Haemorrhoids / piles – what to do!

Herbal remedies and home cures for haemorrhoids / piles

Haemorrhoids or piles as they are also called are a common problem. But like sex, money and politics it is a taboo subject that many point blank refuse to talk about. Do not suffer in silence! I will give you some ideas of what you can do yourself to improve the situation. It is very much up to you how your future backside problem looks like.

What are Haemorrhoids?

Haemorrhoids are swellings around your bottom (rectum and anus). These swellings contain blood vessels and can take on the appearance of grapes. They can be found both on the outside and inside. They may protrude more after passing a stool. The following symptoms are associated with haemorrhoids:

• Bright red bleeding when passing a stool. Blood may be darker depending on when the bleeding occurred (the longer blood is in contact with air the darker it gets). This can be anything from a little stain on the toiletpaper to heavy bleeding.
• Lumps around your bottom. These lumps may swell and redness can occur.
• Itchyness
• Pain and discomfort

If you experience bleeding you should consult a doctor, mainly to exclude any other reason for the bleeding but also because especially heavy bleeding may cause anaemia. Anaemia is the fancy word for a decrease in red blood cells. You may need extra Iron.

Why do we get haemorrhoids?

We do not know exact reason for haemorrhoids or piles but we certainly know of a lot of factors that increase the risk of getting them.

One such reason is constipation, if we get constipated and strain upon going to the toilet over time this most certainly will give rise to piles. Less commonly known is that diarrhoea or very loose stools will do the same. Other factors are obesity (being over weight), pregnancy, lifting heavy loads, chronic cough, vomiting, diet, sitting still, age (more common in older people) and the condition may be inherited from your family (in more ways than one).

So, what do we do to make it better?

Diet – what foods to choose

Diet is the biggest key to success, and the main thing is fibre. Adding fibre to your diet should be done gradually, especially if you are older. Too much fibre at once when the body is not used to it may cause constipation. When adding fibre to your diet it is also very important to add water. For the digestive tract to work properly we need to stay hydrated, and this needs to be water. So how much fibre should we aim for? Men should aim for 38-40g per day and women about 30g per day. This might not sound much or difficult, but it requires some planning! Here are some foodie items to choose and why:

• Broccoli (2,3 g per 100 g steamed) – a dark green vegetable with plenty of fibre, can be eaten both boiled or raw. Broccoli doesn’t only contain fibre, it also contains iron, which is fabulous if you start to get a bit low due to bleeding.
• Spinach (2,2 g per 100 g) – like broccoli, spinach contains a lot of fibre and a lot of Iron. Unlike broccoli it also contains oxalates, these may give rise to kidney stones so people predisposed to kidney stones should be cautious. This is also a reason why you should lightly steam or stir fry spinach, but remember to not overcook it. If you do most of the amazing nutrients will get destroyed.
• Beans and pulses (baked beans 3,7 g per 100 g) are high in fibre, but stick to a portion size as they contain quite a lot of calories. Also check the tin if you use tinned beans. Some brands contain a lot of sugar which is not so good.
• Nuts (Almonds 5,6 g per 100 g) are not only rich in fibre, they are also very nutritious. They contain several vitamins, minerals and trace elements along with essential fatty acids. Nuts have a high calorie content so do not overdo it. Nuts also have a fairly short shelf life so do not store them for long periods of time and make sure they are not stored above room temperature. If you have left over nuts you can put them in the freezer to prolong their life a little.
• Seeds (chia seeds 38 g per 100 g). These are the real deal fibre additive in your diet. A lot of seeds such as linseed, psyllium and chia seeds contain soluble fibre, this means they create a mucilage when in contact with water. If you have ever seen pictures of something looking more like frogs eggs this is most likely chia seeds in water. Do remember when buying seeds that they need to have their husks on! This is where the fibre is. If you are on a diet to loose weight you can use the seeds whole, they will pass through your digestive system whole and are only partly digested. However if you are interested in their content of omega oils, you should opt for the ground versions. You can use seed in your cereal, mix them with smoothies, put them in bread or mix them with water and drink them. It is very important to increase your water intake when introducing seeds into your diet to get the full advantage of them.
• Fruit and berries. Top source of fibre in this category are things like raspberries (6,5 g per 100 g), pomegranate and passion fruit. Don’t overlook apples (1,8 g per 100 g), pears and oranges though. With apples and pears you should eat the peel as this is the main source of fibre, you should also not remove the white stuff from oranges as this is a valuable source of fibre too. The added extra with this category is the pectin content. Pectin is classed as a soluble fibre which is also very good at mopping up stuff you do not want such as cholesterol.
• Sweet potato (3 g per 100 g). Contains both insoluble and soluble fibre. Good thing to keep the peel on for maximum effect. Sweet potato are also kinder to the digestive tract than ordinary potatoes if you suffer from IBS.
• Cereal – This is possibly what we think of first when it comes to fibre but do not be fooled by the names on the packets, they can be highly misleading. It needs to be wholegrain! I compared two well known breakfast cereals namely Cheerios and Fruit and fibre, you would think that cheerios would contain more sugar and less fibre. Whilst Cheerios contain more carbohydrates it contains less sugars than Fruit and fibre. Cheerios does contain less fibre but the difference is minuscule, 8,9 g per 100 g compared to 9 g per 100 g in Fruit and fibre. To get the real hardcore fibre contents go for bran! Wheat bran contains a whopping 43 g of fibre per 100 g. Make your own muesli!!! Choose wholegrain options when it comes to pasta and rice. Try to make your own bread. This can turn into a fun family event.

