Photograph by Manuel Alvarez
How to treat and heal your Hemorrhoids.
Hemorrhoids are swollen and inflamed veins in the anus and lower rectum. They may result from straining during bowel movements or from the increased pressure on these veins during pregnancy. Furthermore, hemorrhoids may exist inside the rectum (internal hemorrhoids), or they may develop under the skin around the anus (external hemorrhoids).
It’s amazing the amount of pain a person will endure just to keep eating the food that he or she likes, even if eating that unhealthy food will end up giving him or her constipation and hemorrhoids.
Because of the physical limitation impose upon me by my hemorrhoids, I wouldn’t go out with friends or family. I was afraid that I might have to use the toilet and would be heard yelling from the pain— that’s how extreme it was— Also I didn’t want to carry that stupid donut-shaped pillow with me that I sat on at work to avoid the discomfort.
It also ruined my sex life, since I was always worried that one of those veins would start to bleed while I was having sex. Those were the worst years of my life, and it had an adverse impact on my psyche.
Psychological Issues
My condition made me lose my self-esteem, adding to my chronic depression. The body and the mind are so dependent upon each other; they work together like a sensitive ecosystem. When one of the two has a problem, it manifests in the other. Other dependencies exist, such as the correlation between food and health (at the time, I didn’t realize this except when I had a small “eureka” moment when I managed to cure my constipation for a while by drinking water and eating fruit).
After I got back from Greece in 2005, I was staying with my parents until I could figure out what to do with my life. Because I started eating three times a day rather than just one, and because I was eating more healthy meals than the junk fast food I used to consume. My digestive system started working again. All the problems that had accumulated over the years began to appear.
After having a colonoscopy done, the doctor told me that my hemorrhoids were bad and required surgery for their removal. He said it was the only option, and I got the same answer from another two doctors. They all also said that I would probably need surgery again in a decade.
Surgery or not?
Anger was the emotion; outraged because I had to do surgery, which would be painful while I was healing. I would probably have to stay in bed for an extended period. At the time laser hemorrhoidoplasty procedure was not available. Other people I talked with told me It was going to be painful whenever I had to use the toilet. I was also angry because the doctors did not present me with an alternative to surgery.
I believe there is always an alternative way to solve a problem, and I also believe that everything happens for a reason.
At the time, I had started my small computer shop
On the other hand, I had to do something about my hemorrhoids since they were nearly destroying me physically, psychologically and emotionally. One night, while drinking my iced tea I started researching online, how to cure hemorrhoids without surgical intervention.
Since I had cured my constipation for a brief period, I knew there must be something analogous for my hemorrhoids (back then, I didn’t know that the reason I had hemorrhoids was that I had chronic constipation—the pressure is what stretches or swells the veins, which are the hemorrhoids).
Always do your Research.
When I finished my research, useful conclusions emerged. My hemorrhoids were the result of chronic constipation. Chronic constipation was again the result of not eating enough fiber and drinking water. I needed to start eating fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts (back then, my diet was about 90% meat, dairy products white bread, and 10% beans and salad). Also, I had a serious condition called anemia, which was because of the chronic blood loss from hemorrhoids (anemia is a condition in which you don’t have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to your cells, causing chronic fatigue and drowsiness.
Chronic Dehydration.
I also found out that I was suffering from chronic dehydration, which also contributed to my digestion disorders. Additionally, the extra fat I was carrying increased friction, which increased the discomfort of experiencing those health problems.
Factors in general that might cause increased pressure include:
- Straining during bowel movements
- Sitting for extended periods of time on the toilet
- Chronic diarrhea or constipation
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- Anal intercourse
- Low-fiber diet
The fifth and sixth factors didn’t apply to me, but I had every single other risk factor. I started drinking a big glass of water every two hours at work, which cured my dehydration and helped my digestion, but I was still experiencing pain and bleeding. Whenever I used the toilet at home, instead of wiping with toilet paper, I began washing with cold water and drying the affected area with a soft towel. This tactic helped with the swelling and irritation.
Plant-based Lifestyle works.
After adopting those two lifestyle changes for a month, I could see tangible results. I started gradually adding 3 to 5 pieces of fruit to my diet every day. These changes made a considerable difference; I could digest food much more easily, I did not experience pain every day anymore (it was about 3 to 4 times a month). I felt more comfortable with myself and my self-esteem improved, but I was not quite there yet.
The next thing was to start walking a little bit every day and then running. I lost about 12 kilos (26.5 pounds), and I saw a dramatic change in my emotional state. I only had a problem with hemorrhoids about once every two months; it was so rare that I couldn’t even remember when I would have an episode.
We forget the bad memories.
People tend to forget the sad and painful moments of their life as soon they fall into a pain-free time. It’s that time that is the most crucial because you can quickly forget that you needed to make changes to get to that pain-free state, which makes it more likely you will return to your old destructive habits.
I had to persuade myself that this way of eating and exercising must become my way of life. Otherwise, all of the pain I had felt (both physically and emotionally) would return.
Keep in mind that, at the time, I did not stop eating meat and dairy products; I just added water and fruit to my diet and began to exercise.
Since 2013 I no longer eat meat and other animal products. Adopting a plant-based diet cured my hemorrhoids. I haven’t had any incident since then.
Useful Tips.
To heal and cure not just hemorrhoids, but also constipation, my advice is this:
- Start drinking water; drink a glass of water every two hours, if you can. Slowly add more and more water.
- Try to add several portions of fruit to your meals daily gradually.
- Start exercising gradually and lose some weight.
Digestion disorders are mainly due to diet (though some medications can cause digestion problems). Simply by changing your diet. Drinking water, and exercising. You can potentially cure your digestion problems without surgery. In severe cases, you may have no other option than to undergo surgery. Talk to your doctor about your condition to receive professional advice.
This article is an excerpt from my first book Thirsty for Health 
Knowledge Knows No Bounds: Join Our Cause, Donate to Our Blog Today!
