DR MEGAN ROSSI: The secret to protecting your gut against aging –

We spend a fortune on products to combat wrinkles and gray hair, and there’s always a lot to read about what you can do to look younger.

Our guts age too, but we don’t usually think about it until the symptoms come on miserably.

The classic example is diverticular disease – something many of you have written to me (remember, you can contact me at the bottom of this page with any questions about your gut or diet).

Basically, diverticular disease starts with a weak spot in the gut called the sigmoid colon, which is usually the lower part of the large intestine. This pushes out and forms a small pouch (with a narrow opening), usually no larger than a pea. This sac or sac is known as a diverticulum.

Most people — about 70 percent of us by age 80 — develop at least one diverticulum due to intestinal weakness.

But in reality, it’s no longer “just” a problem of aging as more and more young people develop them (I’ll explain why later).

Medically, this condition is known as diverticulosis, but most people who have it don’t know it because it doesn’t cause any symptoms.

Often times, diverticulosis is only noticed because someone has had their bowels scanned for other reasons. In fact, the condition is often the most common finding on a colonoscopy (where a small camera is inserted through the hips).

Up to 20% of people with diverticulosis experience problems ranging from bloating, changes in bowel habits and cramps to more severe symptoms such as shooting pains, nausea and vomiting.

Milder symptoms can often be mistaken for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). But while there is some overlap, unlike IBS, the pain caused by diverticular disease is usually long lasting (more than 24 hours) and is in the lower left part of the intestine.

If these symptoms occur, it’s worth talking to your doctor. (Technically, if you have symptoms, your diverticulosis is classified as a diverticular disease.)

In a small percentage of cases, about 5% of people with diverticulosis, the pockets become inflamed.

This causes acute abdominal pain, diarrhea and fever, and in severe cases, an abscess or rupture of the intestinal wall (pocket rupture, blood vessel rupture) with symptoms such as rectal bleeding.

The standard treatment for this condition, known as diverticulitis, is a course of antibiotics, as the inflammation is often caused by microbes that get into pockets and irritate them.

You may have heard that a diverticulum is a sign of a dietary fiber deficiency; The idea is that hard stools cause bags.

In fact, we now know that fiber deficiency is just one component of a mix of complex factors behind diverticulosis, including lifestyle, genetics, and gut bacteria – yes, they are again!

This is because when gut bacteria break down food, they produce a compound called butyrate that helps nourish and strengthen our gut lining.

Constipation, inflammation (linked to smoking and being overweight) and type 2 diabetes are also risk factors for the development of these sacs, which may help explain why we see young people with diverticulosis.

In type 2, it is theorized to affect blood flow (and thus tissue health) and movement through the gut.

So the big question is: What can you do to prevent the diverticula from forming; or if you already have diverticular disease, how do you prevent flare-ups (eg diverticulitis)?

There’s not much you can do about genetics, of course, but by adding more herbs to your diet, avoiding constipation (see below), exercising regularly, and quitting smoking, you can maintain a healthy gut lining and thus lower your risk. these bags.. to shape.

As for the prevention of diverticulitis, it is even more important to move the bowels regularly and avoid constipation.

A high-fiber diet of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains is said to protect against this by reducing pressure on the intestinal lining by increasing the size of your poop and the speed at which it passes through, as well as softening it.

Many of my clients with diverticular disease have found that establishing a morning routine that promotes healthy bowel movements is key to preventing flare-ups.

This routine usually includes a cup of coffee in the morning (it gives your gut a light start), a few tablespoons of psyllium husk or flaxseeds into your oats (see my overnight oats recipe above), and light exercises (ten grains) after breakfast. minutes of yoga or a brisk walk around the block).

Historically, there was a belief that people with diverticular disease should avoid nuts, seeds, and popcorn. In fact, this is based on nothing more than the theory that they can result in a diverticulum, as these foods often pass into the colon undigested.

The good news for all nut, seed and popcorn lovers is that there is no real evidence to support this.

If you have diverticulitis, your doctor and dietitian may recommend a short-term, low-fiber diet.

But once the inflammation goes away, you actually want a high-fiber diet, so nuts, seeds, and popcorn are definitely back on the menu.

Try this: overnight oatmeal carrot cake

There’s something comforting about going to bed knowing that millions of microbes will run all night and turn your breakfast into a delicious bowl of goodness. Not only does this recipe provide good bacteria, it also packs 8 g of fiber per serving and truly tastes like carrot cake for breakfast.

serves 2

• 45 g oatmeal
• 1 teaspoon mixed seeds
• 1 tablespoon of flaxseed
• 1 tablespoon of dried coconut
• 1 extra ripe banana, mashed (100 g peeled weight)
• 50 ml of live yogurt without added sugar
• 200 ml of milk of your choice
• 1 Medjool date, thinly sliced, or sweetener of your choice
• 40 g carrots, grated
• 1 tablespoon of walnuts, one teaspoon of cinnamon

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Divide into two 300ml jars, seal with lids and leave on the counter for up to four hours for the microbes to work their magic.

Stir before refrigerating until firm overnight. Breakfast was served!

Options

Not ready to ferment yet? Replace the yogurt with the milk of your choice and immediately put it in the refrigerator.