Bulan: Desember 2007

Many people overlook using herbs for hemorrhoids, but this has been proven effective time and time again. This best part about using herbs for hemorrhoids is that you usually never have to leave home in order to do this. So using these herbs is more or less a home remedy if you have the means necessary to find the herbs.

Listed below are a few herbs for hemorrhoids that are most common. Not all of them will work for you, but they are at least worth a try.

1. Birch sap is great for hemorrhoids because it works as an astringent as well as an antibacterial solution. It has been known to have great healing power on problem areas of the skin.

2. Calendula is excellent for skin care because of its cell rejuvenation and anti-inflammatory properties. By using calendula your hemorrhoids will heal faster and not become inflamed as much as you have come to expect.

3. Centella is known to increase circulation while also healing problem areas such as hemorrhoids. It is particularly useful on helping damaged areas of the skin and surrounding tissue.

4. Chickweed can help to soothe and heal hemorrhoids as well as many other skin conditions. In addition it also helps to prevent tissue degeneration.

Overall, herbs for hemorrhoids can be great treatment options. The four herbs listed above are great for this problem, and are worth a try if you are suffering. If you look around, you should be able to find an herb that works for you in no time.

For some people, visiting the doctor is the easiest way to get rid of hemorrhoids. They can give them an idea as to what the problem is, and then tell them how to solve it. But if you are only suffering from a mild form of this, sometimes seeing the doctor is not as necessary as it may seem. In fact, there are many over the counter hemorrhoid treatments that you can rely on to help you out.

If you are searching for over the counter hemorrhoid treatments the best place to go is your local drug store or grocery store. By doing this you should be able to find at least a couple of treatments that can work for you. The most common over the counter hemorrhoid treatments consist of creams that you can apply to the area. These will help to soothe and heal your hemorrhoids.

In addition to creams, there are also hemorrhoid pads that you can buy. These are similar to creams, but the pads are pre-moistened with medicine. This allows you to easy apply to the problem area without too much mess or stress.

Choosing the over the counter hemorrhoid treatment option that is best for you can be difficult. If you are having a hard time making a decision, be sure that you do not do anything that is detrimental to your health. If you have any questions or concerns the best thing to do is hold off and speak with a doctor. But if you are comfortable moving forward, be sure to follow the directions on the packaging. This will point you in the right direction.

If you are in need of a home cure for hemorrhoids you are not alone. Thousands of people suffer from this problem, but do not want to go to the doctor for one reason or the next. If this sounds like you, the best thing to do is look into finding a home cure for hemorrhoids. The good thing about this is that over the years many people have come up with some home cures that work. Even though not every remedy will work for you, chances are that you may be able to find one that suits your needs.

Applying vitamin E directly to the hemorrhoids is a home remedy that people have been using for years. The way that you can do this is pretty easy. All you need to do is get a vitamin E capsule that is filled with liquid and break it in half. From there you can apply the liquid directly to the area. This will help your hemorrhoids heal quicker.

Another home cure for hemorrhoids that is easy to follow has to do with your diet. If you can keep your stool as soft as possible the chances of your hemorrhoids flaring up will decrease. To do this you should add fiber to your diet, or try to take supplements for this.

If you do not want to see a doctor about your hemorrhoids check out some home cures. This will allow you to get treatment for your problem without having to ever leave the comfort of your own home.

There is no local treatment to cure piles. The treatment of the basic cause, namely, chronic constipation, is the only way to get rid of the trouble. To begin with, the whole digestive tract must be given a complete rest for a few days and the intestines throughly cleansed. For this purpose, the patient should adopt an all-fruit diet for at least five days. He should have three meals a day of fresh juicy fruits such as grapes, apple, pear, peach, orange, pineapple and melon. For drinks, unsweetened lemon water or plain water either hot or cold may be taken.

In long-standing and stubborn cases, it will be advisable to have a short fast for four or five days before adopting an all-fruit diet. When on short fast, the patient may have the juice of an orange in a glass of warm water. An enema with lukewarm water should be taken daily in the morning while fasting. This will cleanse the bowels and give much needed rest to the rectal tissues.

