Take the Tummy Trouble Quiz Digestive Disease Myths Slideshow Pictures Heartburn? Foods to Eat, Foods to Avoid Slideshow

Medical Author:

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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Medical Editor:

Bhupinder Anand, MD

Diverticulitis Causes

Diverticulosis is thought to be caused by increased pressure on the intestinal wall from inside the intestine.

• As the body ages, the outer layer of the intestinal wall thickens. This causes the open space inside the intestine to narrow. Stool (feces) moves more slowly through the colon, increasing the pressure.
  
  
• Hard stools, such as those produced by a diet low in fiber or slower stool "transit time" through the colon can further increase the pressure.
  
  
• Frequent, repeated straining during bowel movements also increases the pressure and contributes to the formation of diverticula.

Diverticulosis in developed countries is blamed largely on a diet low in fiber.

• Fiber is found in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and legumes (dried beans, peas, and lentils).
  
  
• There are two types of fiber, soluble (dissolves in water) and insoluble.
  
  
• Soluble fiber forms a soft gel-like substance in the digestive tract.
  
  
• Insoluble fiber passes through the digestive tract nearly unchanged.
  
  
• Both are necessary to keep stool soft and moving easily through the digestive tract, which helps prevent constipation.
  
  
• This is how fiber prevents constipation.