avoid eating after 7 pm

A lot of people suffer with indigestion or acid reflux in the evening or when in bed at night and one cause of this could be eating too late in the evening. When we sleep, our digestive system slows down and doesn’t work as efficiently as it does during the day. Because of this, it’s a good idea to avoid eating after around 7pm or for about 4 hours before you go to bed. This gives food time to be digested and exit the stomach, meaning there isn’t lots of acid when you go to bed. However, there are lots of other reasons why you might be getting acid reflux or indigestion on a regular basis and this should be discussed with your doctor.

5. Avoid laying down or napping after a meal

Just as I mentioned above, sleeping after a meal, although tempting isn’t good for digestion since it slows the process down, causing food to stay around in the stomach for longer than usual. Laying down is also not a great idea because it can mean acid is more likely to escape from the stomach and go up into the oesophagus, giving us that burning sensation in our throat.

6. Stop eating if you don’t feel hungry

We know it’s rude to waste our food, but, it’s bad for our health and our digestion to eat portions that are much too large for us. Large portions are difficult for us to break down all at one time and can also stretch our stomach and make us feel bloated and uncomfortable. Remember, it takes around 20 minutes for the hormones produced by the stomach to tell your brain that you’re full. This means that many of us overeat. Eating slowly will certainly help us to receive that signal before we indulge too much.

It’s okay to say ‘no thank you’ – in fact, your digestive system might even thank you for it!

7. Eat small portions regularly

As we’ve seen above, large meals are hard on the digestive system. It’s much better for your body to eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day than going hungry all day and sitting down to a huge meal in the evening.
But doesn’t eating more meals each day mean more cooking? Not necessarily…you can easily cook your lunch and split it into several portions to eat later in the day.

Do you get discomfort after eating and have any of these tips helped you? Let me know in the comments below.