Q I am a male office worker in my 50s. Why do diverticula form more easily with age, and is there a specific reason I should be careful?
A As we age, the connective tissue of the colon wall weakens and elasticity decreases, making it more vulnerable to pressure. Combined with a low-fiber diet, a sedentary lifestyle, and constipation, the risk of diverticulum formation increases.
Detailed Answer
From the 40s onward, the colon muscle layer and connective tissue begin to weaken with aging. Middle-aged Korean men have a diet low in vegetables and fruits and centered on meat and processed foods, with lack of exercise, making chronic constipation more likely. The more the colon repeatedly contracts strongly to move hard stools, the more easily the weakened wall is pushed out.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
In Korean medicine, this is interpreted as a state where qi deficiency (氣虛) and yin deficiency (陰虛) prevent the intestine from performing its proper function. Herbal medicine that tonifies qi (補氣) and moistens the intestine (潤腸) supplies nutrition to the intestinal mucosa and maintains peristalsis gently, which is helpful for prevention and management.
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