Preventing Hemorrhoids with Your Diet

Preventing Hemorrhoids with Your DietDiet plays an important role in your overall health, including your risk of developing hemorrhoids. For Los Angeles residents, diet can both help you prevent hemorrhoids and reduce your chances of causing pain in existing hemorrhoids, making careful dietary choices important for anyone who suffers from this painful problem.

Some foods will help you keep bowel movements regular, reducing the strain and pressure that can contribute to hemorrhoid development. Other foods can make hemorrhoids worse by contributing to constipation or diarrhea, and as such should be avoided by hemorrhoid sufferers.

Whether you’re currently suffering from hemorrhoids in Los Angeles or simply hope to avoid them in the future, it will help to learn:

What to Eat

When it comes to preventing any problem of the gastrointestinal system, we hear a lot about fiber. This crucial nutrient both bulks up and softens stool, making it easier to pass without putting undue strain on the blood vessels in the rectum. Though between 25 and 35 grams of fiber can be a good goal for hemorrhoid prevention, you can ask your colorectal specialist for a more specific recommended daily value. Fiber can come from many sources like:

  • Oatmeal and bran
  • Whole-grain bread
  • Fresh fruits and vegetables
  • Fiber supplements

As another aid to regularity, you should aim to drink at least eight glasses of water each day. Adequate hydration will greatly reduce your risk of constipation and ensure that bowel movements go smoothly. Fluids other than water can provide hydration, but this does not include alcoholic beverages or soda.

We’re also learning more and more about the role that bacteria can play in the digestive system. Probiotic foods that contain beneficial bacteria may help you treat and avoid hemorrhoids. Probiotics can be found in supplement form or foods like:

  • Fermented vegetables (sauerkraut)
  • Tempeh
  • Yogurt
  • Miso

What Not to Eat

Many foods can cause constipation, which will lead to strained bowel movements that worsen hemorrhoids. This makes it prudent to steer clear of:

  • Fried foods and high-fat foods like dairy products and red meat
  • Foods with added sugar
  • Refined carbohydrates

Other things that can irritate existing hemorrhoids include:

  • Spicy foods
  • Alcohol
  • Coffee

Dietary guidelines like these can help you prevent and control hemorrhoids in Los Angeles, but remember to always speak with your colorectal specialist to ensure that changes to your diet will be healthy and safe.