Diverticulosis

[Suercc]

Hello all

In terms of my type 2 diabetes, since discovering low carb way of eating I have been doing very well. Diagnosed 2001 not yet made it to insulin and never want to go there.
My dad died with bowel cancer and I have some pre cancer changes to my bowel.
As you can understand I am keen to do as much as I can now for my bowel health
I am rather dismayed looking at bowel health eating plans

Breakfast bran flakes porridge

Several pieces of fruit a day including dried fruit

Jacket potato , peas’ lentils and chickpeas
Plus my fave low carb veggies

Protein chicken fish etc (no problem)

Snacks cake with whole meal flour cereal bars digestive and oat based biscuits

Low carb officianados will know that many of the foods here will spike our blood sugar

Any advice please ?

 

[Antje77]

Sounds like they mainly want you to eat lots of fibre. Which can be found in things that won't raise your BG.

 

[Pipp]

Hello all

In terms of my type 2 diabetes, since discovering low carb way of eating I have been doing very well. Diagnosed 2001 not yet made it to insulin and never want to go there.
My dad died with bowel cancer and I have some pre cancer changes to my bowel.
As you can understand I am keen to do as much as I can now for my bowel health
I am rather dismayed looking at bowel health eating plans

Breakfast bran flakes porridge

Several pieces of fruit a day including dried fruit

Jacket potato , peas’ lentils and chickpeas
Plus my fave low carb veggies

Protein chicken fish etc (no problem)

Snacks cake with whole meal flour cereal bars digestive and oat based biscuits

Low carb officianados will know that many of the foods here will spike our blood sugar

Any advice please ?

As you have managed your T2 on a low carb diet for so long, it is understandable that you would be reluctant to change, but also understandable that you would want to achieve a balance that manages both conditions. Lots of low carb, high fibre options. The dietdoctor site has suggestions.

15 High-fiber Foods that Are Low in Carbs - Diet Doctor

Fiber has health benefits but often comes with lots of carbs. In our new guide, we share 15 high-fiber foods that are keto-friendly.

www.dietdoctor.com

 

[ianf0ster]

I have a genetic condition that causes colon polyps and so need a regular trim of them (I preferred to keep my colon rather than go the stoma bag route). Perhaps it's due to things progressing slower with age, but since my T2D diagnosis and going Low Carb, my polyp growth has slowed considerably. Though I do still eat fibre in the form of low carb high fibre veg, seeds and nuts. Just no grains.

 

[Margarettt]

Hi @Suercc
Its challenging isn't it? I have ulcerative colitis and maintaining bowel health is really important to me (apparently 1 in 9 people with UC go on to develop "other"things) When I spoke to my lovely gastro consultant she said she was happy for me to go very low carb as long as I remembered fibre. I have granola and avocado and lettuce and pakchoi and nuts and seeds and lots of the keto subs I use are full of fibre. I probably have more than I did before!
Not recommendations, just my experience.

Edited to add I've just looked at the list @Pipp posted and I regularly eat 12 of the 15 and I'm still on 20g carbs per day.

 

[ajbod]

I have Diverticular disease, i eat low carb, contrary to the medical recommendations. Surprise surprise virtually NO problems in 4 years, i've kind of forgotten about it.

 

[Outlier]

See if adding extra butter or olive oil helps. It certainly does the same job as "roughage" without the - erm - roughness. Nothing lost if it doesn't work, but might well prove useful.

 

[ajbod]

Exceptional lubricant.

 

[Angela64]

Breakfast bran flakes porridge

Several pieces of fruit a day including dried fruit

Jacket potato peas’ lentils and chickpeas
Plus my fave low carb veggies

Protein chicken fish etc (no problem)

Snacks cake with whole meal flour cereal
bars digestive and oat based biscuits
Carbs I limit severely

 

[Thornliebank]

I certainly find the low carb suits me , I have had in the past had dreadful problems with my diverticulitis, couldn’t leave the house most days , Dare I say it since hearing on here about low card I’ve not …….no I dare not mention it .
just so happy I found this site.

