Supplemental fiber?

[CathyA]

I recently had diverticulitis for the first time. Saw my doc this morning and he said that supplemental fiber is important to take, even though I eat a ton of veggies. Anyone try several of them and find that some have fewer side-effects than others? I think I want to steer clear of the grain based ones, but I'm not sure the others are without their problems either.
Any input? (And make that high-fiber input). :~)

[kib]

I take about 1.5T of psyllium husk a day. It's available in capsules but much less expensive loose, my grocery sells it in the bulk bin. (It's also available loose in a jar in the section with the other fiber products like Metamucil). It's about $8 per pound, but a pound is a lot, it's very light. (Note: I get whole husk, not powder, which tends to turn gooey very fast).

I mix a cup of spicy veggie juice and a cup of water and mix the husk in and drink it cold and reasonably quickly as my afternoon snack. It's effective and I haven't noticed side effects at that dosage. With any fiber, it's important to drink plenty of liquid throughout the day.

The only drawback to this is that if you leave it sitting for any length of time, it will get too thick and gluey to be pleasant.

[IshbelRobertson]

I eat porridge made with steel cut oats every morning for various reasons, including the fibre. I serve it the traditional Scots way, soaked overnight, cooked with half water, half milk. Served with a sprinkle of salt and a smidgeon of milk.

I also make oatcakes to eat with cheese and to crumble into home made soups.

[lessisbest]

There are a number of different types of fiber and you can find some information at this WebMD site to get you started: http://www.webmd.com/diet/compare-dietary-fibers Make sure you are using the "right" kind of fiber for the condition.

Some of the different high-fiber foods I add to our diet are:

-hi-maize resistant starch (it passes to the large intestine and acts like dietary fiber, helping to improve digestive health) I purchase it by the 5# bag from Honeyville Grain - http://shop.honeyville.com/hi-maize-resistant-starch.html 15 grams of Hi-Maize contains 9 grams of dietary fiber, which is twice as much fiber contained in 1 cup of oatmeal. I use it in baked goods and gluten-free recipes.

-coconut flour(which contains the highest percentage of dietary fiber in comparison to other flours)

-chia seeds (Chia seeds are a great source of soluble fiber. When mixed with water they produce a ‘chia gel’. This soft and fibrous gel not only scrubs and cleans intestinal walls as it travels through the body, becoming a bulking agent that improves the consistency of stool. One ounce of chia seeds = 9.8 g. of fiber.)

-flax seeds (ground)
(I mix chia and flax 50/50 and mill them in a coffee/spice mill and store it in the freezer. I use about 2-cups per week - add it to anything and everything - almost ;).)

[Williamsmith]

My wife suffers from the same. All her doctor ever seems to do is order a course of antibiotics and some other crap that makes her lose interest in food altogether. You would think that some fiber would be in order but no. I told her she ought to fire that doctor. Her mother had colon cancer, it runs in the family.

What specifically does the fiber do to treat the problem?

[Gardenarian]

I also use psyllium husks. My co-op sells it in 1 pound bags for $6. It's a very affordable supplement and has been used for ages, so I feel comfortable taking it. It's probable best to start with a small amount and increase it as needed.
It is not grain based and provides both soluble and insoluble fiber.

[lessisbest]

My wife suffers from the same. All her doctor ever seems to do is order a course of antibiotics and some other crap that makes her lose interest in food altogether. You would think that some fiber would be in order but no. I told her she ought to fire that doctor. Her mother had colon cancer, it runs in the family.

What specifically does the fiber do to treat the problem?

This is one of those conditions "they (doctors/science) aren't sure", yet they continue to treat it.... "Science" doesn't agree on cause or treatment, but all gut issues are seemingly linked, and eventually linked to other disease/conditions when you thoroughly study the subject. So take care of the digestive and elimination system and you will increase the chances to have better all-around health.

The "Standard American Diet" is drastically low in fiber and high in sugar, salt, and fat, which tend to increase many disease conditions. There are other things, like lack of exercise, obesity, and smoking - even some medications (Rx and over the counter) - that can contribute to the problem. Age is also a factor. It's not a one-size-fits-all cause or treatment. There are studies that indicate a low-fiber diet may contribute to diverticular disease. Some people find avoiding small seeds in foods can help because they can lodge in the "pooch" in the intestine and cause an infection or flare-up.

I bet the "crap" your wife is taking is a fiber supplement. My sister has this condition and when she stopped taking the Rx "crap", she lost a significant amount of water-weight, got back her appetite, and felt better than she had for years while taking the Rx. Now she is on a better diet, went gluten-free, and avoids raw vegetables (she does better when she eats vegetables lightly steamed, but eats a lot of them). She also takes a probiotic, which adds "good" bacteria which can help with this problem.

[Tiam]

I like this better than just plain psyllium. http://www.amazon.com/Super-Colon-Cleanse-500mg-capsules/dp/B000KPO9QG

[kib]

I bet the "crap" your wife is taking is a fiber supplement.
I bet the crap your wife is taking is better than the one she'd be taking without the fiber supplement. ... Sorry, couldn't resist. :~)

[rodeosweetheart]

Cathy, I am trying to start most days with a bowl of oatmeal for fiber sake and heart health, although I know that for example Dr. Mercola recommends against any grains. However, having been a patient of Dr. Mercola's, I take all his advice with a grain of salt.