After the all-fruit diet, the patient may adopt a diet of natural foods aimed at securing soft stools. The diet should be low in fat and should not contain more than 50 grams of fat. Foods which contain less fat are skimmed milk, buttermilk, curd and cottage cheese made from skimmed milk; all vegetables except cabbage, onions, dried beans and peas; cooked and dried cereals, fruits and fruit juices.

The ideal diet for the patient with piles should consist of fruits like papaya, musk melon, apple and pear; green vegetables, particularly spinach and radish, wheat, porridge, whole meal cereals and milk. Lentils and daals should be avoided, as they constipate the bowels. The patient should also abstain from meat, fish, eggs, cheese, white sugar, sweets, rice, all fried foods, all white flour products, tea and coffee. Dry fruits, such as figs and raisins and coconuts should form part of the diet.

The most important food remedy for piles is dry figs. Three or four figs should be soaked overnight in water after cleaning them thoroughly in hot water. They should be taken first thing in the morning along with the water in which they were soaked. They should also be taken in the evening in similar manner. This treatment should be continued for three or four weeks. The tiny seeds of the fruit possess an excellent quality of stimulating peristaltic movements of intestines. This facilitates easy evacuation of faeces and keeps the alimentary canal clean. The pressure on the anus having thus been relieved, the hemorrhoids also get contracted.

The mango seeds are valuable in bleeding piles. The seeds should be collected during the mango season, dried in the shade and powdered and kept stored for use as medicine. This powder should be given in doses of about one and a half gram to two grams with or without honey twice daily.

The patient should drink at least eight to ten glasses of water a day. He should avoid straining to pass stool.

A high fiber diet obtained from raw fruits and vegetables is what you need to follow for eliminating and for preventing constipation and is what you need to prevent and cure hemorrhoids.

If you have not been eating a lot of fiber, you need to add fiber slowly to your diet especially if you add it by using bran. Increase your use of bran or other bran cereals over a couple of weeks.

If you add fiber to your diet with fruits and vegetables, you can add them freely without much problem. However, since your stomach will not be used to it, you may experience more gas for a week or two.

Here are some of the foods to start using:

Juices

Juices are good for hemorrhoids but especially dark berry juice mixed with equal parts of apple juice. The dark berry juices to use are:

1. Cherries, blackberries, blueberries

These berries contain “anthocyanins” and “proanthocyanidins” which reduce hemorrhoidal pain and swelling by toning and strengthening the hemorrhoidal veins. Drink at least one glass of this juice mixture each day.

2. Red and black currant berries

Currants are high in Vitamin C, rutin, and minerals. This makes their juice valuable in clearing hemorrhoids. They also have a small amount of the fatty acid GLA, which produce prostaglandin that control body pain. Drink 1-2 glasses a day of red or black currant berries.

Iron foods

Here are the foods that contain iron to help you build up your blood or to keep iron in reserve, if you ever need it.

* Chicken liver, steamed crab
* Kelp
* Prunes
* Dried apricots
* Sunflower seeds
* Pistachios
* Cashews, almonds, sesame seeds
* Baked potatoes
* Cooked Swiss chard
* Raisins
* Cooked broccoli
* Tuna
* Cantaloupe

Cantaloupes are one of the best foods you can eat. It has a good source of vitamins and minerals. It has a high beta-carotene level and has anti-clogging properties.

Ginger, garlic, and onion

Add these three herbs to your diet. Each one of these helps to break down fibrin. Fibrin is a natural substance that helps to repair breaks in tissue, organs, and arteries. However, there are times that your body may over react and deposited too much fibrin causing inflammation in the arteries and especially in the hemorrhoid area.

Oils

At every meal, use olive oil, flax seed oil, and apple cider vinegar in your salad. In your soups, use olive and flax seed oil or other food dishes where they is appropriate. Or at the end of each meal take your capsule of fish oil.

Fish oil is probably one of the most important oils to use daily. Go to my newsletter to read the article I wrote about this nutrient.

Use the following foods to help reduce hemorrhoidal bleeding:

* Alfalfa
* Dark green leafy vegetables
* Blackstrap molasses
* Flax seeds – are high in omega-3 oils, which reduce inflammation and pain. They are also high in fiber.
* Lima and butter beans are high in iron, which help to build more blood. If you have bleeding hemorrhoids, adding lima beans to your diet would be a good choice.

