Diverticulosis, the formation of small pouches in the intestinal walls, is a precursor of diverticulitis, a condition in which the pouches become infected because they're filled with debris. Your best bet, then, is to treat diverticulosis so you don't develop diverticulitis. Many of the following remedies are helpful for both conditions:

Take psyllium (a high-fiber seed) or wheat bran with lots of fluids daily to keep your bowels moving comfortably and to help prevent diverticulitis.

Use generous amounts of raw garlic, an antiinfective, in dishes such as salads. Or take 3 garlic capsules 3 times daily.

Drink slippery elm tea to calm inflamed intestines. To make the tea, simmer 2 teaspoons of powder in 1 cup of water for 15 minutes. Drink up to 3 cups daily until symptoms subside.

Other beneficial herbs include licorice, pau d'arco, chamomile, goldenseal, red clover, and rarrow. Herbal products are available in health food stores and in some pharmacies and supermarkets. Follow package for specific directions.

Hydrotherapy

Some therapists suggest constitutional therapy applied several times a week to treat this disorder. For directions, see the "Hydrotherapy" section in "Introduction to Complementary Therapies" section.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Acupuncture Acupuncture can be used to all.eviate the intestinal.pain and inflammation caused by diverticulitis. It also can be used to remedy constipation, which is a major factor in developing the condition. Points that may be utilized include Bladder 21 and 25, Stomach 25, and Gallbladder 34, along with related intestinal and conception vessel points.

Acupressure To improve digestion and relieve constipation, an acupressurist may work on Stomach 36 (below the knee) and Large Intestine 11 (near the elbow). Additional points that may be targeted are Large Intestine 4, Stomach 44 and 25, and Liver 3.

Chinese Herbal Therapy There are countless herbs that can be used to prevent or treat chronic constipation, the leading cause of diverticulitis, including aloe vera (up to 1 gram of the condensed juice a day-equivalent to the fresh juice from 15 leaves).

Formulas that may be prescribed for constipation include Apricot Seed and Linum, Bupleurum and Tang Gui, Aplotaxis Carminative Pills, and Ginseng and Astragalus, among others.

Aromatherapy

Massage the lower abdomen with a combination of 2 drops each of peppermint, Roman chamomile, and rosemary oil mixed with 1 teaspoon of olive oil to relieve dicomfort and a feeling of fullness.