An Old Herbalist Looks at Diverticular Disease

ABSTRACT

Over 30 million Americans suffer from a bowel condition called Diverticulitis and/or Diverticulosis.

These are chronic conditions for which the remedy must be based upon diet, nutrition and other lifestyle changes.

Dr. Gregory Lawton

An Old Herbalist Looks at Diverticular Disease

An Old Herbalist Looks at Diverticular Disease I have now reached that point in life (over 70 years of age) where I can call myself an old herbalist. I began studying and practicing herbal medicine in 1970, or 48 years ago. I became interested in herbal medicine and holistic health care because of reading Baha’u’llah’s Tablet to a Physician and the dietary and herbal recommendations contained in it. I remember when I first started treating patients with diverticular disease the prevailing medical “wisdom” of the time was that high fiber foods, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, and nuts all were contraindicated for diverticulosis and diverticulitis patients because they were too “irritating” to the bowel and so they put these patients on a low fiber, high dairy product diet. Hippocrates’s recommendation, “First do no harm.” was not heeded by these physicians. My recommendations for my patients was of course just the opposite, more high fiber foods, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, and nuts, as well as, some carefully chosen herbal medications.

Early in my career I quickly noticed that my patients improved, while the allopathic (medical doctor) and osteopathic patients typically got worse and often ended up with serious complications due to drugs and surgery. I hope that the reader of this article finds some benefit (perhaps relief) from it.

Over 30 million Americans suffer from a bowel condition called Diverticulitis and/or Diverticulosis. That is roughly 10 percent of the American population. Diverticulosis is a condition that occurs when small pouches, or sacs, form and push outward through weak spots in the wall of your colon. In diverticulitis, some of the pouches in the wall of your colon become infected and inflamed.

You probably received a diagnosis of diverticular disease from your doctor who discovered pouches in your colon wall while performing tests for other reasons, or perhaps you had the physical symptoms that suggest diverticulosis or diverticulitis.

Symptoms of diverticular disease may include constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, or bloating. Diverticulitis most often causes abdominal pain, which is often severe. The symptoms of diverticular disease often mimic other forms of bowel disease such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

If diverticular disease is improperly treated, and by this, I mean using current medical procedures, employed by medical and osteopathic physicians, involving antibiotics and antiinflammatory medications, the patient frequently experiences worsening symptoms including increased inflammation, infection, bleeding, abscesses, perforation, peritonitis, fistula, bowel obstruction, and colostomy. Please do not fall into the destructive repetitive cycle of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs will only worsen your condition over time.

If you have diverticulosis, or if you have had diverticulitis in the past, you may have been told to eat more foods that are high in soluble fiber. Some of the best sources of soluble fiber include fruit; vegetables, particularly starchy ones; seeds and nuts, and whole grains. This is a good recommendation, as far as it goes. Unfortunately, sometimes, especially when you may be having a diverticulitis flare, foods high in fiber may be too much for your digestive system to handle, and they may increase the amount of gas (flatulence) in your gut. The increased 1|Page

pressure caused by this gas may increase your pain, discomfort, and cramping, so be careful of high fiber foods during a flare up.

You may have also been told to eat more fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, or tempeh. These foods help to promote friendly natural bacterial in the gut or reinforce what is called the microbiome. But, once again some of these foods, because they do promote bacterial growth in the gut, can lead to increased gas and pressure on the bowel wall which can increase your pain. So, once again be careful with these foods when you are symptomatic or having a flare.

You may have also been told to take a pre or probiotic supplement. These bacterial supplements may be helpful. While I always prefer using food over supplements of any kind, I do occasionally recommend a probiotic supplement. When selecting a probiotic supplement chose one with no more than 1 to 3 different bacterial strains. Do not fall for the “more is better” rationale. Always look for a supplement that has been refrigerated from manufacturing to you.

