The human body has been designed in an intricate way, and every part of the body plays a major role in helping us perform even the smallest of the tasks. Though quite unique in nature, the human body is quite vulnerable to various ailments. Medical science has ensured that a majority of these illnesses can be cured, and this has reduced the mortality rate considerably in the past few years.

People can deal with a variety of ailments, but the ones affecting their digestion or their ability to eat, are the most frustrating ones. At times, people fall sick because they ate something that their body rejected. In certain cases, this infection becomes quite severe and hampers the normal functioning of the body. Diverticulitis is one such ailment that affects an individual’s digestive system and reduces his normal appetite. Diverticulitis, also known as colonic diverticulitis primarily affects the large intestines or the colon.

An individual is diagnosed with diverticulitis when small pouches form in the walls of the colon. When these pouches are infected or become inflamed, it causes diverticulitis. This condition causes severe pain in the stomach, usually in the lower left side, and worsens when you move. In addition to the excruciating pain in the abdomen, the affected individual would also show the following symptoms.

• Diarrhea
• Fever and chills
• Nausea
• Constipation
• Loss of appetite
• Gas or bloating

An individual suffering from diverticulitis would show these symptoms with varying intensity. Though no particular cause of diverticulitis has been discovered, doctors are of the opinion that a low-fiber diet is responsible for this disease. Fiber plays a pivotal role in the digestive process since it adds bulk to the stool naturally and prevents constipation. In the absence of fiber, the colon must push harder to push the stool, which exerts more pressure on it. This can aid the formation of the pouches in the weaker spots in the colon.

Though the cause of diverticulitis remains a mystery, there are certain foods that can trigger diverticulitis. They are as follows-

Broccoli – It comes as a surprise that broccoli has made it to the list of foods that trigger diverticulitis. It has been hailed as a healthy food since it is high in fiber. However, this is the exact reason why broccoli has been tagged as one of the foods that trigger diverticulitis. If the individual shows some signs of diverticulitis, broccoli can worsen the condition. It leads to a build-up of gas in the stomach and aggravates the pain in the lower abdomen.

Spicy food – Almost everyone is fond of spicy food, nobody likes their food bland. However, spices are known to cause a lot of problems for the body, and it is in the league of foods that trigger diverticulitis. Spicy food has a lot of ill-effects on the digestive tracts. It causes inflammation in the intestines, and this can result in diarrhea, vomiting, and tons of different digestive troubles. So, it is advisable to refrain from eating spicy food if one shows the slightest signs of diverticulitis.

Corn – Corns are a great option if someone is on diet because of its high-fiber content. However, if an individual shows symptoms of diverticulitis, corns should be struck out from their diet. Corns are among the foods that trigger diverticulitis. Because of the high-fiber content, it becomes difficult to digest corn. The combination of sugar and high-fiber can irritate the colon, and cause inflammation in the large intestines.

Cabbage – Cabbage is known to cause a lot of digestion-related issues. It causes gas in the stomach and this can worsen the condition if the individual shows signs of diverticulitis. Though it is high in fiber, doctors advise against it since the breakdown of cabbage during the digestive process causes a lot of gas built-up. This might result in bloating and give rise to abdominal pain.

Junk food- Junk food is known to trigger diverticulitis. The oil and fats in the burgers and pizzas we so happily consume can irritate our intestines. It can also cause inflammation in the colon, giving rise to severe abdominal pain. So, if the slightest signs of diverticulitis surface, bid adieu to junk food.

Dairy products – Though dairy products are a great source of calcium, they can be found on the list of foods that trigger diverticulitis. If an individual shows symptoms of diverticulitis, dairy products can worsen the situation by causing a build-up of gas, and the individual may experience bloating.

Green and red pepper – Green and red pepper are known as foods that trigger diverticulitis. The pepper causes gas in the gut and can worsen the condition in case the person has been diagnosed with diverticulitis. Green and red pepper are known to cause cramps and can cause inflammation in the large intestines. So, it is advisable to refrain from consuming green and red pepper.

So, now that you are aware of which foods triggers diverticulitis make the required amends to your diet.