What is the Right Approach to Cure Piles

Fighting back against the “Silent Snag” viz. Hemorrhoids or piles that quietly damage anal cushions disrupting the blood vessels leading to varicose veins inside the rectum (internal hemorrhoids) or outside the anus (external hemorrhoids). Hence using medications as prescribed and making lifestyle changes can enhance the standard of life and reduce the danger of significant complications.

Given hemorrhoid is a typical condition with symptoms like itching, irritation around the anus area & often rectal bleeding. Dietary modification consisting of adequate fluid and fiber intake and counseling regarding defecation habits typically form the first first-line therapy as these undoubtedly play a very important role in hemorrhoid management. Hemorrhoids can nearly always be prevented, so these steps are important whether or not one is having hemorrhoids. Both treating and preventing hemorrhoids rely upon healthy bowel evacuation.

The following four pillars are the basics for a healthy lifestyle free from piles;

A: Eat Better

Eating a balanced diet is one of the most effective lifestyle changes to prevent any lifestyle ailments including hemorrhoids.

Stock up on a fiber diet: 

Add more fiber to the diet or as a fiber supplement or both. Helps to improve constipation and makes bowel smooth to pass.

1. Fiber is most readily found in whole grains, cereals, bran, vegetables like radish, beans, legumes, nuts like almonds & cashews and fruits like the sour variety of pomegranate, and apple. 
2. Fiber helps to avoid constipation and straining to pass a bowel movement.
3. Ayurvedic dietary guidelines for the prevention of hemorrhoids include wheat, Shali variety of rice, seeds of barley, Kulattha beans, goat’s milk, clarified butter, the fruit of Kapittha or wood apple, leaf and fruit of Patola (a variety of small cucumber), Punarnava root powder, Suraṇa Kanda and Amalaki.

Stay hydrated:

Reducing the intake of caffeine, alcohol and increasing the amount of fluid helps in proper hydration & cleansing of the intestinal walls for soft stools with proper bowel movements.

1. Along with dietary fiber, proper hydration is a must for its digestion.
2. Drink at least 7-8 glasses of water each day to make the digestive system smooth.
3. Drinking enough water will ease the discomfort during stool evacuation

Bot up with Vitamin C supplementation:

Vitamin C helps maintain the durability of the rectal veins and eating more flavonoids and anthocyanins strengthens your veins. Sources of the natural vitamin C include lemons, limes, apples, tomatoes, onions and carrots, red berries, blueberries, cherries, grapes and red cabbage.

Off-the-shelf remedies:

Ayurvedic herbal supplements aid in preventing hemorrhoids naturally like Triphala powder, isabgol, aloe vera juice, castor oil and asafoetida.

B. Get Active

Being active with physical exercises including walking, yoga asanas, and pranayama can provide a long-term solution to hemorrhoids as it aids in the relaxation of the anal opening. Thus smooth bowel movements help relieve pain and discomfort caused by constant constipation.

1. Maintain weight with exercise: The excess weight around the abdomen and waist areas increase the pressure on the veins in and around the anus. Proper physical workout helps to lose weight & thus chances of developing piles too.
2. Yogic cleansing techniques: The practice of shatkriya or yogic cleansing technique helps to keep digestion normal along with intestinal cleansing.
3. Yoga: Yoga asanas help in stretching & toning of the pelvic muscles thus helping in the relaxation of rectal and anal sphincters to allow easy elimination of stools. Some of the beneficial yoga asanas are Pavanamuktasana (Wind Relieving Pose), Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose), Balsana (Child’s Pose) and Ashwini mudra.
4. Pranayama: The breathing exercise help in avoiding conditions of straining and holding breath while passing motions.

C. Live Better

Changes in diet and daily regime can help keep hemorrhoids from returning. A healthy diet & lifestyle along with certain preventive measures help to relieve hemorrhoid symptoms & can also prevent future flare-ups. Some tips to prevent hemorrhoids are;

1. Don’t delay bowels: Empty the bowels when having the urge to go to the toilet as if not, stools can become dry and hard which then worsens hemorrhoids.
2. Act on the urge: Avoidance of suppression of natural urges of urination and defecation is required for healthy anal sphincters.
3. Try Elevation: Elevating the feet a bit with a step stool changes the position of the rectum in a way that allows easier passage of stools.
4. Maintain body weight: Maintaining BMI (Basal Mass Index) helps in preventing obesity thus decreasing pressure on the blood vessels of the anus.
5. Avoid excessive straining: Try to avoid sitting in the toilet for long hours & holding the breath when trying to pass stool. Increased pressure on the blood vessels due to excessive straining leads to engorgement of vessels around the anal area. 
6. Dietary restrictions: Ayurveda advocates avoidance of Masha-urad, sesame seeds, Piṇyaka, dishes prepared through grinding on stone, fried and difficult to digest food items as preventive measures.
7. Avoid certain physical activities like heavy lifting and anal intercourse, which lead to an increase in the risk of hemorrhoids and worsen symptoms.
8. Avoid the frequent urge to pass stools: Resist the urge to strain at the end of bowels to try & empty the rectum due to a feeling of a lump in the rectum as this may worsen the condition.

D. Ayurveda Cures 

The regime that prioritizes our dietary & lifestyle activities in this modern epoch has led to the increased consciousness of health significance. Irregular eating patterns, junk & fried food and digestive problems have resulted in a radical increase in piles.  Natural remedies and medicines can help nurture the anal tissues.

1. Hot sitz bath:  This includes sitting in warm water along with medicated powder like alum powder for 10-20 minutes in the bathtub to soothe the rectum. This helps to ease the pain & irritation along with shrinkage of pile mass. Be sure to gently clean & dry the hemorrhoid area to keep moisture from the swollen tissue. An ayurvedic healing formulation like jatyadi oil can reduce the burning sensation in the affected area. 
2. Amalaki powder: Amalaki is loaded with Vitamin C, antioxidants that help to evacuate the bowel preventing future occurrence of piles. Take 1 tbsp of Triphala powder with lukewarm water at night for better results.
3. Fresh juice of sour variety of pomegranate along with sharkara is best to cure piles or can boil the peel of pomegranate in water and drink this twice a day.
4. Turmeric herbal tea: turmeric along with honey acts as an anti-microbial & anti-inflammatory that helps to arrest the bleeding & reduce itching around the anal area. 
5. Buttermilk: Take 1 gm roasted ajwain powder (carom seeds) and a pinch of black salt mixed and taken with Takra (buttermilk) twice a day.

The motto of Ayurveda is to maintain the health of a healthy person and to cure the disease with preventive & pacificatory measures. With above mentioned dietary and lifestyle precautions, hemorrhoids can be cured by eating a balanced healthy diet, getting active with physical exercise, a lifestyle regime and Ayurveda herbal supplementation will add up to the preventive measures.