There you have it. Plenty of remedies that can give you temporary relief, reduce bleeding, reduce swelling, eliminate itching, and cure or prevent your hemorrhoids.

HEMORRHOIDS HAVE A CONNECTION TO DIGESTIVE MALFUNCTION AND LIFESTYLE

By hemorrhoids the veins in or around the anus, or in the lower rectum are swollen and often also inflamed. Hemorrhoids inside the rectum are called internal hemorrhoids, and those in the anal area external ones. Studies have shown that 1 out of 3 persons below the age of 50 will suffer from hemorrhoids. 1 out of 2 persons over the age of 50 is affected by this condition.

THE SYMPTOMS OF HEMORRHOIDS

Hemorrhoids give these symptoms:

* Swollen veins in the anal area or inside the rectum.
* Itching.
* Tears in the swollen veins and bleeding from the tears.
* Coagulated blood in the veins making hard lumps.
* The hemorrhoids may lead to permanent lumps, scars or thickened area after the initial healing.

THE PROCESS THAT LEADS TO HEMORRHOIDS

Before hemorrhoids form, there is usually an increased pressure in the veins of the anal area, for example due to over-filled intestines, due to constipation and thereby straining to get hard stool out during toilet visits, or due to frequent diarrhoea.

The veins have valves preventing the blood from flowing backwards. The increased pressure makes the segment of a vain right after a valve to swell up like a balloon.

The blood in the swollen vein segment then coagulates, making a hard lump that clogs the vein, and the clogged vein segment then gets infected and inflamed.

The inflamed hemorrhoids may then tear, so that the content empties and the vein bleeds. After emptying its content, the vein heals, but may develop a residing scar.

Other times the content of the hemorrhoids is dissolved and the vein heals without rupturing, but also now a permanent thickened or hardened vein segment may form.

CAUSES OF HEMORRHOIDS

Since hemorrhoids are caused by conditions making increased pressure in the anal veins, like lazy colon, constipation or diarrhoea, the ultimate cause of hemorrhoids are factors causing these conditions. Such factors are:

* Lack of fibre in the daily diet.
* Drinking too less water.
* Consuming too less fat, or the opposite too much fat.
* Lack of daily physical exercise.

Cramping or prolonged tension in the anal sphincter and the muscles around the rectal opening seems to restrict the blood stream from the anal area back towards the heart, and thus also contribute to hemorrhoids. Nervous or psychological processes may cause tension in these muscles.

Hemorrhoids are a very common complication by pregnancy. The hormonal stimulation during pregnancy causes the vessels in the anal area to dilate. The weight of the foetus and the straining during childbirth will further cause a marked pressure increase in the already dilated vessels, with hemorrhoids as a consequence.

Heavy muscular work or heavy lifting can increase the pressure in the anal vessels and contribute to hemorrhoids. Conditions that weaken the tissue in the anal area may also contribute to development of hemorrhoids, for example inflammations, allergies or high age.

HOW CAN YOU CURE HEMORRHOIDS

Sometimes hemorrhoids require surgical or other medical intervention. However, in many cases you can do much yourself to prevent, alleviate or cure the condition. Since cancer or other serious conditions sometimes resemble hemorrhoids or cause hemorrhoids, newly detected hemorrhoids should always be medically investigated.

1. Lifestyle adjustments

Lifestyle measures to prevent or cure an inactive colon, an overfilled colon and constipation, will also help to prevent or cure hemorrhoids. Such measures are:

* A diet with enough fibre, containing whole corn cereals, whole corn bread, vegetables and fruit.

* Using natural oils in the food that gives the intestinal content a soft consistency, like olive oil, sunflower oil, rape oil and soy oil.

* Some daily exercise.

* Drinking enough water.

2. Agents to regulate the digestive function

You can use certain natural products to regulate your digestive functions and this will also help against hemorrhoids:

* Bran added to your diet has high fibre content, and will stimulate the intestines to contract better and pass its content more rapidly.

* Linen seeds will make the stool softer so that it is passed better through the intestines.

3. Topical balms or ointments

You can find topical balms on the market to apply onto the affected area. The balms contain ingredients that penetrate through the skin into the swollen blood vessels and anal muscles, or are transported through the tissue fluids upwards in the intestinal wall. Other ingredients remain on the affected area as a protecting and lubricating sheet. The effects of these ingredients are:

* Alleviating inflammation and itching.