If you would like to know more about what your food actually contains I would like to recommend the “Calorie carb and fat bible 2019” which does show the fibre content as well.

What not to eat when you are prone to haemorrhoids / piles

You will need to avoid or restrict rather, foods that will make you constipated. You will also need to restrict foods that will increase your weight if this is one of your issues.

• Sugar can make you constipated and i believe that this is one culprit when it comes to constipation in children. It is present everywhere even in places you would not think it was. The reason for this is that sugar is a taste enhancer, sugar, even if the food is not supposed to taste sweet tastes better with sugar in it. Foods where you need to watch out are yogurt (other than natural unflavoured), baked beans, breakfast cereal, ready meals, seasoning and of course all your sweet treats, cakes and desserts. Sugar is one of those things that are addictive and requires a lot from the individual to come away from. Look at this as a project, trying to cut out all sugar overnight may leave you feeling lightheaded and unwell. There are other reasons to cut your sugar intake. Sugar feeds inflammation, haemorrhoids that give rise to problems are inflamed! Starving them is a good idea! This is fabulous for the rest of your body too.
• Meat. Meat is one of the things that can make your digestive system sluggish. If you eat meat, this is all about portion size, quality and how you cook it. Look at meat as a topping to your meal, a small added extra. When I grew up a portion of meat was up to 100 g, now that figure is often both doubled and tripled. A quarter pound is 113 g. The little positive with meat is that it contains iron which is a good thing if you are loosing a lot of blood.
• White flour. Sorry this is a no go area! This includes not only white bread, cake and cookies but also pasta and rice. This is a hard one to completely cut out but think of it and choose wisely. Swap for potato and wholemeal products.
• Crisps and chips, sorry these are off, anything deep fried will slow your digestive system down.
• Milk, cheese, and dairy products (Natural yogurt and kefir excluded). Milk can make you constipated. Cheese contain a lot of calories as well so definitely limit if you are on a diet. The reason milk may aggravate constipation is the content of certain milk proteins.
• Processed foods.

How we eat the foods

The healthy eating plate model is a great way to get it right. Stack up on vegetables and salads, add a little bit of potato, pasta or rice and an even smaller bit of meat or fish then add sauce as the cherry on top. Sweet treats should be consumed as desserts or special occasion treats, not to fill you up when hungry. Make sure to always have fruit handy to use as in between meal snack.

How you prepare the food is also important. Vegetables are best served raw as most of the nutrients as well as the fibre are present. The next best thing is to lightly steam them. The longer you boil vegetables the less nutritional value and the less fibre you will get from them. Introduce new vegetables into your diet, try new things and new ways to cook.

Frying, bbq-ing, deep frying should be limited. Look at it as treats! Deep frying adds a lot of fat to your food and is an absolute no go it you are dieting so cut it down to a bare minimum. Try wedging and baking root veg in the oven instead, delicious with a home made pesto to go with it. Find new things you like!. I cannot enough stress this, if you give things the “forbidden” status they just get more desirable. Also try to limit the amount of processed foods and ready meals that you eat.

