All Brown Buds For Hemorrhoids

Am I Getting Enough Fibre In My Diet

There are a number of ways to see how much fibre is in your current diet. You could keep a detailed food diary for about a week, and then look up fibre values of the common foods you consume to see if you are on target. If you eat foods that are not easy to analyze, then contact a registered dietitian who can help you out. You can find fibre values online at the Canadian Nutrient File, or in a more easily searched format, at the USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory. Product labels are a great information source.

Which Is Better Fibre From Foods Or Fibre Supplements

Can you skip all this diet revamping and go straight to a commercial fibre product? Maybe, but that could take a little work too. Commercial fibre products are expensive and there is insufficient research confirming their specific effectiveness. If your current diet is low in fibre, say only 5 grams/day, and you are a 45 year-old male, then you would need an additional 33 grams of fibre according to Health Canadas Dietary Reference Intakes . Since the amount of fibre derived from most commercial fibre products is moderate, even at maximum dosages, obtaining fibre from food sources might be easier.

How Much Fibre Should I Eat Each Day

Women aged 19 to 50 are advised to consume 25 grams of fibre each day men require 38 grams. As we get older and our calorie requirements decrease, so do our fibre needs. After 50, women need 21 grams daily and men, 30 grams.

That’s certainly more than the 11 to 17 grams of fibre the average Canadian consumes each day. To ensure your daily diet provides enough, you need to make strategic food choices.

Consuming fruits and vegetables helps increase your overall fibre intakeAnchiy/iStockPhoto / Getty Images

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A Dietary Fiber Supplement May Be Helpful

Some people don’t tolerate fibrous foods well. If you can’t consume enough fiber in your diet alone, certain stool softening and bulking agents are available. These products absorb water and produce the bulk necessary for the digestive tract to perform naturally. They help create a soft and well-formed stool. For this reason, they can be very useful in preventing and treating digestive tract disorders. Metamucil, Konsyl, and Per Diem Fiber are such products. These contain psyllium mucilloid and come from the seed of the psyllium plant. Citrucel and FiberCon are other bulking agents that can also be used.

When It Comes To Constipation Not All Fibre Is Created Equal

Not eating enough fibre often causes constipation and, not surprisingly, adding more of it to your diet can ease, and prevent, the condition. Not all fibre is created equal, though.

Grains, fruits, vegetables, pulses and nuts contain two types of fibre: soluble and insoluble, in varying amounts. Soluble fibre slows digestion and helps regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels. It’s plentiful in oats, oat bran, barley and psyllium .

On the other hand, foods such as wheat bran, whole grains, nuts and many fruits and vegetables contain mainly insoluble fibre. Its this type that retains water and adds bulk to stool, helping it pass more quickly through the intestines.

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Can Fibre Help My Digestive Disorder

Because the effects of the types of fibre used in controlled experiments may differ from the effects that the same fibre has in its natural state , the study of dietary fibre can be problematic. Foods may often contain more than one type of fibre and different proportions of each. To complicate matters even further, many foods high in dietary fibre may also contain other nutrients. For example, a high fibre diet may also be high in vitamin A and carbohydrates. It might be difficult to separate the effects of these nutrients on your digestive condition from the effect of the dietary fibre or a combination of the two. Another challenge in the study of dietary fibre is that the method in which the food is prepared may alter the effects of the fibre. For these reasons, published studies often show inconclusive or contradictory results.

We do know that fibre is part of a healthy diet, and there is evidence that changes in the amount and type of dietary fibre may have a beneficial effect for some bowel disorders . If you suffer from a digestive disease, consult your health professional for specific advice regarding fibre.3

Are There Any Side Effects Or Adverse Reactions To Consuming More Fibre

Increasing your fibre intake either using dietary modifiers or fibre supplements can sometimes result in unwanted digestive effects. Bloating, cramping, and increased intestinal gas are the most common side effects, mostly due to the methane, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen gases produced as by-products when bacteria in the colon metabolize the undigested fibre. These effects may lessen over time, and commercial products such as Beano® may help patients deal with gas symptoms. If adequate fluid intake does not accompany a high fibre diet, constipation may occur. Again, remember to add fibre gradually, introducing one change at a time and drinking plenty of water along the way.

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Dosage And How To Take

Diosmin is available over the counter in the United States, Canada, and certain European countries. Its typically sold as micronized purified flavonoid fraction , which usually contains 90% diosmin and 10% hesperidin.

The most common and well-researched supplement is Daflon 500 . Its also known as Detralex in some regions. However, many other diosmin products are likely available in your local pharmacy and online.

Most diosmin products recommend taking one 500-mg supplement with food once in the morning and again in the evening for a total of 1,000 mg per day.

Under the guidance of a health professional, these dosage guidelines have been shown to be safe and effective for various conditions :

• Chronic venous disease: 1,000 mg per day for 36 months
• Hemorrhoids: 1,0002,000 mg per day for 4 days, followed by 1,000 mg per day for 3 days
• Varicose veins: 1,0002,000 mg per day for up to 6 months

Do not take diosmin for more than 3 months or take more than the recommended dose on the label unless instructed by your healthcare provider.