* Stimulating tissue healing.

* Alleviating cramping in the rectal sphincter.

* Dissolving coagulated blood.

* Killing bacteria that cause infection in the affected area.

* Lubricating the rectal opening or the end part of the rectum to make the stool pass more easily.

4. Oral products to treat hemorrhoids

You can also find oral pills or capsules to help against hemorrhoids with the following effects:

* Giving the stool a greater volume so that the intestines manage better to get hold of it and work it through.

* Giving the stool a smoother consistency so that it passes more easily through the intestinal system and rectal opening.

* Alleviating cramping and irregular contractions in intestinal system.

* Stimulating the regular and effective contraction of the intestines.

* Alleviating inflammation and itching.

* Stimulating tissue healing.

5. Enemas

If there is a hard constipation aggravating the hemorrhoids, a small enema can help to empty the colon and the rectum, and also help to cure the hemorrhoids. However, big enemas can increase the intestinal pressure and aggravate the condition.

Hemorrhoids are abnormally swollen veins in the rectum and anus. When these veins are irritated, they cause surrounding membranes to swell, burn, itch, become painful, and even bleed.

Hemorrhoids bleed when the blood vessels rupture, such as from straining during a bowel movement. Because bleeding can be a sign of colon cancer or colon polyps, you should consult with your doctor whenever you have bleeding from the rectum, blood on your stools, or blood in the toilet after a bowel movement.

Hemorrhoids are a very common problem. Most men and women will get them as they get older. Trauma to the anus and any type of straining can make hemorrhoids worse.

Risk factors and causes in addition to constipation and straining with bowel movements include constant sitting, diarrhea, severe or chronic coughing, pregnancy and childbirth, or heavy lifting.

Conservative measures are successful in alleviating symptoms for most patients with hemorrhoidal disease:

Bleeding: Clinical trials have demonstrated that adding fiber to the diet through supplementation with psyllium or appropriate commercially available fiber preparations may significantly reduce bleeding episodes associated with hemorrhoidal disease. Psyllium as well as methylcellulose adds bulk to stools, making them softer and easier to pass.

Irritation and itching (pruritus): Irritation and pruritus associated with hemorrhoids may be treated by various measures including the following:

Warm sitz baths – During sitz baths, the rectal area is immersed in warm water for approximately 10 to 15 minutes two to three times daily. Sitz baths are available in most drugstores; in addition, portable bowls are commercially available that allow for their use in the workplace. The effectiveness of warm sitz baths may be due in part to relaxation of the internal anal sphincter.

Fiber supplementation may help to alleviate itching potentially related to fecal soilage, since their bulking effect may reduce leakage of rectal contents.

Application of various pain-relieving (analgesic) creams:

Creams and suppositories, particularly hydrocortisone, should not be used for longer than one week unless directed by your doctor, since they may result in certain side effects, such as skin rash and inflammation (contact dermatitis) with pain-relieving creams or skin wasting (atrophy) with steroid creams.

Patients who continue to have symptoms despite the conservative measures described above may be candidates for one of various techniques developed to treat symptomatic hemorrhoids. This can include rubber band ligation, sclerotherapy, cryotherapy, laser coagulation or surgery.

People with hemorrhoids have been stereotyped by the comics or comedians to be laughing stocks. That’s why fewer people with hemorrhoids tend to go to a doctor and have back irritations and pain sensations to be consulted by a specialist. Instead they just wait for the pain to subside and just worry about it some other time; especially if the pain becomes chronic. If you are really worried about having hemorrhoids, a careful lifestyle will help a lot. Here are some causes of hemorrhoids that you may have been practicing.

Pregnancy:

Being pregnant causes a woman to increase chances of having hemorrhoids. This is because the rectal veins will be pressured more because of the added weight in the uterus. For women who are already experiencing hemorrhoids, pregnancy can worsen the situation.

Women who are pregnant who do not experience hemorrhoids during pregnancy may still get hemorrhoids during the labor period. This is due to the long and arduous delivery. Another reason is the constipation that a woman experiences after childbirth. Because of the tenderness in the anus and perianal area, women will prolong the bowel movements.

