Diverticulitis: A Functional Medicine Approach with Dr. George Papanicolaou

Diverticulitis: A Functional Medicine Approach | This episode is
brought to you by Rupa Health and Athletic Greens Over 200,000
people per year are treated for diverticulitis, a painful condition
in which small pouches in the colon, called diverticula, become
infected. Symptoms of diverticulitis include nausea, fever, chills,
loss of appetite, and constipation. While conventional medicine
treatments for diverticulitis usually consist of antibiotics and
surgery, Functional Medicine looks at a wide variety of things like
microbiome diversity, dietary fiber consumption, gut health,
inflammation, and more, to both prevent and treat this
condition.  In this episode, Dr. Hyman discusses
diverticulitis with Dr. George Papanicolaou. They talk about how
lifestyle habits, such as a low fiber diet and elevated stress, can
contribute to diverticulitis. They also share certain foods and
supplements that are supportive and healing to the body. George
Papanicolaou is a graduate of the Philadelphia College of
Osteopathic Medicine and is Board Certified in Family Medicine from
Abington Memorial Hospital. He is also an Institute for Functional
Medicine Practitioner. Upon graduation from his residency, he
joined the Indian Health Service. He worked on the Navajo
reservation for 4 years at the Chinle Comprehensive Medical
Facility where he served as the Outpatient Department Coordinator.
In 2000, he founded Cornerstone Family Practice in Rowley, MA. He
practiced with a philosophy centered on personal relationships and
treating the whole person, not just not the disease. He called that
philosophy “Whole Life Wellness.” Over time as the healthcare
system made it harder for patients to receive this kind of personal
care Dr. Papanicolaou decided a change was needed. He began
training in Functional Medicine through the Institute of Functional
Medicine. In 2015, he established Cornerstone Personal Health—a
practice dedicated entirely to Functional Medicine. Dr.
Papanicolaou joined The UltraWellness Center in 2017. This episode
is brought to you by Rupa Health and Athletic Greens. Rupa Health
is a place for Functional Medicine practitioners to access more
than 2,000 specialty lab tests from over 20 labs like DUTCH,
Vibrant America, Genova, Great Plains, and more. You can check out
a free live demo with a Q&A or create an account at
RupaHealth.com.  Right now, Athletic Greens is offering my
listeners 10 free travel packs of AG1 when you make your first
purchase. Just go to athleticgreens.com/hyman to take advantage of
this great offer. In this conversation, Dr. Hyman and Dr.
Papanicolaou discuss: How overall fiber consumption has reduced
over time What diverticula are and how they can progress to
diverticulitis The symptoms of diverticulitis Risk factors for
developing diverticulitis The difference between conventional
medicine and Functional Medicine treatments for diverticulitis
Using bone broth and clove tea to heal a flare up Why it’s a myth
that you shouldn’t eat nuts and seeds if you have diverticulitis
Suggestions for how to add fiber to your diet Supplements to
support the body Case study of a 50-year-old woman with
diverticulitis