Introduction:

Diverticulis is the inflammation of a diverticulum or diverticula in the intestinal tract and especially in the colon. It can produce pockets of weakened tissue wall in the bowel which collect faeces and impair its departure from the body. When these pockets become inflamed they are known as diverticilitis which can be confirmed by endoscopy. Symptoms will range from pain, bloating, rectal bleeding anorexia and fever. They can precede into more serious conditions but are usually benign and very common due to our refined modern diets devoid in fibre and rich in trans fatty acids.

Nutritional Advice:

Any fibrous or indigestible pieces of food should be avoided, particularly raw skins of fruits and vegetables or their seeds. They can easily set off intense pain and although the problem has usually started through a lack of raw fibrous and unrefined food in the diet this is not the time to introduce it.

Nutritious baby food must be adopted - cooking apples stewed in spring water with their skins, seeds and core, with cinnamon, vanilla or nutmeg to flavour. Sieve the pulp and eat daily with arrowroot and slippery elm. Alternatively consume separately. Add a teaspoon of each to a bowl of apple puree, with a teaspoon of cinnamon. Honey may be added for taste. Continue until the inflammation, bleeding and pain subside.

Buy a juicer - juicing fruits and vegetables will give first class nutrition and aid easy digestion. Superfood is another option and is perhaps the easiest method of providing an instant, nutritious 'meal'.

When the colon has started to heal itself, try steaming your vegetables, and try very small amounts of finely grated de-skinned carrots and beetroots as an effort to approach raw foods. Make vegetable purees in the liquidizer, but leave the skin on.

After a few weeks quinoa and eventually rice can be tried and all the other whole grains, but chewing must become a must, so that all food arrives well mushed and changed beyond recognition of earlier fibre content!

Herb Quality:

A large proportion of our herbs are grown in English soils, harvested using bio-chemistry analysis and many but not always, processed fresh, which heightens their remedial properties. The majority are grown organically and or sustainably wild-crafted. All manufacturing is carried out using licensed good manufacturing practice.

DO NOT MIX HERBAL MEDICINE AND GP PRESCRIBED MEDICATION WITHOUT THE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF YOUR GP OR PRACTIONER

Natural Healing:

For acute pain - use sitz baths and castor oil packs.