Your doctor says you have diverticulitis, and that you need more fiber in your diet.
A diet high in fiber will help prevent more diverticula from forming.
That diet will also help you prevent other health problems, ranging from heart disease to better control of your blood sugar level, to weight loss.
Your doctor might have told you to get more than 30 grams of dietary fiber every day.
Some expert say that's too low, and that you should aim for as much as 80 grams of fiber every day! If you're like me, you probably heard those numbers and thought, "How on earth am I going to get that much fiber?" I grew up on the standard American diet that emphasizes low-fiber foods like beef, pork, and cheese, and I've been able to move to a high fiber diverticulitis diet in a way that's easy and enjoyable.
Here are seven tips based on my experience boosting my fiber intake.
Check them out -- they've been important to my successful transition to a high fiber diet.
1) Don't look for a "magic bullet" that will give you all your fiber at once.
Instead, make a series of small choices throughout the day.
For example, if you have high-fiber cereal at breakfast, baked beans with your dinner, and an apple with your lunch, you'll have consumed 28 grams of fiber without even noticing.
2) Don't punish yourself by taking away the foods you love.
You're more likely to stick with a new diet if you're still able to enjoy eating.
Instead, add high fiber choices to your meals, and, if you don't have room for everything, slightly reduce the amount of the old favorites.
3) Most popular snack foods have almost zero fiber, so look for high fiber alternatives.
Try eating an apple if you need a pick-me-up between meals -- that's 3.
3 grams of fiber.
Consider snacking on high-fiber cereals -- I even keep a dish of cinnamon flavored cereal at my desk, and instead of reaching for candy when I'm on the phone I munch on the dry cereal.
It sounds weird, but it tastes great.
And over a whole day, I eat about half a cup -- that's 6 grams of fiber without even thinking about it! 4) Enlist your family and friends in your goal.
It'll be easier for you to reach your goal if the people around you are also eating healthy foods -- and they'll benefit, too.
5) Carry healthy snacks with you, so that you can eliminate the need to make bad choices when you're traveling.
Convenience stores sell all that junk food to hungry people who are caught away from home -- you don't want to be one of their victims.
And most roadside restaurants offer meals that aren't high in fiber.
You'll do well if you have healthy snacks in your car that will keep you out of the fast food restaurants.
6) Remember this slogan: "Half a Serving is Better Than None.
" You might not have room to eat a full serving of something healthy, but that doesn't mean you have to make a bad choice.
Just eat as much of the high fiber food as you have room for, and set the rest aside.
For instance: My favorite breakfast is a couple sausage, fresh orange juice, oatmeal, and a banana.
There's a lot of fiber in that combination (17 grams), but I'm usually full before I eat the whole banana.
I used to feel guilty, but now I just eat half the banana if that's all I have room for.
I still get almost all the fiber, and I leave my house knowing I've started the day right.
7) Keep track of what you eat through the day.
You'll love the feeling when you add up the day's numbers and discover that you've met your goal.
If you're close, but not quite across the finish line, you might have one last late-night snack to boost your total.
And if you're nowhere near your goal, you'll be motivated to do better tomorrow.
A high fiber diverticulitis diet is a choice for a lifetime, made up of many small diverticulitis food choices every day.
With these tips, and your own persistence, you'll be able to enjoy your journey toward a healthy life with your diverticulitis under control.