Expert: Ronda Snow, Ph.D. - 1/14/2005

Question
what is a safe method to get rid of hemmoroids?  I already have a high fiber diet since I am a vegetarian.

Answer
That is a tough one, since the hemmerhoids are the by-product of damage already done as I understand it. And sometimes they occur despite our best efforts with healty lifestyle due to a genetic propensity to vein problems.

Keep up the good work with the high fiber and plenty of water. To the best of my knowlege, what natural health does best in this case is, rather than hack them out or try to 'get rid of them" as would be the mind set of modern medicine, the natural way is to just help the body heal itself as much as possable. The idea there is that the healing would make the symptoms and disomfort so minimal that the hemmerhoids wouldn't be a big problem anymore.

Using witch hazel to clense with is a time honored way to sooth them. You can purchase disposable little pads already soaked with it, or you can buy bottles of witchhazel very inexpensively and dilute it with water by half, and use that on cotton balls to swab the area

In chinese medicine, vein problems are sometimes associated with defecient spleen qi, which can be helped with further dietary refinements (which may be hard for a vegitarian to do because, if memory serves, that means eliminating some soy products and diary, important protein sources for you) but also can be helped with herbs. An evaluation with a TCM would be the best way to approach the problem from a chi perspective

I don't have my full referance library at hand just now, but again if memory serves, there are some homeopathic remedies that are helpful for this problem. Sometimes homeopaths are easier to find than TCM doctors.

As always, information from the internet is just that...information. Nothing like this ever pretends to diagnose or offer treatment advice. Just ideas for YOU to use as you make decisions regarding your health and lifestyle. Face to face consultations with trained professionals is always the best way to go.

Thanks for sharing your question! Best wishes to you!

Baihu