Getting to grips with you backside problem is about sustainable change in lifestyle! The rate of success if completely reliant on your stickability to the lifestyle change to a new healthier you.

Iron uptake and what to think of.

If you are bleeding you might eventually suffer from iron deficiency. To prevent this straight away, do not drink tea with your meals, tea will prevent the uptake of iron from your food. A good choice is to drink orange juice instead, as this will aid the uptake.

Exercise

One of the main culprits in getting haemorrhoids / piles is sitting still too much. Sitting still not only leads to obesity (another big culprit) it also leads to a decreased circulation of both blood and lymph and an increased downward pressure onto your intestines and thereby your problem area..

Exercise helps your body to deal with constipation, a brisk walk might help you with your bowel movements. This is one of the direct ways that getting more exercise helps, additionally there are several other ways it helps with the managing of haemorrhoids /piles.

• Circulation. Exercise will increase the circulation and over time help your heart to function better and stay strong and healthy. A better circulation will get your digestive system work better too.
• Fitness. If you keep yourself fit you are much more likely to keep healthy. Yes there is more to it but keeping fit is a very good start!!
• Weight issues. Exercise will help you reach your weight loss goals.
• Muscle. Exercising your core muscles will help your body to keep everything in place! Muscles are part of the body structure that keeps all your internal organs in place and keeping them toned can help your digestive system to work better.
• Oxygen. Getting out in the fresh air is fabulous for your body. With the increased circulation your body will receive more oxygen and work altogether much better.
• Endorphins. Exercise will trigger the productions of Endorphins, this is a substance much like opioids / morphine. Their job is to inhibit pain signals, but not only that! These hormones are also happy hormones. They will make us feel good. You might ask what this has to do with the piles? A lot!!! If something makes you feel good it is more likely that you will stick doing it, and again this is about changing your life for life not just the next week.

What exercise to choose?

ANY!!!!

This is really up to you. There are two categories here:

1. Exercise that can be incorporated into your daily life. The sneeky kind.
2. Things you plan to do.

You should be looking at doing a bit of both! Any exercise is an improvement if you lead a sedentary lifestyle. If you are housebound do ask your GP for exercises specific to your condition. This is about not giving up, there is always something you can do.

Sneaky exercise

• This is about parking your car in the far end of the parking lot to walk further to the store / job.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Walk a little bit further with the dog each day. Find new exciting routes.
• Offer to go get that extra fork needed for the dinner.
• Play with your kids or grand kids.

Planned exercise

Fairly quickly your sneaky exercise will start to pay off. You will crave more, do not let your limiting beliefs stop you! Do not feel bad about yourself. BE WEIRD AND WONDERFUL!!!! Go on a spree trying new things out, there is something out there for you! You are looking for something that is not a chore, something that you would love to do regularly over time.

The most accessible for most people is walking, you can do it anywhere, no special items needed to get started and you can bring it with you anywhere. Make it exciting, try new routes, start taking notice of what is around you. Do try the new gadgets such as the fitbit, but use it correctly! It is great with some healthy competition with both yourself and others, keep track on how much you actually move about. But don’t let it take over your life, this might have the totally opposite effect. Other fab apps for walking are Endomondo and Map my walk.

Taking your walking to the next level!

Hiking is the hardcore walking. For hiking you will need to invest in a pair of comfortable hiking boots or at least a pair of sensible shoes. My absolute favourite here is the brand Salomon. If you are planning to walk in the mountains or in hilly terrain make sure your toes have plenty of space! When walking downhill, your foot will move forward in the boot and if too small, lets just say it will hurt… The next thing you will need is a good map and compass. Practise how to use them on signposted walks before you go out on bigger adventures. The app View Ranger is brilliant if you live in Britain, it gives you tips and ideas of where to go.

The Gym

Another place to go is the well equipped Gym or leisure centre. Do your research, what are different Gyms offering. Once decided on a place, get a monthly card! Use it! Make it fun, try all the different activities there! You might strike lucky and find something you really enjoy. Mindset is king! Go to the gym with an open positive mind. If you tell yourself it is going to be hard, boring and that you are going to be useless. Voila, that’s what it is going to be! I can definitely recommend Yoga, Pilates, Stretching and the more traditional Swimming and the actual Gym.