 

[Bcgirl]

After being the poster child for excellent eating….ie, lots of veggies, I developed diverticulosi. The following colonoscopy showed it had gotten much worse. What had I done? I added way more fibre. So years of bloating, gas and just not feeling well…it was the dang fibre! I now eat as little fibre as humanly possible. Now…last September I ended up in emergency with diverticulitis, dang again. So what happened? Tomatoes, gorgeous delicious garden fresh tomatoes. Never again!
I eat very close to carnivore with lots of fat. I have zero bowel issues and have not had any hint of the diverticulitis returning. I just had another colonoscopy and things are looking good. I still have the diverticulosis but it has not progressed and I had no red flags. Never ever going back to fibre! Just remember, when you are recovering from diverticulitis they tell you to avoid fibre…now why is that?

 

[Suercc]

Hi @Suercc
Its challenging isn't it? I have ulcerative colitis and maintaining bowel health is really important to me (apparently 1 in 9 people with UC go on to develop "other"things) When I spoke to my lovely gastro consultant she said she was happy for me to go very low carb as long as I remembered fibre. I have granola and avocado and lettuce and pakchoi and nuts and seeds and lots of the keto subs I use are full of fibre. I probably have more than I did before!
Not recommendations, just my experience.

Edited to add I've just looked at the list @Pipp posted and I regularly eat 12 of the 15 and I'm still on 20g carbs per day.

Thanks for replying

 

[Suercc]

Sounds like they mainly want you to eat lots of fibre. Which can be found in things that won't raise your BG.

thank you for taking the time to reply. YES I do want to identify useful low carb higher fibre meals. I do not want to follow the suggested foods from the diverticulosis diet sheet. Dad had diverticulitis and then colon cancer subsequently. He died of this. He didn’t die of type two or it’s complications.

 

[Suercc]

As you have managed your T2 on a low carb diet for so long, it is understandable that you would be reluctant to change, but also understandable that you would want to achieve a balance that manages both conditions. Lots of low carb, high fibre options. The dietdoctor site has suggestions.

15 High-fiber Foods that Are Low in Carbs - Diet Doctor

Fiber has health benefits but often comes with lots of carbs. In our new guide, we share 15 high-fiber foods that are keto-friendly.

www.dietdoctor.com

Thank you so much for this. Really helpful.

 

[Suercc]

Breakfast bran flakes porridge

Several pieces of fruit a day including dried fruit

Jacket potato peas’ lentils and chickpeas
Plus my fave low carb veggies

Protein chicken fish etc (no problem)

Snacks cake with whole meal flour cereal
bars digestive and oat based biscuits
Carbs I limit severely

Thank you but I could have put the red crosses in myself. Is your suggestion I accept bowel cancer as a reasonable risk in my life ?

 

[Suercc]

After being the poster child for excellent eating….ie, lots of veggies, I developed diverticulosi. The following colonoscopy showed it had gotten much worse. What had I done? I added way more fibre. So years of bloating, gas and just not feeling well…it was the dang fibre! I now eat as little fibre as humanly possible. Now…last September I ended up in emergency with diverticulitis, dang again. So what happened? Tomatoes, gorgeous delicious garden fresh tomatoes. Never again!
I eat very close to carnivore with lots of fat. I have zero bowel issues and have not had any hint of the diverticulitis returning. I just had another colonoscopy and things are looking good. I still have the diverticulosis but it has not progressed and I had no red flags. Never ever going back to fibre! Just remember, when you are recovering from diverticulitis they tell you to avoid fibre…now why is that?

Thank you for replying

Since moving to low carb years ago I have had chronic constipation to be honest. I consume plenty of olive oil Btw.
Now constipation isn’t great but as my diabetes nurse tells me my blood sugar recently was equal to pre diabetic levels I figured it was a reasonable trade off.

Now I have found out about the diverticular disease and polyps it’s looking like less of a great trade off.

As I said earlier, I lost my dad to bowel cancer and I have volunteered for a clinical study. Sad to find bowels not in a great shape going in.

 

[IrishAyes]

I eat a carnivore diet—almost zero fiber. But I also suffer from diverticulitis, or rather I used to. Now I take nightly magnesium citrate to keep myself regular. Constipation=diverticulitis. May citrate is my new best friend.

 

[Thornliebank]

interesting, what mg of the magnesium do you take ?
I suffer From constipation , which Id like to help along , but I’d rather have that than the normal diverticulitis problem
so i will try the magnesium when I know what strength to buy.

 

[IrishAyes]

interesting, what mg of the magnesium do you take ?
I suffer From constipation , which Id like to help along , but I’d rather have that than the normal diverticulitis problem
so i will try the magnesium when I know what strength to buy.

I purchase this off Amazon.

 

[Thornliebank]

Thanks