Self-care for diverticulitis can include natural remedies like fennel tea, green tea, green juice with ginger, aloe vera juice, and carqueja tea. These drinks are commonly used to support digestion and may help relieve pain or inflammation.
These natural options contain phenolic compounds with antioxidant, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Because of this, they may support intestinal recovery and help reduce the chance of diverticulitis flare-ups. Read more about the diverticulitis diet your doctor may recommend.
Diverticulitis happens when small pouches in the intestinal wall become inflamed or infected. This can lead to symptoms like alternating diarrhea and constipation, abdominal pain, nausea, and loss of appetite.
Home remedy options
Some home remedies for diverticulitis include:
1. Fennel tea
Fennel tea is often used to help with symptoms of diverticulitis because it contains bioactive compounds such as anethole, eugenol, and linalool, which may aid digestion and help reduce pain and inflammation.
Ingredients:
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1 teaspoon dried fennel seeds
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1 cup water
How to prepare:
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Crush or lightly mash the fennel seeds.
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In a pot, bring the water to a boil.
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Turn off the heat, add the seeds, cover the pot, and let steep for 10 minutes.
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Strain and drink.
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Up to three cups per day can be consumed for up to two weeks.
Fennel tea should not be used by people who are allergic to anise or anethole. It should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women or by children under 12 years old. It should also be avoided by women with breast cancer and by people who take anticoagulant medications.
Also recommended: Diverticulitis Treatment: Medications, Surgery, Diet & More tuasaude.com/en/diverticulitis-treatment2. Green tea
Green tea contains catechins which are phenolic compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action. These may help support beneficial gut bacteria and aid diverticulitis symptoms.
Ingredients:
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1 cup water
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1 teaspoon green tea leaves
How to prepare:
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Boil the water in a pot or kettle.
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Turn off the heat, add the green tea leaves, cover, and steep for 10 minutes.
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Strain and drink warm or cold.
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Up to four cups per day may be taken between meals.
Green tea should not be consumed by children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or by people with insomnia, hyperthyroidism, gastritis, or stomach ulcers. It should not be consumed late in the day or in amounts above the recommended intake. Green tea may also affect the action of anticoagulants, blood pressure medications, and cholesterol-lowering medications, so people taking these should consult a doctor before using it.
3. Aloe vera juice
Aloe vera juice contains polyphenols with anti-inflammatory properties and is sometimes used to support diverticulitis treatment.
To prepare aloe vera juice, remove the plant leaves, wash and dry them well, and cut off the spines. Cut the base and let the leaf stand upright so the latex drains. Then cut the sides lengthwise, lay the leaf flat, and carefully lift one side of the peel. Scoop out the clear gel with a spoon, discarding any green or yellow parts. Blend 100 g of gel with 1 liter of water and drink immediately.
This juice is not recommended for children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or for people with uterine or ovarian inflammation, hemorrhoids, anal fissures, bladder stones, varicose veins, kidney insufficiency, appendicitis, prostatitis, cystitis, dysentery, or nephritis.
4. Chamomile and valerian tea
Chamomile and valerian have anti-inflammatory, relaxing, healing, and antispasmodic actions. Because of these effects, they may help reduce inflammatory substances and relieve discomfort during diverticulitis flare-ups.
Ingredients:
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1 tablespoon dried chamomile leaves
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1 tablespoon dried valerian root
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½ liter water
How to prepare:
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Bring the water to a boil in a pot.
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Turn off the heat, add the chamomile and valerian, cover, and steep for 10 minutes.
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Drink up to two cups per day.
This tea is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women or for people who are allergic to chamomile or plants from the same family including daisies, ragweed, and chrysanthemums. It is also not recommended for babies under six months old. People taking anticoagulants, sedatives, analgesics, muscle relaxants, or anticonvulsants should speak with a doctor before consuming this tea.
5. Green juice with ginger
Green juice helps increase fiber intake which may improve intestinal transit and support diverticulitis recovery. Ginger contains bioactive compounds such as cineole and borneol which have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects that may help relieve intestinal pain and swelling.
Ingredients:
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1 kale leaf
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1 dessert spoon fresh mint leaves
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Juice of 1 lemon
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½ apple with peel
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½ cucumber
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1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
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2 cups filtered or boiled water
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Ice as desired
How to prepare:
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Wash the kale, mint, apple, and cucumber well.
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Cut the apple and cucumber into cubes and place them in a blender.
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Add the remaining ingredients and blend for about three minutes or until smooth.
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Strain and drink right away.
Because it contains ginger, this juice is not recommended for people with gallstones. It is also not advised for people with bleeding disorders or those taking anticoagulant medications. People taking medication for high blood pressure or diabetes, as well as pregnant women, should only consume ginger under medical guidance.
6. Turmeric tea
Turmeric tea may help with diverticulitis because it is rich in curcumin, a compound that can help reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
Ingredients:
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1 teaspoon turmeric powder
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150 ml water
How to prepare:
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Boil the water in a pot or kettle.
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Remove from heat, add the turmeric powder, stir, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes.
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Up to three cups per day may be consumed between meals.
This tea is not recommended for people taking anticoagulants or for those who have blocked bile ducts due to gallstones. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should only use turmeric under medical guidance.
7. Carqueja tea
Carqueja contains rutin, luteolin, and apigenin which are flavonoids with anti-inflammatory action that help reduce inflammatory substances. Because of this, it may help support diverticulitis treatment.
Ingredients:
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2 tablespoons carqueja stems
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1 liter water
How to prepare:
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Boil the water in a pot.
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Turn off the heat, add the carqueja stems, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes.
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Strain and drink up to three cups per day.
Carqueja tea is not recommended for children or for pregnant or breastfeeding women. People who take medication for diabetes or high blood pressure should use this tea only under medical supervision.
8. Cat’s claw tea
Cat’s claw tea may help reduce intestinal inflammation including in diverticulitis and may help strengthen the immune system and support the repair of intestinal cells.
These benefits come from its polyphenols and flavonoids which have antioxidant, immunomodulating, and anti-inflammatory effects.
Ingredients:
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20 g cat’s claw bark and roots
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1 liter water
How to prepare:
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Place the water and cat’s claw in a pot and boil for 10 minutes.
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Turn off the heat and let steep for another 10 minutes.
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Strain and drink every eight hours between meals.
This tea is not recommended for children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or for anyone allergic to this plant. It should also not be used by people with lupus, multiple sclerosis, kidney disease, leukemia, blood clotting disorders, or by those taking anticoagulants.