Postponing Bowel Movements:

There are some people who are afraid to crap at other places because the toilet might be dirty. Another reason is that there is just no toilet nearby. So people will just try to force the crap back inside for a couple more hours. Doing this occasionally can do no harm, however if it becomes habitual it might lead to hemorrhoids.

When the crap stays longer in the fecal colon, it becomes harder and drier. This makes it tougher to pass. You will then need to force its way out. The rectal muscles that signal a person its time to crap may also become weaker. Just imagine the situation that you suddenly crap your pants because you didn’t feel anything.

Diseases:

There are lots of diseases that cause hemorrhoids. One disease that can seriously cause hemorrhoids is rectal cancer. This is because rectal cancer will make the person have “false” calls of nature. It will then cause the person to go the bathroom regularly and will strain longer.

People who abuse alcohol will make their livers larger. This will then create extra pressure on the rectal veins. Other diseases that may also cause hemorrhoids are irritable bowel syndrome and intestinal tumor. This disease causes constipation or interfere with normal elimination.

Hemorrhoids are one of the most widespread complaints of mankind. Almost all men and women suffer from hemorrhoids at some time in their lives. They can take place at any age, but the possibility of getting hemorrhoids increases drastically after age thirty.

According to a study, 50% of people older than 50 have experienced hemorrhoids at least once in their lives.

You can avoid hemorrhoids by following the following eight tips. However, you should remember that there is no guarantee they won’t develop at some stage.

1. Increase the fiber in your diet. Great sources of fiber are grains, cereals, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. Be careful; add fiber to your diet slowly.

2. Avoid straining when defecating. You should also avoid long sessions sitting on the toilet. Forget about reading on the toilet.

3. Drink lots of water to keep the bowels loose. Increased water consumption helps to bulk up and soften stools, making them easier to pass.

4. Avoid long sitting, get up and move regularly. If your work requires you to sit or stand for a prolonged period, take regular stretching breaks that change your position. When relaxing, lie on your side while watching television or reading.

5. Exercise every day. It can be as simple as a walk around the block. Exercise for about thirty minutes on a daily basis.

6. Avoid constipation and diarrhea. Increase water consumption, add fiber to your diet, eat regular meals, exercise daily, do not ignore the urge to go to the bathroom and reduce stress.

7. Avoid sudden heavy lifting. The sudden increase of pressure on the blood vessels can cause the veins in the rectal area to stretch and swell.

8. Keep the anal area clean. Try to remember that the goal is not to wipe the anal area clean but rather, to wash it clean.

Asthma (Az-muh) is a chronic disease that affects your airways. The airways are the tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma, the inside walls of your airways are inflamed (swollen). The inflammation (IN-fla-MAY-shun) makes the airways very sensitive, and they tend to react strongly to things that you are allergic to or find irritating. When the airways react, they get narrower, and less air flows through to your lung tissue. This causes symptoms like wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), coughing, chest tightness, and trouble breathing, especially at night and in the early morning.

Asthma cannot be cured, but most people with asthma can control it so that they have few and infrequent symptoms and can live active lives.

When your asthma symptoms become worse than usual, it is called an asthma episode or attack. During an asthma attack, muscles around the airways tighten up, making the airways narrower so less air flows through. Inflammation increases, and the airways become more swollen and even narrower. Cells in the airways may also make more mucus than usual. This extra mucus also narrows the airways. These changes make it harder to breathe.

Illustration showing anormal airway and an airway in a person with asthma.

Asthma attacks are not all the same—some are worse than others. In a severe asthma attack, the airways can close so much that not enough oxygen gets to vital organs. This condition is a medical emergency. People can die from severe asthma attacks.

So, if you have asthma, you should see your doctor regularly. You will need to learn what things cause your asthma symptoms and how to avoid them. Your doctor will also prescribe medicines to keep your asthma under control.

Taking care of your asthma is an important part of your life. Controlling it means working closely with your doctor to learn what to do, staying away from things that bother your airways, taking medicines as directed by your doctor, and monitoring your asthma so that you can respond quickly to signs of an attack. By controlling your asthma every day, you can prevent serious symptoms and take part in all activities.

If your asthma is not well controlled, you are likely to have symptoms that can make you miss school or work and keep you from doing things you enjoy. Asthma is one of the leading causes of children missing school.