What Is Diverticulitis?
Diverticula are little bulging pouches which tend to form in the lining of the large intestine. They are generally found in the lower part of the large intestine also known as colon. The formation of diverticula is something that is quite common in individuals above the age of 40 and is not a matter of utmost concern.
There are times, however, when due to some reason these pouches or diverticula get irritated or inflamed, and in some cases infected. This is what is termed as diverticulitis. It is an extremely painful condition with acute pain felt in the abdominal area along with fever, nausea, and significant changes in the bowel pattern of the affected individual.
While mild cases of diverticulitis may be treated with lifestyle modifications and dietary changes severe cases of diverticulitis require surgery. When it comes to cheese, it is a product which is extremely low in fiber and high in protein. Cheese normally does not cause any problems with diverticulitis.
Can You Eat Cheese With Diverticulitis?
As stated above, cheese is a product which is very low in fiber but extremely high in proteins. In cases of a mild diverticulitis attack, the physician may recommend eating more cheese where the symptoms may cause some problems, but they are not acutely painful. The reason for recommending cheese is that it is a low fiber food and gives the body nutrients like fats and protein.
While fiber is something which is good for diverticulitis, but excess of fiber may cause irritation of the diverticula and additionally it adds bulk to the stool, which can further irritate the diverticula.
For cases where surgery is recommended due to the chronicity of the diverticulitis and the diseased portion of the colon is removed, then the physician may recommend eating a low fiber diet till the time the colon heals from the surgery. For such cases, the physician may recommend incorporating low fat cheese into the diet, as it has minimal fiber and since it is a low fat cheese the amount of fat will also be less.
Additionally, it will provide protein to the body and aid in the process of healing. Once healing process is completed high fiber diet can be incorporated back into the diet, but the timing of this is determined by the treating physician.
Also, cheese provides calcium to the body which is good for the bones and the teeth. Thus, overall it can be said that there is no harm in eating cheese if you have diverticulitis as it provides more good than harm with not only aiding in the healing process in cases of surgery for diverticulitis, but also provides much needed nutrition to the body.
In addition, fiber prevents any future diverticulitis attacks and cheese and fiber complement well with each other and provide numerous nutritional benefits for an individual with diverticulitis and thus, it is recommended to add cheese to the everyday diet if you have diverticulitis.
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