The digital influencer Marina Liberato, Gugu Liberato's daughter, underwent emergency surgery for appendicitis in the U.S. On her social networks, she shared that the condition began with strong abdominal pain while she was at school. "I went to the infirmary and they saw that I had an infection in my bladder. But they told me to go to the doctor to see if I had appendicitis.I got my appendix out, all in one day. I got it right at the beginning, so I didn't have any problems," Marina explained on social media.

The condition is quite common and, like the case of the influencer, many people suffer bouts of intense pain and need to seek medical attention quickly. But if you have questions about this disease or how it arises, now is the time to answer them.

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What is appendicitis?

"The cecal appendix is a small cylindrical organ, 5 to 10 cm long, which is located at the beginning of the large intestine in the lower right part of the abdomen," he explains Celdo Monaco Rosella Junior "However, when the lumen of the appendix is obstructed, an inflammatory condition, called appendicitis, sets in."

In other words, simply put, appendicitis is the inflammation of the appendix. Like many inflammations, it is accompanied by a series of symptoms, the most common of which is abdominal pain beginning in the region near the navel, with evolution to the lower right region of the abdomen.

Other common symptoms are:

• Lack of appetite.
• Intestinal changes with a tendency to constipation.
• Fever.
• Vomiting.
• Drop in general condition.

Treatment of appendicitis

Due to the symptoms, as well as the location of the appendix and the complications that can result from this inflammation (such as sepsis due to ruptured appendix), the only form of treatment is appendectomy. That is, the surgical removal of the entire organ. Thus, this is why this is an emergency condition - when feeling any pain similar to those described here, the ideal is to seek a doctorAnd, as you might imagine, unfortunately there is no way to prevent appendicitis from occurring. In general, the doctor recommends a healthy and easily digestible diet, which promotes a regular bowel rhythm, in order to prevent the appendix from becoming inflamed.

How food can help

The good functioning of the digestive system is essential to prevent appendicitis and to help in its treatment. Therefore, food is an excellent way to favor and facilitate digestion. For this reason, there are foods that are especially recommended in order to ensure good health of the appendix, just as there are foods that should be avoided for the same reason. Therefore, a diet low infiber and high in fatty and ultra-processed foods is the biggest enemy of appendix health.

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Best foods

In principle, the best foods for appendix health are those rich in fibers Thus, the main items recommended in case of appendicitis are fruits, vegetables, leaves and greens, legumes, whole grains, and oilseeds.

Fibrous foods not only facilitate digestion and promote a greater feeling of satiety, but are also naturally anti-inflammatory. Therefore, they help prevent inflammation in the appendix.

• Oats
• Quinoa
• Mango
• Pineapple
• Beans
• Chickpeas
• Soy

Worst foods

Foods low in fiber, high in fat, and high in sugar and sodium are the worst enemies of healthy appendix and digestive system in general. So it is important to avoid ultra-processed foods, fast food and any foods that are low in fiber and important health nutrients.

• Embutidos (salami, mortadella, sausage and others)
• Sweets and milk chocolate
• Cookies, crackers and snacks
• Boxed juices and frozen foods

Source: Celdo Monaco Rosella Junior, gastroenterologist at Dr. Consulta.