Diverticulitis - Can A Whole Food Plant-Based Diet Reverse It?

Dr. Klaper shares medical education on diverticulitis and if you can reverse diverticulitis with a whole food plant-based diet. When eating a diet with both soluble fiber and insoluble fiber (WFPB) the stool mass is easy to pass. If there is little to no fiber it becomes hard to pass, which can cause outpouching in the colon wall - these are diverticulum. If you have lots of these then you have diverticulosis. If fecal material gets infected here, then it becomes diverticulitis.

Question: Can a whole food plant-based diet reverse diverticulitis?

Find apparel & more with my various funny sayings
_______________
ABOUT DR. KLAPER

Dr. Michael Klaper is an experienced physician, an internationally-recognized teacher, and sought-after speaker on health and wellness. He resolutely believes that proper nutrition — through a whole food plant based diet — and a balanced vegan lifestyle are essential for health. He offers health tips on vegan nutrition.

_______________
CONNECT

_______________
DISCLAIMER

This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of medical advice or treatment from a personal physician. All viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Dr. Klaper nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, exercise or other lifestyle program.

[Annie-]

My mother suffers terribly from this condition, and her doctor told her NOT to eat a plant based diet! Crazy advice... Thanks Dr Klaper. Maybe I can get her to watch this video.

[KochikuShakuhachi]

Thank you for the video. I’ve never heard that this condition can be reversed! I know the pouches stay, but never heard that they can decrease in size with reduced colon pressure.

[peter.]

I had an anorectal fistula that bothered me for years, getting infected periodically and rupturing gross purulence for a day or two before healing. When I changed my diet in 2002, the episodes of infection and spontaneous drainage became less purulent; the discharge took on a clear pink color without any odor. And I remember well, the last time it flared up; it made a pimple-like about the size of a grape, that stabilized, and remained stable and uninflamed for about 2 years, and one day (in 2007 I think) while in the bathtub, I noticed the bump was very soft and the skin was thin. When I stood up, and gave it just a little squeeze, it popped. Clear serum came out with no signs of infection. I irrigated it with peroxide and it healed in a day, and that was the last it ever bothered me. A follow-up with my doctor confirmed - the fistula had closed and the track had filled up with scar tissue.

[patricebrown]

diverticulitis landed me in the hospital. I was one sick puppy (doctors words). I still fight with constipation on occasion. I’m hypothyroid.

[davidgeorge]

Dr. K., Thank you for the excellent explanation! My father suffered with this. He was told to avoid any small seeds (strawberries, blueberries, tomatoes, also corn) and to eat more lettuce. This was not sufficient. Whole Food Plant Based eating was not on his doctors' radar 40 years ago. Do you think that people with diverticulosis should avoid small seeds?

[redd]

I find it much easier to stick to a whole food plant based diet while listening to Dr. Klaper.

[shanasoileau]

Thank you for the info, Dr. Klaper!!
Annie, I love your hair!

[HtownAdel]

Ummmm I went Whole Foods plant based after my diagnosis once I recovered. I ended up getting regular flare ups when I went plant based for a year. I didn’t want to give up but I was constantly bloated. Once I switched to a good lower carb diet and started fasting, the bloating and pain stopped and my bowel movements have normalized.

[carolchittenden]

Can scarring from diverticulosis be reversed, as in a scarred, rigid sigmoid colon?

[Asa-wvzb]

Hi, I need your help. I suffer from diverticulitis and have changed to a whole food plant based diet, no meat or eggs, I eat veggies, legumes and rice, but I do have some low fat dairy because I have high uric acid, so I was told to eat/drink low fat dairy to increase uric acid excretion via urine. Will dairy prevent reversal of my diverticulitis and would you recommend me excluding dairy all together? I get the symptoms of pain from diverticulitis (pain in lower abdomen on left side and when it happens I get pain in the bladder too.) I was diagnosed with diverticulosis during a colonoscopy in 2021.

[incy_eliz]

Why do I always have to do an emergency poop when I walk? It is so annoying.

[rosahernandez]

Hi Dr I have gasterparieses can I eat plant bast

[rianaleroux]

Had colon checked as struggling with chronic constipation and diagnosed okay.. but wfpb (2 years) which I hoped would help does disappointingly not help at all .. any suggestions pse

[DaveOriginallyfromBrooklyn]

Diverticulosis is not reversible. He is incorrect.

[Daren_PNW]

What about spider (varicose) veins scattered throughout the body?