You might also consider a prebiotic fiber supplement. I highly recommend it. Consider using acacia power. There is a very helpful website where you can buy acacia power online, it is called Heathers IBS and there is a lot of good educational information on this website. When you start to use acacia powder please use a small amount, like ½ a teaspoon, and gradually work your way up to more. Keep in mind that fiber equates to more bacteria in the gut which leads to more bowel gas. You probably want to start acacia powder when you are not having a flare up!

So how do we deal with gas, pain, infection, and inflammation in the gut and because of diverticular disease, especially during a flare up?

During an acute episode of diverticulitis, it is “best to rest” the bowel as much as possible. I generally recommend a liquid diet, perhaps with a bit rice or barley soup. Water is very helpful during this stage of the disease, especially a cup of hot water first thing in the morning. This is a form of hydro (water) therapy. I have very high regard for herbal teas such as fennel and basil.

Both are soothing to the gut and basil is known as the supreme remedy for gas (flatulence).

These teas are simply prepared as an herbal infusion (an herb in hot water) and consumed several times per day. You may use honey, it to is anti-microbial.

Some doctors recommend some form of meat or bone broth during a flare up. I could not disagree more. It is the nature of meat to rot when left out in the heat or placed inside of your nice hot gut. The byproducts of rotting meat in your gut are very nasty and harmful. Rather than consume foods that rot inside of you, eat vegetarian or vegan foods that ferment and encourage beneficial, not pathological, bacteria.

I am a great proponent of turmeric. Not only because it is a potent natural anti-inflammation food, but also because it has powerful anti-microbial qualities. It is deadly to the kind of bad 2|Page

bacteria that can cause infection and inflammation in your gut. Cook with it and use it liberally as a supplement to your diet.

I have already recommended fennel seed tea and basil leaf tea. To this I would add a supplement that was recommended by the Prophet Mohammed. The Prophet is said to have stated, “Use this black seed, it has a cure for every disease except death.” That is a strong statement! Black seed oil is another highly anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial substance. It is perfect for addressing the infection and inflammation associated with diverticular disease. You might consider 1 to 2 teaspoons of the oil per day. You can also cook with it or add it to your smoothie.

If stress and anxiety are a factor (they almost always are) then consider stress management interventions such as chiropractic treatment, medical massage therapy, yoga, tai chi chuan, and meditation. There are also very specific abdominal treatment protocols known by a few advanced manual therapists. Many of my students know these techniques. I learned them from doctors who either trained or practiced in the 1800’s. These techniques include abdominal massage and abdominal castor oil packs.

So, you see you do have a lot of very positive options when it comes to treating your diverticular disease. When you awaken to an understanding that your diverticular disease is a direct result of your diet and lifestyle, you can then begin a path toward healing. This is a path where you are your own doctor, and food is your medicine.

For my Bahá’í friends Baha’u’llah stated, “Treat disease first of all through diet, and refrain from medicine.” So why begin with prescription drugs that are known to cause harm? 'Abdu'l-Bahá in "Some Answered Questions" stated, “When the science of medicine reaches perfection, treatment will be given by foods, aliments, fragrant fruits and vegetables, and by various waters, hot and cold in temperature.”

Baha’u’llah also provided guidance that as a Bahá’í you must always consult with a competent physician, but there is nowhere in the Bahá’í writings where the definition of competency is limited to a “medical” physician. On the contrary, the Bahá’í Faith does not discriminate between the various health care professions. If you asked your medical doctor how many hours of training they received in medical school on diet and nutrition most of them would tell you, "none at all." Recent studies have shown that most medical doctors fail to receive the recommended, but woefully insufficient, 25 hours of nutritional training. As a physician with almost 50 years of experience, much or it based on nutrition and herbal medicine, I can tell you that if you don’t study and practice diet, nutrition, and herbal medicine daily, you are not competent in using it with your patients.

Note: I recommend that you also read my booklet entitled “The Role of Inflammation in Aging and Disease”.

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