What to and What Not to Eat Diet for Hemorrhoids Sufferers

Piles are what we know commonly as hemorrhoids. This condition is characterized by severe pain and discomfort often associated with irritation, especially when passing stool. Piles occur when veins in the lower rectum are inflamed. This could be a consequence of aging, pregnancy, chronic constipation, and diarrhea. Some studies have also revealed that you can get piles by consuming processed food on a daily basis. Piles can either be internal or external. It is often not easy to realize you are suffering from piles, especially internal piles because they are not painful. External piles on the other hand are quite painful.

What to Eat When You Have Piles

The diet for haemorrhoids sufferers is crucial because a good diet will not only help in alleviating your symptoms, but also ensure that you have a good prognosis for this condition. Some of the good foods for piles include:

1. High-fiber foods such as whole grains

There are two kinds of fiber: the soluble fiber and the insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber can dissolve in water to form a gel. This type of fiber makes the stool soft. It also ensures that the stool is well formed. These features make it easier to pass stools, thereby alleviating irritation and constipation.

Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, is also called roughage. It does not dissolve in water. Its main function is to facilitate the movement of food through the gut and waste materials out of the bowel. It plays a major role in balancing the chemistry of the intestines.

Most foods high in fiber, such as whole grains, contain both soluble and insoluble fibers in fixed proportions. It is advisable to consume about 25 to 30 grams of fiber every day. Care should be taken not to consume too much as this leads to bloating and a lot of gas. Healthy whole grains include brown rice, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, and bran cereal. When you are lost for a decision about what to eat for piles, just go for foods that are high in fibre.

2. Yogurt and kefir

Kefir is a yogurt-like beverage, which together with yogurt, provides probiotics to the body. Probiotics are simply beneficial bacteria that usually promote the digestive process besides priming the immune system against infections. These products are good to eat for piles because they help reduce dehydration and also help in stimulating bowel movements. This reduces the symptoms associated with piles significantly.

Foods That You Should Avoid with Piles

Being that there are certain foods that will help you manage piles, there are other foods that when consumed during piles will either worsen your condition or prolong your healing. Some of these foods include:

1. Red meat

Most physicians will advise you against eating red meat with piles. The major reason behind this is that red meat and other processed meats like hot dogs are known to cause inflammation in the body. This can worsen your hemorrhoids if you don't ration how you consume such products.

2. Bakery items

A lot of bakery items are not good to eat when you have piles. They are perfect examples of refined carbs that are contraindicated in piles because they predispose or cause inflammation in your body. The mechanism and the effects are almost as similar as consuming red meats or processed meat products. Some of the bakery items that you should avoid include: cakes, flour bread, pastries, pies, and puffs.

3. Spicy food

Spicy foods are also contraindicated for piles because they will irritate your gut. These irritants may aggravate the itchiness and pain of piles. On the other hand, spicy foods that are low in fat but rich in fiber such as a burrito containing rice, black beans, and vegetables when consumed alongside chilli peppers and hot source will help alleviate constipation and not contribute to any bleeding complications in hemorrhoids.

4. Liquid vices

There are liquids that can also worsen piles. Caffeinated drinks such as coffee and drinks containing alcohol will make you produce dry stool that worsen your piles.

How to Prevent Hemorrhoids

  • Drink enough water

Adequate body hydration is a key strategy in the management and prevention of piles. Water should be drunk alongside eating a healthy diet with the right amount of fiber. This decreases your amount of straining during bowel movements, thus reducing your symptoms or preventing the development of piles. Most physicians will advise you to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water every day to benefit your entire body and keep your system running smoothly.

  • Exercise regularly

Exercise should be done selectively. Exercises that make you active keep your colon more regular, making it easier and less painful for you during bowel movements. Strenuous activities, including those that increase your abdominal pressure such as weight lifting, will not only lead to hemorrhoids, but will also worsen the current presenting symptoms of piles.

  • Avoid straining

Indulging in activities that will strain or cause increased pressure to your abdomen and rectum are the major causes of bleeding and pain in piles. Lifting heavy objects, pregnancy, and chronic cough, as well as pushing too hard when having bowel movements, are the main situations that cause straining to your rectum. Avoiding straining as much as you can will help keep hemorrhoids at bay.

Conclusion

Piles are very common, especially in people who are involved in strenuous activities or mothers who are pregnant. What to eat when you have piles determines whether your symptoms subside or becomes worse. It is good to follow the diet of hemorrhoids sufferers if you have hemorrhoids to help you minimize or eliminate the symptoms that come with piles.