Juicing/blending fruit and veg?

[KittyScratch]

I am thinking of going down the route of juicing or blending vegetables and maybe some fruits.

I was sick during the summer and I am on my second course of antibiotics. It's been years since I was sick. Basically my doctor suggested a condition of the gut but I won't know yet til I go for further tests. My GP referred me to the hospital but there will be a waiting time.

I'm thinking about going down the route of juicing and fruit and vegetable smoothies. I know many people will argue just to eat more fruit and vegetables and I love vegetables. However I want to go down the route of fasting or having liquid days. If I do have this condition, a liquid diet is part of the treatment plan depending on where one is in the condition.

I want to give my gut a break on solids from time to time and focus on nutrition too at the same time. Would juicing work? Or smoothies?

I make mystery vegetable soup for lunches every week. It is just whatever is on the turn in the fridge. It's very difficult to make a totally inedible combination but a lot of them are pretty tasteless I always put in a cabbage, that is the only consistent ingredient.

I couldn't eat it for 3 meals a day. I only eat it for lunch to keep my weight under control. I think you would need some variety otherwise it would be very depressing!

I use a blender for fruit smoothies but a juices for more fibrous veggies (you don’t want to juice beetroot!)

What condition of the gut? I have IBD and many fruits and veg can make me really ill.

It's very difficult to make a totally inedible combination unless you add red cabbage to the mix

Diverticulitis

I'm still learning about it and I don't have a diagnosis yet until I get further tests.

The colon develops pockets. Those pockets can't shrink back so they remain there unless the condition is very serious. The treatment is so avoid getting constipated and avoid hard stools because that can cause a flare up causing inflammation, pain, infection and we don't want that. It can get serious.

That's the condition I'm possibly looking at. I don't know yet. I'm on antibiotics now and I tried my first liquid day yesterday. I found it so hard. Surprisingly I wasn't very hungry but I was weak and my head was so foggy and tired.

I'm praying hard it turns out not to be this condition and I'm hoping it's nothing but I have a fever last week and cramps in my tummy and back ache and pain in my left. The doctor located the pain over the colon.

My understanding from the reading I did, there's no cure for the condition because the pockets can't shrink down to normal but the condition is managed with diet.

My colleague has this. There are certain things she absolutely cannot eat because they get stuck - sweetcorn and apple are the two that spring to mind. I assume they'd be OK in liquid form.

I use a nutribullet to whizz up the soup.

@TheWordsmithsApprentice - I used red cabbage once, the soup was purple and honestly not one of my worst broccoli on the other hand...

There are some lovely juices that are soothing to the stomach.

Carrot, apple and ginger or beetroot, orange and ginger are both delicious.

Cucumber, mint and strawberry smoothie is very light and refreshing. It might be nice but maybe sieve it if the seeds might cause irritation.

Frozen blueberries with banana and a dash of greek yoghurt is a good breakfast smoothie.

I would wait for a proper diagnosis first to be honest, gastric issues can be difficult to diagnose and often share symptoms. When a diagnosis is achieved (if it is) then you'll likely be offered the support of a dietitian if the condition requires a diet change. As it stands I believe any 'liquid diet' would be during a flare up only and consists of clear liquids for 2 to 3 days only (similar to the bowel prep for a colonoscopy) or consuming a bland diet (eg the BRAT diet). It should be very possible to reduce symptoms and attacks after diagnosis with the advised diet changes and antibiotics and the likes of buscopan if needed in severe flare.

High sugar or acid in fruit is unlikely to aid most gastric complaints. I would have thought it would be more beneficial to start avoiding the diverticulitis trigger foods to see if this helps, if anything (google can avail you of these), upping fibre (which can prevent diverticula forming and reduce symptoms), ensuring you aren't low on vit D.

I would also start a decent probiotic (eg symprove) and see if this offers any improvement over time. Particularly useful if you do end up diagnosed and are prescribed antibiotics in a flare, stay well hydrated and maintain good exercise.

You're right that there's no "cure" although there is treatment: antibiotics and mesalazine, there is another drug, but I don't know the name. Also, a colostomy is another option, this gives the bowel time to heal.

Also, one thing you absolutely must give up is ibuprofen! This can make the gut a whole lot worse!

As for a liquid diet, this would be something like the nutrisure drinks which have all of the vitamins and minerals that you need. But unless the doctor has told you to do this, you shouldn't really do it by yourself. You'll also need antibiotics otherwise the liquid diet won't do anything. You'll need to see a dietitian too.