Diverticulitis is a Western Disease

What Causes Diverticulitis?

To understand what causes diverticulitis, you need to know what happens in the colon, which is where diverticulitis occurs.

The colon is the part of your large intestine that removes waste from your body. As you get older, the walls of the colon, as well as the large intestines, begin to weaken progressively with age.

If pressure becomes too much, for example if you strain during a bowel movement, areas in the colon called diverticula, can get micro-tears, bubble out and protrude. These protrusions or pockets result in what is called diverticulosis, the precursor to diverticulitis.

By age 50, at least half of Americans are thought to have diverticulosis. By age 80, 70% of Americans are likely to have diverticulosis.

Diverticulosis isn't a problem by itself, but it is an accident waiting to happen. These diverticula can exist in your system without exhibiting any symptoms whatsoever, but when the diverticula become infected with bacteria from fecal matter, diverticulosis becomes diverticulitis, which is a significant medical condition.

Diverticulitis can cause; abdominal pain, constipation, cramping, bloating and in some cases, rectal bleeding. Bleeding can occur when a blood vessel bursts.

If not addressed or treated, diverticulitis can lead to serious complications.

The incidence of diverticulitis is rising. A study suggests that it has become more common in the U.S. from the late 1990s to the mid-2000s, with the rates increasing as much as 50%.

Cases of young people getting diverticulosis and diverticulitis are also increasing. This is related to a junk food and process food diet, which is rich in sugar and low in fiber. Even some 20 years old are now reporting symptoms of diverticulitis.

If this pattern of junk food and processed food consumption continues, expect that the cases of diverticulitis will continue to increase. A National Institutes of Health (NIH) report states that the cost of digestive diseases in the U.S. has now grown to more than $141 billion a year.

The good news is that this isn't a difficult problem to solve. The bad news is that the cost of good health is inconvenience. Eating whole foods that are fiber rich will do the trick.

The attached link has a number of articles that can further educate you about diverticulitis, including; symptoms, risk factors, causes and diet recommendations. You can also get prevention tips and ways to control flare-ups.

Diverticulitis can be a painful and devastating condition, but with proper knowledge, you can greatly increase your chances of avoiding it altogether!

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