Whenever you get constipated, you have a greater tendency to strain real hard just to get rid of the poop. Maybe it is time to modify your diet:

• Is it rich in fiber?
• Do you drink enough water a day?

Diet plays a big role in the prevention of constipation. Eating a well balanced diet rich in fiber, around 20 to 35 grams each day, and drinking at least 8 glasses of water and liquids such as fruit and vegetable juices, and clear soups and broths, can greatly help the formation of softer, bulkier stools.

Good examples of high fiber foods are:

• beans
• whole bran cereals and grains
• asparagus
• Brussels sprouts
• carrots
• cabbage

You can make your own list of foods rich in fiber and make your own meal plans. Do you know that by just doing this you have avoided 3 contributing factors that cause hemorrhoids?

These factors are:

• constipation
• diarrhea
• straining during bowel movement

It is like hitting 3 birds with one stone. This is why diet plays a big role in hemorrhoid prevention.

Aside from diet modifications, other lifestyle changes that keep your body and mind active can encourage regular bowel movements. Playing or discovering a new sport is a great start! They not only prevent bouts of constipation, but they can be beneficial to your overall health. It is also a fun way to lose weight. Remember, being overweight is also a factor that causes hemorrhoids.

What is there to lose?

When lifting heavy objects, it is necessary to remember proper positioning or alignment of body. This prevents putting too much pressure on your waist and down below, which includes your rectum. Always bend in your knees when lifting and never twist your waist. Also, exhale when you lift – do not hold your breath. Holding your breath adds pressure on the rectum.

When you have a severe cough, in order to reduce pressure in the rectum, place your hand over your diaphragm while coughing, palm facing you. This will support your lower body including your rectum as you cough, thereby reducing pressure on it.

Having a regular bowel movement and maintaining a good toilet habit are also keys to hemorrhoid prevention. Good toilet habit is not doing anything while defecating. Avoid reading. This is usually the thing we love to do while having evacuating our poop. When you do something while passing stool, you don’t notice that you’ve been sitting too long. Remember, prolonged sitting contributes to the formation of hemorrhoids.

If your job requires prolonged periods of sitting and standing, keep in mind that there are some ways that can prevent the occurrence and the exacerbation of hemorrhoids. If you sit most of the time, try to stand and walk around for 5 minutes at least once every hour. For jobs that require standing most of the time, make sure you also get ample time to sit down and relax your lower body. Variation is the key here, and excess is bad for the health.

And remember, a warm Sitz Bath can help to alleviate painful hemorrhoid symptoms.

These pointers may be simple but they can greatly help hemorrhoid prevention.

Have YOU thought of a plan now?