Report Problems To The Food And Drug Administration

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

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Alberts DS, Martinez ME, Roe DJ, et al. Lack of effect of a high-fiber cereal supplement on the recurrence of colorectal adenomas. Phoenix Colon Cancer Prevention Physicians’ Network. N Engl J Med 2000 342:1156-62. View abstract.

Anon. Consensus statement on cereals, fibre and colorectal and breast cancers. Proceedings of the European Cancer Prevention consensus meeting. Santa Margheritia, Italy, 2-5 October 1997. Eur J Cancer Prev 1998 7:S1-83. View abstract.

Anti M, Pignataro G, Armuzzi A, et al. Water supplementation enhances the effect of high-fiber diet on stool frequency and laxative consumption in adult patients with functional constipation. Hepatogastroenterology 1998 45:727-32.. View abstract.

Badiali D, Corazziari E, Habib FI, et al. Effect of wheat bran in treatment of chronic nonorganic constipation. A double-blind controlled trial. Dig Dis Sci 1995 40:349-56.. View abstract.

Chandalia M, Garg A, Lutjohann D, et al. Beneficial effects of high dietary fiber intake in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. N Engl J Med 2000 342:1392-8. View abstract.

Chiesara E, Borghini R, Marabini. Dietary fibre and drug interactions. Eur J Clin Nutr 1995 49:S123-8.

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Ontario Weeds: Spiny Annual Sow Thistle

Excerpt from Publication 505, Ontario Weeds, Order this publication

Name: Spiny annual sow-thistle, Sonchus asper Hill, Other Names: laiteron rude, Prickly annual sow-thistle, laiteron âpre, laiteron épineux Family: Composite or Aster Family General Description: Annual, reproducing only by seed.

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Foods To Eat To Keep Hemorrhoids From Coming Back

If youve had to deal with hemorrhoids, take comfort in knowing there are some things you can do after treatment to keep . Since one of the common causes of hemorrhoids is constipation, a good place to focus your efforts is on the foods you plan to eat. Here are ones youll want to eat more often if you want to keep hemorrhoids from making a return visit.

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When Should The Patient See A Surgeon

Most of the time, hemorrhoidal disease will respond to conservative measures as long as the patient complies with the prescribed regimen. Surgical intervention for hemorrhoids is less frequently undertaken today than in the past.

Surgery can be considered in patients with incarcerated and gangrenous hemorrhoids , acutely thrombosed external hemorrhoids, or recurrent or chronic symptomatic external hemorrhoids in those in whom conservative management, rubber-band ligation, or both failed and in those who have heavy bleeding with anemia. Surgery can be considered also for some patients taking anticoagulants over the long term who have bleeding hemorrhoids refractory to medical therapy. Surgery in this latter group can relieve the problem with one intervention, alleviating the need to disrupt anticoagulation multiple times for several sessions of rubber-band ligation.

What Are The Different Types Of Fiber

The two different types of fiber, both of which can help with hemorrhoids, are:

• Soluble fiber: Soluble fiber attracts water and turns to gel, which slows digestion. It is found in oat bran, barley, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas, and some fruits and vegetables, as well as in psyllium .
• Insoluble fiber: Insoluble fiber adds bulk to stool, and it may help food pass more quickly through the digestive system. It’s found in wheat bran, vegetables, and whole grains.

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Whats Best For Constipation: Eating Bran Or Fruits And Vegetables

Bran will do a better job than fruits and vegetables at treating constipation because it is a concentrated source of bulk-forming wheat bran.Getty Images/iStockphoto

Question

Which are the best foods to treat and prevent constipation? Is bran better than fruits and vegetables? What about fibre supplements?

Answer

Not having a bowel movement everyday doesn’t mean you’re constipated. For some people, it’s usual to go three times a week for others, “normal” means going three, even four, times a day.

Constipation can make you feel bloated, distended, anxious and downright miserable. And, for some people, its uncomfortable symptoms can interfere with normal life. The good news: making simple lifestyle changes especially dietary ones is often all it takes to get your system back on track.

Medically speaking, constipation is defined as having less than three bowel movements a week. While it’s common to experience constipation from time to time, chronic constipation occurs when you have infrequent bowel movements or difficulty passing stools for several weeks to several months.

Beans Lentils And Nuts

You’ll get a lot of bang for your bite with the legume family. Just 1/2 cup of beans — such as kidney, navy, lima, or black beans — will cover about a third of your daily goal. It will have between 7 and 10 grams of fiber , depending on which variety you choose.

About 20 almonds or pecans have around 3 grams of fiber. A 1/2 cup of edamame does, too, and it only has about half the calories.

Instead of using just meat in chili and soups, add or substitute beans. You can also use beans and nuts in salads. Try Indian and Middle Eastern recipes, which often call for beans, lentils, and peas.

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Diosmin: Benefits Dosage Side Effects And More

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Diosmin was first isolated from the figwort plant in 1925 and has been used since 1969 as a natural therapy to treat various conditions, such as hemorrhoids, varicose veins, venous insufficiency, leg ulcers, and other circulatory issues .

