What Are the Seven Foods That Patients with Hemorrhoids Should Avoid Eating?
Generally speaking, there is no specific list of "seven foods that patients with hemorrhoids cannot eat." However, patients with hemorrhoids should avoid foods such as chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, fried foods, strong alcoholic beverages, and mustard. These foods can easily irritate the intestines or exacerbate congestion of the anal blood vessels, possibly aggravating discomfort such as pain and bleeding from hemorrhoids. The specific reasons are analyzed as follows:
1. Chili Peppers: Chili peppers are hot in nature and contain capsaicin, which is highly irritating. After consumption, they can irritate the mucous membrane of the rectal and anal areas, causing local blood vessel congestion and dilation, worsening hemorrhoid swelling, and possibly causing a burning sensation during defecation, thereby increasing discomfort.
2. Sichuan Peppercorns: Sichuan peppercorns are warm in nature and pungent in taste, possessing strong irritant properties. The volatile oils in Sichuan peppercorns can irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa, potentially causing intestinal motility disorders, while also aggravating congestion of the perianal blood vessels, making symptoms of hemorrhoidal pain and itching more pronounced.
3. Fried Foods: Such as fried chicken, French fries, and dough sticks, these foods are high in fat and greasy in texture. They are difficult to digest and can increase the burden on the gastrointestinal tract, potentially causing constipation. Straining during bowel movements when constipated increases abdominal pressure, compressing the hemorrhoids, which can easily lead to hemorrhoidal bleeding or prolapse.
4. Strong Alcoholic Beverages: Such as white spirits, high-proof rice wine, etc., which have high alcohol content. Alcohol accelerates systemic blood circulation, especially causing dilation and congestion of the perianal blood vessels, worsening hemorrhoid swelling, and may also irritate the intestinal mucosa, inducing or exacerbating discomfort from hemorrhoids.
5. Mustard: Mustard is warm in nature, spicy in taste, and strongly irritating. After consumption, it can irritate the digestive tract mucosa, causing accelerated or spasmodic intestinal motility, while causing perianal blood vessel congestion, worsening pain and a feeling of heaviness from hemorrhoids, which is not conducive to symptom relief.
In daily life, in addition to adjusting the diet to assist in alleviating hemorrhoids, one should also consume more fiber-rich foods to maintain smooth bowel movements. At the same time, attention should be paid to anal hygiene and keeping the local area dry, which helps reduce discomfort caused by hemorrhoids.