Your feeling well again. GREAT

What can you do every day to try and avoid problems?

Well there are lots of things, however the main one is to keep things moving through the bowel.

And the best way to keep things moving is to have a diet high in fiber.

Now that is not just any old fiber, but both soluble and insoluble fiber.
Insoluble fiber is the stuff that doesn't digest.
Soluble Fiber is the stuff that does digest.
Both are needed, but it is usually the insoluble fiber we lack.

Why, well fiber is the thing that keeps everything moving. And if everything is moving the stools are soft and there is no pressure on the bowel.

We know that the Divertucli (pockets) can be caused by pressure on the bowel. it is a bit like blowing a balloon up. You know what it is like. Initially you have to blow really really hard but once it is started it is easier to blow up.

Relating this to the bowel, if you push really really hard often enough, and one of these pockets appears. Once it is there, how hard do you think it is going to be to make it worse? make it bigger, or make another one. Once that bowel wall is weakened, you need to keep the pressure off the bowel.

TO KEEP PRESSURE OFF, BIG AND SOFT. That is your target with stools, big and soft.

For big and soft you need fiber, both kinds, and water. Fiber absorbs water, so if you have a high fiber diet make sure the liquid intake is up as well. If you have high fiber, and low liquid intake, what happens???? The fiber drys you out (from the inside out) and then the stools are no longer big and soft, they become hard and small and hard to push out. That is the problem.

What is fiber? it is really exactly what it says it is.

Anything that is fibrous. Usually the skins of foods contain most if not all the fiber. One way to think of it is to think what would happen if you drove over the food in your car. The fiber is what will be easily recognizable. Take an Apple. Drive over it in the car, what is left? some white squashed stuff, and the skin. Why? The skin is full of fiber, and therefore holds together better.

This holding together means when it goes through the system it helps clean you out. It helps push things through.

BUT BE WARNED - as a high fiber diet contains these fibers that are not easy to digest. What happens if your feeling tender?? The high fiber will aggravate any inflammation and will most likely make it worse. As fiber cannot be digested and will clean (scrub) your insides. If your insides are tender, then scrubbing them will not help. Just like getting a scrubbing brush onto a cut on your hand, it HURTS. Some for your insides.

To sum up.
Feeling good = high fiber (both soluble and in soluble.)
Feeling bad = low fiber
Make sure you have water.
Fiber is the stuff that doesn't digest (usually)