It begins with a pinching pain in the left lower abdomen. Around the pelvic bone and sometimes a little beneath, a throbbing and painful sensation begins to build. This pain can even extend into the lower back.

If you are a woman, you may think that the pain is related to your menstrual cycle. Or, whether you are a man or a woman, you may wonder if you have moved your bowels properly.

Then you feel nausea, and a slight metallic taste develops in the mouth. You may lose your appetite, and you may even begin to feel feverish.

These are the classics signs and symptoms of diverticulitis.

In every human being, this last bit of the colon winds its way down the lower left side of the abdominal cavity. This region is called the sigmoid colon. It is where most cases of diverticulitis develop.

Diverticulitis is an infection that happens in the large intestine.

Up to 65% of people 85 years or older suffer from the condition of diverticulitis - an infection of the large intestine. Treating diverticulitis naturally starts with balancing the intestines with healthy bacteria, found in probiotic beverages.

Diverticula are pouches that form within the intestinal wall. They look like small balloons hanging from the exterior of the colon. These small pouches can sometimes become infected and inflamed. When this happens, it is called diverticulitis.

This is because the final portion of the colon is narrower than the rest of the large intestine. Sometimes the equivalent of a traffic jam can happen in the sigmoid colon.

Since the 1920s, the incidence of diverticulitis has risen. This has happened concurrently with the development of refined foods and flours, all which can gum up the intestines, give rise to the balloon-like diverticula, and promote intestinal infection.

• Some researchers speculate that 65% of those who are 85 years old or older are affected by diverticulitis. Other researchers suspect that this number is greater.
• Over half of Americans over 60 have developed small pouches in their intestinal wall. Not all of these people will go on to develop an intestinal infection, or diverticulitis.

Physicians routinely recommend a high-fiber diet that is full of roughage, or insoluble fiber, in order to keep things moving along. While this can be helpful, in some cases a high-fiber diet may actually promote intestinal infection.

High-fiber diets are also high-residue diets. High-residue means that a lot of material is left behind after the small intestine has done its digestive duty. This material, or residue, travels down to the large intestine, where it becomes food for the microbes living there.

How well the small intestine digests food is a big indicator of how healthy the large intestine is. For this reason, not everyone reacts in the same way to the same high-residue foods. Signs that your diet may be too high-residue:

• Lower abdominal bloating
• Gas
• Constipation or diarrhea

Several common greens, vegetables, and roots are high-residue. Many legumes, or beans, are high-residue. Popular grain replacements that are used in baking, such as coconut flour and almond meal, can also be high-residue foods.

Because diverticulitis is an infection in the intestines, your doctor will suggest rest, antibiotics, and sometimes prescribe medication to relieve the pain. Often, the conventional treatment requires several days of bed rest while waiting for the infection to subside. 

An infection of the diverticula is an overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria. All bacteria compete for space in the intestinal tract. The more friendly bacteria that are present in the gut, the less prone you are to developing an infection.

In order to help treat diverticulitis at home, it is important to:

• Quickly restore balance within your gut. You can do this by consuming the right type of probiotic. The Body Ecology Innergy Biotic is designed to rebuild the beneficial bacteria in your gut.
• Do not consume any vegetables. Because veggies are fibrous, and therefore potentially high-residue, they may aggravate the condition.
• Avoid fiber that may cause additional irritation. Many colon products and probiotics contain inulin or an FOS, which can aggravate the condition. Body Ecology fermented beverages are a safe source of good bacteria that can effectively treat a gut infection of diverticulitis.
• Avoid all forms of sugar, even natural sugars. Sugar affects the immune system’s response time. Sugar also feeds pathogenic bacteria.
• Make sure your bowels are moving. Constipation or sluggish bowels will predispose the area to remain infected and slow down the healing process. If you are not having a complete bowel movement, take 4 capsules of LivAmend concurrently with your probiotic formula, which will prompt the bowels to empty.

While diverticulitis is a condition that can be easily managed, it can also become life threatening if the wall of the intestine actually perforates, or bursts.

A perforated intestine is most likely to occur when the infection rages out of control and when there is severe constipation or bowel impaction. As soon as you suspect diverticulitis, manage your diet and increase the amount of probiotics that you consume. You will be amazed at how quickly you may be able to get relief!

Product Recommendations:

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  InnergyBiotic 1250mL

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  LivAmend