Its believed to help reduce inflammation and restore normal blood flow in people with venous insufficiency, a condition in which blood flow is impaired .

Today, diosmin is widely derived from another flavonoid called hesperidin, which is also found in citrus fruits especially orange rinds .

Diosmin is often combined with micronized purified flavonoid fraction , a group of flavonoids that includes disomentin, hesperidin, linarin, and isorhoifolin .

Most diosmin supplements contain 90% diosmin with 10% hesperidin and are labeled MPFF. In most cases, the terms diosmin and MPFF are used interchangeably .

This supplement is available over the counter in the United States, Canada, and some European countries. Depending on your location, it may be called Diovenor, Daflon, Barosmin, citrus flavonoids, Flebosten, Litosmil, or Venosmine .

Function Of The Colon

The main job of the colon is to complete the digestion process. This occurs by removing excess water from food wastes entering from the small intestine. When wastes pass through the intestines too quickly, not enough water is absorbed. Watery stools and diarrhea are the result. In contrast, if the passage of waste is too slow, too much water is absorbed. This results in hard stools and constipation, which often leads to straining. These simple problems occasionally lead to more serious disorders.

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When To See A Healthcare Provider

See your healthcare provider if:

• You are experiencing rectal bleeding .
• You have new or worsening symptoms.
• You notice more blood than usual.
• Your symptoms persist after one week of home treatment.
• You have questions or concerns.

Seek immediate medical attention if:

• You are losing or have lost a lot of blood.
• Your symptoms are accompanied by abdominal pain, diarrhea, or fever.
• You feel dizzy or faint.
• You think you may be experiencing an emergency.

Remember to slowly increase your fiber intake. Consult with a healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns.

Advantages Of The Procedure

• No hospitalizations
• No general anesthesia
• Less time lost from work most patients return to work and resume normal activities the same day
• Fewer serious complications in this procedure
• With this method, the early recurrence rate is reduced to about 15% and late recurrences average about 20%. Hemorrhoids may recur if you strain during bowel movements, sit on the toilet and read, etc.

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What Are The Different Types Of Fibre

Fibre, the structural material of plants, is made mostly of non-starch polysaccharides, which our small intestines cannot digest, and some non-polysaccharides, which are non-starches, non-sugars, and non-carbohydrates such as lignins, cutins, and tannins. Now, we divide all these fibres into soluble and insoluble fibres. Soluble means that the fibre can dissolve in water and form a gel. There are three sub-divisions of soluble fibres: gums, mucilages, and pectins. Some hemicelluloses fall within this category as well. Insoluble fibres include cellulose, most hemicelluloses, and lignins. Most plants contain a mix of the two fibre types, although some have higher concentrations of one or the other.

How Much Fiber Should I Eat

Adults should eat 20 to 35 grams of dietary fiber per day. You can meet this goal by eating a well-balanced diet containing a variety of foods such as two servings of fruits, three servings of vegetables, and three or more servings of whole-grain breads or cereals. You may also benefit from a fiber supplement, such as Metamucil or Benefiber. Remember to increase the dietary fiber in your diet gradually to avoid bloating and gassiness, and to drink plenty of fluid to avoid constipation.

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The Use Of Fiber In The Irritable Bowel

Irritable bowel syndrome is one of the most common disorders of the lower digestive tract. There is no disease present with IBS, but it creates bothersome symptoms such as altered bowel habits — constipation, diarrhea, or both alternately. There may also be bloating, abdominal pain, cramping, and spasm. An attack of IBS can be triggered by emotional tension and anxiety, poor dietary habits, and certain medications. Increased amounts of fiber in the diet can help relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome by producing soft, bulky stools. This helps to normalize the time it takes for the stool to pass through the colon. Liquids help to soften the stool. Irritable bowel syndrome, if left untreated, may lead to diverticulosis of the colon.

Fiber Cholesterol And Gas

Insoluble fiber is found in wheat, rye, bran, and other grains.

It is also the fiber found in most vegetables. Insoluble fiber means it does not dissolve in water. It also cannot be used by intestinal-colon bacteria as a food source, so these beneficial bacteria generally do not grow and produce intestinal gas.

Soluble fiber, on the other hand, does dissolve in water forming a gelatinous substance in the bowel. Soluble fiber is found in oatmeal, oat bran, fruit, psyllium , barley, and legumes. Soluble fiber, among its other benefits, seems to bind up cholesterol allowing it to be eliminated with the stool. If enough is removed it can lower the blood cholesterol 10-15%.

The downside of soluble fiber is that it can be metabolized by gas-forming bacteria in the colon. These bacteria are harmless but for those who have an intestinal gas or flatus problem, it is probably best to avoid or carefully test soluble fibers to see if they are contributing to intestinal gas. Whenever possible, both soluble and insoluble fiber should be eaten on a daily basis.

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How To Prevent Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids can’t always be prevented, but some measures can be taken to reduce the chances of developing them, including:

• Eating a high-fiber diet with adequate fluid intake
• Avoiding straining during bowel movements
• Avoiding sitting on the toilet for long periods of time
• Avoiding regular heavy lifting