How to protect yourself from hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are an unpleasant and painful affliction but we can protect ourselves from it if we follow some basic rules. They are related to nutrition, defecation and motor activity, the doctors emphasize.
One of the simplest things to keep hemorrhoids from ruining our lives is to keep stool consistency soft as well as empty bowels as soon as we feel the need for it. When they are soft, stools pass more easily through the colon and anus and cause less friction and pressure.
For this purpose, following a certain diet will help us, in which bananas, strawberries, citrus fruits, roots, vegetables, beans and whole grains should be present. These foods are rich in fiber.
If it is difficult for you to consume exactly these foods in your daily life, compensate with pectin from the pharmacy, with products from the outer shell of seeds, as well as with bran – oat and wheat. You can consume them with fruit juice or yogurt as well as pancakes.
As a last resort, you can take additional fiber, such as Citrucel or Metamucil, and if necessary – every day. You should start with a small dose that is slowly increased over several months.
Sometimes the cause of constipation and difficult bowel movements is dehydration of the body. That’s why experts recommend drinking a lot of fluids. A sign that we are sufficiently hydrated is that the urine is light yellow or clear as water.
It is enough to drink at least a liter and a half of water per day.
Motion activity is also important for the prevention of hemorrhoids. Active movement stimulates intestinal peristalsis. That’s why we should do exercises every day.
Try to exercise moderately for at least 2 ½ hours a week. Or replace it with intense training for at least 1¼ hours a week. The best option is to set aside time for ten or more minutes of sports every day.
Walking also helps to fight constipation and avoid hemorrhoids respectively. We also need to change our daily activities. Avoid prolonged sitting or standing. Take frequent short walks, experts advise.
When having a bowel movement, we also have to follow some basic rules. First of all, it is good to create a habit of visiting the toilet when needed at the same time. Thus, the organism will feel comfortable and will have its own “timer” for the release of the intestines.
We should always go to the toilet when we feel like it. Retention of stool irritates the hemorrhoids and sets the stage for them to become inflamed and bleed during bowel movements later.
When defecating, we should not strain in any way. Relax and give yourself time, let things happen naturally, doctors advise. Avoid holding your breath while you have a bowel movement, they also recommend.
Among the habits in the toilet, the medical people most strongly condemn reading while sitting on the toilet plate. We should get up as soon as we finish having a bowel movement.
If possible, avoid lifting heavy objects. If you have to, don’t hold your breath while lifting the object, but always exhale afterwards.
Pregnant women are highly at risk of hemorrhoids, so women should sleep on their side. In this way, the pressure of the enlarged uterus on the blood vessels in the pelvis is reduced and we protect ourselves from worsening the problem with hemorrhoids.
