Living with diverticulitis: How do I keep it from coming back?

Onions are the worst for me!!!

The more serious your episode of diverticulitis, the less fiber you should eat. No peas (skin), no blueberries (skin), etc, carrots very well cooked are good. When I was awaiting my colon resection because of a perforated colon, caused by diverticulitis, I would make an instant pot chicken soup with carrots and chicken thighs. I could eat the soft carrots and the juicy, but cooked chicken. I would add noodles to the broth another night and just have soup. When feeling better, I'd take the soup, make a gravy with it and have an open-faced hot chicken sandwich smothered in soup gravy with Bob Evans ready made mashed potatoes... all low fiber, several different meals for the week. I tried to keep portions smaller and eat more frequently.

My doctor recommends eating 5-6 small meals a day. Easier to digest smaller portions.

In the morning, I have a cup of mixed caffeine and decafe coffee so I can take all my vitamins with a slice of pound cake, a banana and an English muffin with avocado toasted lightly. Then I try not to eat anything during the day. But, i I get real hungry, I will eat an apple with some Oaxaca cheese. Maybe some blueberries with yogurt. It holds me over until I make some dinner. I'm afraid to eat too much. Never know what my stomach will do each day. Seems to work so far. But, never know when I will be surprised.

My doctor recommends eating 5-6 small meals a day. Easier to digest smaller portions.

Is there a way to prevent diverticulitis from recurring? Is there a change in diet that can help heal the colon issue that causes it?

Have to find one first. But thanks.

Some direction from a registered dietician may help you, @maxine50.

I'm certainly wishing you luck, @lucy155 !

You are a determined 70 year-old and I'm so happy for you. I like your balanced approach to recovery from both the hip replacement as well as the abdominal surgery.

Your step-by-step approach to recovery, both with eating and exercise, would benefit anyone who is recovering from surgery.

Will you let me know how the golfing goes on Saturday? (I don't need the score, just a report on how it felt to be back on the course!)

Four months from resection surgery and seven months from hip replacement, my first round of 18 holes felt wonderful! I had absolutely no problem with energy level (score, well that's another story!). I was thrilled with the day, grateful for my excellent medical team, hip, colon, and bladder doctors.