Hemorrhoids

Diet and lifestyle

In least severe cases the symptoms of haemorrhoids can be soothed by changing one's lifestyle and by making it a practice to:

• relieve one's bowels at regular intervals and reduce straining upon defecation by softening one's stool and sitting on the toilet bowl just for a few minutes.
• follow a high-fibre diet, eating fruit, vegetables and wholefood; a sufficient quantity of liquids should also be drunk during the day (at least 1.5 - 2 litres).

If necessary, fibre supplements such as Psyllium, bran, etc. should also be taken.
A higher intake of both fibres and liquids helps prevent constipation and can soften stool, thus reducing straining upon defecation.

Regular exercise helps stimulate bowel movements and prevent constipation.

It is important to avoid straining upon defecation as well as sitting too long on the toilet bowl (reading, etc.). It is advisable to go to the toilet as soon as the need to defecate is felt. Some people suppress this stimulus to delay defecation: this behaviour can result in larger, more solid stool, which is more difficult to be expelled.

Even after defecation, haemorrhoid sufferers can feel a sense of rectal "fullness", hence the need to defecate again. This stimulus should be suppressed.

Sometimes, haemorrhoids at an early stage can be treated by obeying the simple rules of conduct described above.