[pony mom]

I eat old-fashioned oatmeal (the slow-cooking kind) with about 2 tbsp. of ground flaxseed every morning. With 2 scrambled eggs, it's very filling.

[lessisbest]

Cathy, I am trying to start most days with a bowl of oatmeal for fiber sake and heart health, although I know that for example Dr. Mercola recommends against any grains. However, having been a patient of Dr. Mercola's, I take all his advice with a grain of salt.

For rodeosweetheart, and others who are eating a lot of oatmeal, especially daily, you need to make sure you are soaking it. Oats contain more phytates than almost any other grain. The phytates are contained in the bran and oats can have a chelating or detoxifying effect. When Oat Bran was all the fad, people had beneficial results at first when consuming it, but frequent ingestion of unsoaked oat bran (and oats/oatmeal) can lead to mineral losses, allergies and irritation of the intestinal tract (source: Nourishing Traditions - by Sally Fallon with Mary G. Enig, Ph.D.).

I add a little buckwheat (cereal - I mill my own, or groats) because they are gluten-free to help reduce the phytic acid in oatmeal. More information on soaking oats (and other grains) can be found at "The Nourishing Home: http://thenourishinghome.com/2012/03/how-to-soak-grains-for-optimal-nutrition/

In Scotland, they used to make a large kettle of porridge (oatmeal) and would pour it into a kitchen drawer. Throughout the week they would cut a portion out of the drawer, add more water, and have "instant" oatmeal. This was a second fermentation, and very beneficial. We don't need to use the kitchen drawer, but we can make enough oatmeal for the week and keep it in the refrigerator. I have a recipe for Overnight Oatmeal and you can eat the recipe cold, or reheated.

[CathyA]

I'm not sure that some of us can get enough fiber just in the foods we eat. Is this just a myth, or is it true, that some of us, regardless of how much fiber we consume in a day (non-absorbable), it's not enough for our best GI health.?
I don't want to turn to store-bought stuff if it isn't necessary. I can't handle oatmeal very well because of it being so high carb. I can handle ground flax seed.......but can that sprinkled on a few things every day be as good as the OTC products for increasing fiber?

[lessisbest]

I'm not sure that some of us can get enough fiber just in the foods we eat. Is this just a myth, or is it true, that some of us, regardless of how much fiber we consume in a day (non-absorbable), it's not enough for our best GI health.?
I don't want to turn to store-bought stuff if it isn't necessary. I can't handle oatmeal very well because of it being so high carb. I can handle ground flax seed.......but can that sprinkled on a few things every day be as good as the OTC products for increasing fiber?

I think it also requires good probiotics.... That's why we consume both milk kefir and water kefir (both homemade with real kefir grains) throughout the day. We have one Perfect Biotics capsule daily with the first meal of the day.

There is also beneficial bacteria in the soil (or there ONCE was beneficial bacteria in the soil - it has now been depleated) called homeostatic soil organisms (HSOs) that go beyond probiotics. I heard Ann Louise Gittleman, M.S., C.N.S., give a talk on the subject several years ago and I purchased her booklet "Beyond Probiotics" - The revolutionary rediscovery of a missing link in our immune system (A Keats Good Health Guide - $3.95).

[CathyA]

Thanks lessisbest..........I do eat a good yogurt every day and need to get back in the habit of taking the probiotic pills I have.
I thought I was home-free after being on Cipro/Flagyl for a week, but 3 days after I stopped, I developed a horrible case of yeast.......in my mouth too. So now I'm on diflucan. I feel like I'm chasing my tail.

[Tiam]

Thanks lessisbest..........I do eat a good yogurt every day and need to get back in the habit of taking the probiotic pills I have.
I thought I was home-free after being on Cipro/Flagyl for a week, but 3 days after I stopped, I developed a horrible case of yeast.......in my mouth too. So now I'm on diflucan. I feel like I'm chasing my tail.

Adding psyllium or even probiotics is adding to our diets in a supplemental form. I don't think it's a bad thing necessarily, it's just finding what works for you. The one I mentioned is a supplement, but it's just psyllium and herbs like Senna and peppermint and fennel and acidolophulous. Yes, it's a supplement, but it's natural. I would probably not get enough probiotics from diet so I would have to make a point of adding them in; therefore: Supplemental. I have read that if everyone ate as much fiber as recommended no one would gain weight, and that's true, because if you look at what you would have to eat to get enough fiber from diet alone you would be doing a lot of chewing throughout the day. Planning your meals to be high in raw veggies and fruits, and high fiber grains at every meal to equal 30 grams of fiber or more is an eye opener. Not impossible, just kind of a challenge.

[CathyA]

Thanks everyone. I should remind everyone that there's soluble and insoluble fiber. Both are important, but I guess for the diverticulosis, the insoluble is best, since it stays in your GI track.
Got my colonoscopy scheduled. Whoopie! :~)

[freshstart]

my gastroenterologist guy was treating me for problems after giving birth and he said he swears by Konsyl powder you mix with water, it's OTC, drugstores have it. Tons of fiber, tastes gross but you get used to it. The hospice docs suggest it as well. Then the usual suspects for fruits and veg, and All Bran, $4 for a box of sticks.