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Written by Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND diverticulosis
For further questions or concerns email me at [email protected]†
Last week we talked about Irritable Bowel Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Today we’ll be covering the difference between Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis, which involves the formation of small, bulging pouches called diverticula in the intestines. These pouches are usually in the lower part of the intestines in the colon.
While both diverticulosis and diverticulitis are essentially a condition of “pockets” the one major difference between the two conditions are whether or not the pouches are infected or inflamed. Diverticulitis is where the pockets are infected and can be thought of as a more severe form of diverticulosis. However, the presence of an active infection in diverticulitis makes the treatments of the two conditions very different. (2)
It is important to see a doctor to determine if it is an issue. A doctor will often order a CT scan or a lower GI series, which are x-rays taken after consuming barium sulfate, the drink they give you to examine your digestive system. Due to the presence of bacteria and inflammation in diverticulitis, blood work may also be done. An elevated C-Reactive Protein (C-RP) as well as an elevated White Blood Cell (WBC) count are what your doctor will look for. They may recommend a colonoscopy, however, if the doctor suspects diverticulitis, they will avoid doing a colonoscopy or using a barium enema due to possible side effects. (5)
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While an exact cause for diverticulosis is unknown, there are risk factors. The most well documented risk factor is constipation. In addition, having a low fiber diet, a cause of constipation or a diet heavy in meat consumption are risk factors. Extreme weight loss, advanced age and a genetic predisposition with 40% of people inheriting it are also risk factors. An example of a genetic condition that increases risk is Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (6).
Diverticulosis can cause cramps, gas, bloating, a change in bowel movements and blood in the stool. In fact, diverticular disease is one of the most common causes of lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Unfortunately, diverticular disease is also associated with a higher risk of colon cancer.(3) In addition to these symptoms, diverticulitis can also cause severe pain in the abdomen, nausea, vomiting as well as systemic symptoms such as chills and fever. It can also lead to a loss of appetite, resulting in weight loss.(4) It’s important to have a high fiber diet to avoid constipation, since a low fiber diet and constipation are two of the risk factors.
While some supplement suggestions may be the same for both conditions, the goals are not. For diverticulosis, the goal is to prevent constipation and lower the risk of gut inflammation. Demulcent herbs have been found to be helpful by lowering inflammation in the digestive tract and reducing the incidence of opportunistic infection. Invite’s DGL, Aloe Vera, Slippery Elm and Marshmallow root are some of the herbs that can benefit diverticulosis. (10) Invite’s GI Maintain and Min Acid are also a couple of other options to help lower inflammation.
Infection of the pouches or diverticulitis occurs for unknown reasons however there are known additional risks along with the risk factors for diverticulosis. Additional risk factors include obesity, lack of exercise, smoking and use of NSAIDS.
Diet plays a huge role in diverticulitis. Small foods such as nuts and seeds can get “stuck” in the pouches leading to an overgrowth of bacteria. Avoid nuts, seeds and “small foods” that can get stuck in pockets. Eliminating these from the diet decreases a potential risk for complications.(9) Holistically, we know that food allergies/sensitivities can lead to inflammation in the gut. (7) Pathogens can also cause inflammation in the digestive tract.
One of the most dangerous complications is one of the inflamed diverticulum rupturing. This rupture can cause bacteria to spread to the abdomen, causing a very dangerous infection, peritonitis. Side effects can include bowel obstruction, abscess and fistulas, an abnormal connection between organs. (8)
For a flare up of diverticulitis, you want to calm down inflammation and treat the infection. In most cases, treating diverticulitis requires an antibiotic, however there are natural supplements that can work with prescribed medications.
Eat a low fiber diet; it’s important to give the colon a “rest.”(13) Castor oil packs have been found to reduce inflammation and cramps.(14) Colostrum has been found to reduce inflammation in the colon.(15) Invite’s Colostrum and GI Immune, Demulcents, Probiotics, and L-Glutamine are helpful in reducing inflammation present in the colon.
Probiotics are shown in studies to be a promising treatment option for lowering inflammation in the gut and helping both diverticulosis and diverticulitis (11). Invite’s Probiotic Hx, Core Probiotic and Probiotic Weight are supplements that can lower inflammation. L-Glutamine has been found in studies to promote healing in the digestive tract. (12) Invite’s GI Maintain and L-Glutamine promote improved digestive health.
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You’ve probably heard of the microbiome and good bacteria before, but do you know what role they play in your body? Learn about how your microbiome impacts digestion, immunity, skin health and so much more from Amanda Williams, MPH.
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Invite Health Podcast, Episode hosted by Amanda Williams, MPH.
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By now, you’ve probably heard that the gut microbiome is an integral part of our health. We certainly know that the gut microbiome is composed of many different strains of bacteria. We also know that if we have any unfriendly bacteria that start to run amok within our intestines, then that can create havoc in our overall health. The gut microbiome is clearly a driver for our immune system. 70% of our immune system is gut-based, so when we think about intestinal health, we cannot overlook the role of those very important bacteria that we all carry around each and every single day.
When we think about probiotics, which are taking those good, healthy bacteria and incorporating them back into the microbiome, this is where quality, purity and making sure that you are using the right bacteria in your probiotic formulation really, really matters. I’m going to talk about our Probiotic Hx today because this is a wonderful five-strain blended bacterial formulation that does so much to enhance our microbial environment to really allow our immune system to thrive so we have proper inflammatory responses.†
A new study came out of the Institute for Systems Biology talking about how researchers have identified distinct signatures within the gut microbiome that are associated with healthy versus unhealthy aging. This is key because most people are trying to live healthy, long lives. If the bacteria are playing a predominant role in driving or dictating that, then it would be quite wise that we understand a lot more about this.†
This study was published in the Nature Metabolism journal. What the research team did was they analyzed the gut microbiome, the phenotypic and the clinical data, from over 9,000 people between the ages of 18 and over 100 years old. One of the driving points to take away from this clinical research was that the data showed that gut microbiomes became increasingly unique as individuals aged, so the older people were getting, the more unique patterns the bacteria were actually showing. I think that is why we, in the natural health world, often encourage people to make sure that they are always incorporating bacteria into their supplementation routine.†
In this particular study, they were looking at different markers in the blood and correlating that to these unique patterns of bacteria that they were detecting within the microbiome. They found that this unique pattern appeared to start in middle ages, when people were hitting 40 or 50 years old. There was this association with a clear blood metabolic signature which suggested to the researchers that these microbiome changes might not just be diagnostic of healthy aging, but they may also contribute directly to health as we age.†
Tune into the full podcast episode to learn about the relationship between bacteria in the microbiome and aging.
When we talk about incorporating bacteria into your diet and routine, we’re talking about probiotics. There are certain foods that can be very beneficial. Fermented foods like yogurt and kimchi help to stabilize and promote the proper growth or replication of those healthy bacteria. We always want to try to chase any of those bad bacteria out.†
The problem with many people who follow a Standard American Diet is that the system actually becomes overrun with these unfriendly bacteria. Then this starts to impact the aging process and normal metabolic functions and then we start to see more and more pronounced inflammation throughout the system.†
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I want to talk about the different bacteria that we use in our Probiotic Hx. This is five different strains of bacteria. It also has a prebiotic in it, too, called Inulin which kind of primes the intestines to prepare them for the introduction of these good, healthy bacteria. Our Probiotic Hx contains Bacillus coagulans, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium animalis subspecies lactis and Lactobacillus plantarum. This formula is a very powerful blended probiotic strain.†
Tune into the full podcast episode to learn more about the benefits of Probiotic Hx and the bacteria it contains.
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