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" Reader Question: I was recently diagnosed with diverticulosis. Can you explain what this means, and why my doctor told me not to eat nuts or seeds anymore? Diverticulosis is a condition wherein diverticuli\u2014small pouches or protrusions\u2014develop in the intestinal wall. It&amp;#039;s very common; more than 70 percent of people over 40 experience it. The real problem isn&amp;#039;t the diverticulosis, it&amp;#039;s that the pouches have the potential to get stopped up and inflamed, which can result in an infection known as diverticulitis. This can lead to severe abdominal pain, rectal bleeding and fever, and while drinking clear liquids and a treatment of antibiotics can sometimes remedy the symptoms, in other cases surgery is required. The goal is to prevent the pouches from becoming infected in the first place. That&amp;#039;s why some doctors tell patients to avoid nuts and seeds, which they believe can get stuck and lead to inflammation of the diverticuli. But there&amp;#039;s really no hard data to support this theory, so some doctors have relaxed the rule. The newest guidelines are to eat plenty of fiber to keep things moving through your digestive tract, and to pay careful attention to which foods cause a sore or irritated feeling in your stomach. If that includes nuts and seeds, then you should stay away from them. If not, it&amp;#039;s fine for you to enjoy them in moderation. I want to hear from you, so e-mail me your questions at dailywd@womansday.com.  Disclaimer: Your seeking information on health related topics and/or Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, MD&amp;#039;s providing such information herein constitutes neither the solicitation of nor the provision of medical advice, services, care or treatment. Communication with Dr. Fryhofer on this website does not create a doctor/patient relationship. For concerns about your own particular medical condition, you should consult your own medical professional, who can examine and evaluate you. Communication on a website is not a substitute for taking an active role in your own medical care and treatment and being personally seen by a physician of choice in your area.  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/life/a41331/diverticulosis-5901/>