The actual Gym, this is a place for everyone. Yes you will meet the hulk lookalikes but you will also meet people who just like you just want to improve their health and get a better quality of life. Who knows you might meet new friends who you can set up new goals with. It might change your life!

Activities

There are thousands of fabulous activities out there. Look on the internet, ask a friend, look at the noticeboard whats available near you. Do not be afraid to try something new, most sports and activities have free trial sessions, use this opportunity. Do not feel bad if it is not for you, you tried and that’s what is important.

Add some spice in the sense that you should definitely push your limits. Try something that will get your Adrenalin going, this will make you feel alive and make you want to do more. Be open minded!!!

My butt hurts now! What can I do?

There are several things that will alleviate pain and discomfort and help you on the way to combat haemorrhoids / piles. I will take you through the jungle of products, herbs and home remedies to help you find your favourites.

Toilet roll

Some brands of toilet roll can be very abrasive, try to choose a softer brand. Wet the paper before use. You can also try cotton pads or wet wipes. And for those of you who has the luxury of a bidet, use it!!

Moisturising

Yep your backside need some tlc too! There are an array of creams and ointments readily available at the pharmacy and the health food shop. The doctor may prescribe stronger creams for more complex problems. If you want to combat this problem once and for all it is of the essence to keep moisturising! You can use vaseline or a mild cream containing for instance witch hazel extract, calendula or chamomile. Make sure you are not allergic to any of the ingredients. Keep moisturising the area after showers and after bowel movements.

Don’t use soap or sprays in your intimate area, these may dry it our and further aggravate the problems. Use wash gels or oils especially formulated. Or you can raid your kitchen! Olive oil is a good cleanser and will keep the area moisturised at the same time.

Air

Let the area breathe. Use cotton undies and if possible sleep without them.

Herbs and how to use them

There are many herbs to choose from when it comes to haemorrhoids. The main actions we are after are anti inflammatory, astringent (constrict or shrink), something for the pain and something to heal. The herbs have not gone through medical testing and usage builds upon the tradition of herbal medicine.

• Pilewort. So widely used for piles it has even had its name from the use. Pilewort is best taken as a tea 3 times a day. The reason for taking this herb are that it is thought to shrink the piles and also provide protection for the mucous membranes especially in the gastro intestinal tract.
• Witch Hazel leaf. An astringent herb that can be used in ointments and creams to shrink and soothe. Witch hazel can also be used in a sitz bath, which is an excellent way to soothe the area in the acute phase. Add Chamomile for healing and if the skin is not broken you can add Arnica petals for the pain.
• Horse chestnut. Also astringent. Best taken as capsules at night. Especially good if you are battling bleeding haemorrhoids. Horse chestnut supports the venous system and is also a nice herb to use for varicose veins (as a balm).
• Nettle. Nettle is a brilliant herb for iron deficiency and therefor very good if you are experiencing bleeding. The best way of taking nettles is eating them as Nettle soup. Pick the top leaves and make a lovely soup, and no it is not prickly to eat, with the soup you will also enjoy the fibre. Failing to get fresh nettles, tea or capsules are the next best thing. Nettle tea has a fairly neutral taste so swap every other cup of tea for nettle tea.
• Senna is a herb often taken as a laxative. It is therefor very good to combat constipation short term. Having said this it is a lot better to combat the source of the problem, as in adding more fibre and fresh foods to the diet and drinking more water.
• Slippery elm. Tablets or capsules. It is mainly taken for its “blanketing” protective action anywhere along the gastro intestinal tract. This herb is very good in long standing cases to protect and to fight inflammation.
• Prunes

Summary

Haemorrhoids /piles is a very common condition and affects most people at some point in their lives. It is in itself not a serious condition but should be checked out by your GP, especially if you experience bleeding, to rule out other more sinister conditions. To successfully treat haemorrhoids you may have to make some changes to your diet and lifestyle. The changes you have to make are the exact same changes that will improve your health in a myriad of other ways too so do not wait to implement these changes, start NOW! Small changes are better than non at all.

If you would like some inspiration you may want to come with us on our get healthier weight loss journey with weekly tips and advice. I am also available for Herbal/ Reiki consultations at Mystique in Shrewsbury UK.

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