Diverticula are small sacs that occur on your large intestine (also called your colon). These sacs occur in anatomical points of weakness where the blood vessels enter from the outside of the intestine to nourish the mucosa surface underneath. Although about 10% of people over the age of 40 have diverticulosis, most people never realize that they have these small sacs until they run into the problem of bleeding or infection.

Because these diverticula are small sacs, some people think that they must stay away from eating seeds because these seeds can get stuck in the openings of these sacs. The majority of scientific literature does not supports this hypothesis therefore Dr. Belsley does not typically recommend avoidance of nuts, popcorn, and sunflower, pumpkin, caraway, or sesame seeds as a measure to avoid future attacks of diverticulitis or bleeding.

The gallbladder stores about 50ml of bile which is produced in the liver, emulsifies fats and neutralizes acids in partly digested food. After being stored in the gallbladder, the bile becomes more concentrated than when it leaves the liver, increasing its potency and intensifying its effect on fats. Most digestion occurs in the duodenum.

After your gallbladder is removed surgically there are no long term restrictions on your diet. Some people do complain of increased gas or bloating after meals for up to several weeks after surgery but these complaints are similar as to other operations on the intestines and will improve within a few weeks of having your operation.

Typically a safe suggestion is to alter your diet (at least temporarily during the post-operative period) and to try to eat in a 'heart healthy' manner which includes restricting amounts of saturated fats and high cholesterol foods.