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Pain, usually on the lower left side in the abdomen. It is intermittent at first, then becomes continuous and severe

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Fever and chills also accompany the pain

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Nausea and vomiting

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Bloating

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Weight fluctuation, e.g. significant weight loss or gain when not dieting (e.g., more than 5% of body weight in a month)

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Rarely, diverticula may bleed due to rupturing. Bleeding usually stops on its own but further complications that require immediate medical attention, may occur. Remember, diverticulitis is known to a potentially life threatening disease

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Either constipation or diarrhea are normally faced by the sufferer

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If not treated properly and in time, diverticulitis may ultimately lead to widespread infection due to perforations and abscess, which in all probability will require painful surgery.

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Mentha piperita is one of the most effective of the mint herbs, has been used for centuries to relieve indigestion, nausea and heartburn. Modern research has demonstrated its effectiveness in soothing the symptoms of diverticulosis, IBS and other digestive disorders. Mentha piperita is widely cultivated for medicinal uses and also has anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic properties. It relaxes the muscles of the digestive tract and stimulates the flow of natural digestive juices and bile, thereby assisting healthy digestion.

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Sutherlandia frutescens ('Cancer Bush' or 'Kankerbossie') is a medicinal herb exclusively found in Southern Africa and has been used by indigenous people for thousands of years to treat chronic and acute digestive complaints, internal cancers and as a powerful tonic. Recent research has confirmed its adaptogenic properties. Sutherlandia contains a number of highly active compounds, including pinitol, L-canavanine and the amino acid, GABA. L-canavanine is a strong L-argine antagonist that has documented anti-cancer and anti-viral activity.

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Pelargoneum graveolens ('maagpyn bossie' or stomach pain bush) is a traditional medicinal herb used by indigenous people of South Africa. It has a wide variety of uses and is an effective calmative and anti-spasmodic herb, reducing stomach cramps and pain.

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Matricaria recutita (German Chamomile) - With its daisy like flowers throwing aromatic scents everywhere, this wild herb is found throughout Europe. The essential oil of German chamomile flower contains bisabols, flavonoids and azulenes that give this herb its anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and muscle relaxing properties. This makes it an excellent remedy for digestive disorders. Bisabol which gives German chamomile anti-inflammatory properties, helps relieve inflammation on the mucous membranes and promotes healing. It’s a good remedy for stomach pains and flatulence.

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Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) was a favorite herb in medieval times and was used to stop stomach rumbles and colic. It was commonly used after meals to prevent flatulence, indigestion, colic and other digestive problems. Fennel has strong calmative and anti-inflammatory properties.

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Filipendula ulmaria (Meadowsweet) is an anti-inflammatory, soothing digestive remedy which helps to protect the digestive tract and reduce stomach acid secretions. It is also effective in reducing the pain of digestive disorders and ulcers and is similar in structure to the synthetic drug called acetylsalicylate, or aspirin - without the side effects commonly associated with aspirin.

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Ulmus fulva (Slippery Elm) is one of the most effective herbs used in reducing digestive pain and irritation, and also protects and soothes the lining of the stomach and digestive tract due to its high mucilage content.

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Fiber-Fiber all the way! If you take a diet rich in fiber, you may actually half-kill the disease. Fiber will definitely prevent it from occurring in future if you feel you have been on a low-fiber diet till now and don’t intend to continue in the same fashion. Fiber does the excellent job of drawing water to the stool, making it move smoothly through the colon.

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Actually, a diet composed of basically whole grain cereals and lots of vegetables is enough to take care of your problem (both are excellent source of natural fiber), unless incorporating this kind of diet itself is a problem for you! Just remember one thing-the incidence of diverticulosis is as low as 60% in vegetarians as compared to meat lovers.

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There are quite a few ways by which you can take an average fiber content of 30-35g in your diet daily. They are:

› Whole meal bread (no white bread), brown rice, wholegrain cereals, barley in soups.

› Bananas, peaches, strawberries instead of refined sweets.

› Do not peel skin of fruits like peaches, apples and pears. Skin provides good quality fiber.

› Dried fruits are as much relaxing as fresh fruits, so go for some like apricots and raisins.

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Fiber intake has to be increased, but do it slowly, over a period of 6-8 weeks. This will give ample time to your digestive system to adapt to your new diet. You should expect bloating and flatulence initially with the increase in fiber, but things should stabilize shortly.

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Fluids - To avoid strain during bowel movements, it is very necessary for the stool to be soft and bulky. Fiber alone is not capable of doing it, it needs a lot of fluid (water) to absorb or draw to the stool (depending upon whether the fiber is soluble or insoluble). Therefore, a minimum of 7-8 glasses of water is extremely important along with fiber rich diet.

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Avoid processed and refined foods as they have very little fiber content and are also very difficult to digest, specifically if your digestive system has 'derailed' of late.

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You can smartly substitute a few tasty vegetarian foods instead of non-vegetarian ones if you have the will power. Beans in place of beef in chili or casseroles will keep your taste buds guessing.

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If you have constipation as a symptom or if for some reason you cannot have enough fiber for some time, take fiber supplements like ispaghula.

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See for yourself if certain foods give you more trouble than others. Avoid them. Same holds true for foods that have given you relaxation. Incorporate them in your diet as mush as possible.

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Bran is although an excellent source of fiber, it is also notorious for creating other associated troubles. In effect, in the case of diverticular disease, it is supposed to aggravate the symptoms. So, it is better to extract fiber from natural resources named above.

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Prune juice and herbal teas, especially those of chamomile and peppermint, if taken after meals, help in soothing the irritation and inflammation. This they achieve by relaxing the intestinal muscles.

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Exercise – Running and jogging not only tone up your body but also your gut and colon muscles. It helps in bowel movements as you strain a lot less. It also helps in obesity which is also considered a cause of this disease.

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Quit smoking – Smoking is also supposed to aggravate diverticular disease symptoms, although the exact nature of effect is not known.

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All caffeine containing items such as coffee, tea, colas, chocolates irritate the colon lining. They are therefore best avoided.

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Toilet train yourself by answering to nature’s call at the earliest. Good fiber intake shall make your bowel movements more regular and at times you might feel the urge to defecate more often. Do this immediately, otherwise the very purpose of altering your diet will go in vain.