Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Diverticulitis --- Be a Participant in a Clinical Trial

I've talked to many people who suffer with diverticulitis. The one thing everyone has in common, is the fact it is very painful when they have an attack.

Each person has their own story on what has helped to resolve their problem. For most, it is only temporary.

There are two places I've in which you can be a participant in a study done my various universities and hospitals.

Check out clinical connections and see if their is a study being done in your area. Another place to check for more studies is clincial trials.gov.

As expensive as health is these days, it would be nice to be a part of a study which is the most up to date research in diverticulitis and have it free as well.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Fiber in Your Diet....How Much Do You Need Daily?


Since my mom was diagnosed with diverticulosis, I've been paying more attention to the amount of fiber in her diet. I can't get her to take Benefiber or any other product of that nature. That leaves me with the task of trying to get her to eat enough fiber. It's rather difficult since she never has an appetite and doesn't eat much. She is more of a snacky type person.

The average American consumes on the average of 12 to 15 grams of fiber. The recommended amount is 20 to 38 grams of fiber per day. You need to increase your fiber gradually. If you try and go from 12 grams of fiber a day to 25 grams, you most likely feel bloated andend up with cramps in your intestinal area.

I've got a lot of good information about fiber from the Kashi website. They cover such topics as fiber, recipes, whole grain foods, protein, and snacking to mention a few. The Kashi cookie and cream bars have 7 grams of fiber each. You can purchase Kashi online. I buy mine at a local store. They are a little pricey. The good news is Kashi has recipes so you can make your own.

On the Kashi website, they have 3 articles about fiber that are very informative.
1. 10 Simple Ways to Increase Fiber in Your Diet
2. Friendly Fiber
3. Tips for Getting More Fiber

This website has helped me to increase my mom's fiber without making drastic changes. It's been quite some time since she's had a diverticulitis attack. Thanks Kashi!!!