Joan Wilen and Lydia Wilen
Joan Wilen and Lydia Wilen are folk-remedy experts and home tipsters based in New York City. They have spent decades collecting “cures from the cupboard” and are authors of several books, including Secret Food Cures.
Hemorrhoids are enlarged blood vessels in the lower rectum, and around the anus that bulge, bleed, and are frequently uncomfortable to downright painful. They are something that most people would rather not deal with. When they do happen, home remedies for hemorrhoids can offer some relief. Although preventing hemorrhoids in the first place is probably the preferred option.
In the following excerpt from Secret Food Cures Joan and Lydia Wilen share home remedies for hemorrhoids that they’ve collect in their study of naturopathic medicine.
According to the American College of Surgeons, hemorrhoids (also known as piles) are fibromuscular cushions that line the anal canal. When irritated, infected or strained, they are literally a pain in the anus.
Two out of every three adults have had, currently have or will have a case of hemorrhoids. Chances are, if you’re reading this, you are one of the two out of the three.
Along with treating your condition with natural, nonchemical remedies, there are ways to speed up the healing process…
◆ Keep the bowels as clear as possible. Drink lots of fruit juices and vegetable juices. Stay away from hard-to-digest, overly processed foods—especially those that contain white flour and sugar—as well as alcoholic beverages.
◆ Eat six or seven servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
◆ Do not strain or hold your breath while having a bowel movement. Make an effort to breathe evenly.
◆ Take a brisk walk as often as you can, especially after meals.
Heed these suggestions and, hopefully, in a few days, you’ll have this problem behind you.
• Apply liquid lecithin directly on the hemorrhoids, once a day, until they disappear.
• Eat a large boiled leek every day as an afternoon snack or with dinner.
• Eat three raw unprocessed almonds every day. Chew each one about 50 times.
• In a blender, finely chop 1 ⁄4 cup cranberries. Place one tablespoon of the blended cranberries in a piece of cheesecloth and place it over the anus. An hour later, remove the cheesecloth and replace it with another tablespoon of cranberries in cheesecloth for another hour. This is a great pain reliever. By the end of two hours, you should feel much better.
• How are you at ice carving? Carefully carve or melt an ice cube down to the size and shape of a bullet. Use it as a suppository. The cold may give you a start, but it may also reduce the swelling and heal the hemorrhoids.
• Add 1 ⁄4 cup of witch hazel to a basin of warm water. If it’s not irritating, sit in it for at least 15 minutes at a time, at least two times a day.
• Take advantage of the healing properties of the enzymes in papaya by drenching a wad of sterilized cotton in pure papaya juice. Position it on the hemorrhoid area and secure it in place with a bandage. The juice should help stop the bleeding and bring the irritation under control.
To prevent hemorrhoids, it’s best to increase the fiber and fluids in your diet.
• According to psychic healer Edgar Cayce, eating three raw almonds a day will help prevent hemorrhoids.
• Since hemorrhoids are a sitter’s ailment, it may help to take a long walk every day at a fairly fast pace. A yoga class two or three times a week is also a good preventive measure.
