Is Stress Giving You A Pain in the Butt?


By Janet Pfeiffer
Want to cure hemorrhoids? What if I told you to that in some cases, your personality could hold the key?
There are many commonly known causes of hemorrhoids – from poor dietary choices (that’s my nice way of saying too much junk and processed food and not enough good old-fashioned home cooking, fresh fruit and veggies) to poor posture, insufficient exercise, and myriad digestive issues. Likewise, there are many ways to cure hemorrhoids, not all as effective as others.
However, less commonly known is the fact that nervous temperaments are much more vulnerable to hemorrhoids. At the onset of intense stress or worry – whether related to work or family or anything in between – many folk find themselves looking for a way to cure hemorrhoids. Sometimes, this flare-up can be short-lived, at other times (depending on stress levels) these inflamed and often protruding veins can hang around for weeks or even months, cause excruciating pain and can be difficult to treat. When stress levels subside so, too, do the hemorrhoids.
Can stress really contribute to hemorrhoids? Are certain personality types more likely to be looking for a solution to cure hemorrhoids? You bet. Your personality, digestive and immune systems are closely related – more than you might imagine.
Certain personalities are more likely to experience imbalances in their digestive systems which, in turn, affects their immune system and the functioning of many different organs of the body. Consequently, some hemorrhoids treatments will be more effective than others.
In some cases, understanding the personality of the hemorrhoid sufferer can greatly assist in helping that person cure hemorrhoids. Most people are familiar with the affects of stress on their digestive system. It can range from butterflies in the stomach, to constipation or diarrhea. When under stress, some people’s stomach is so knotted they do not feel hungry and cannot eat. Others feel extreme hunger and cannot stop themselves from eating. However it manifests itself, it’s hard to deny the link between emotions and the digestive system.
In addition, so-called Type A personalities – those who are prone to competitive, aggressive, ambitious behaviors (or maybe their work environment necessitates this behavior) – are also more inclined to develop digestive disorders, including hemorrhoids. Apart from the affects of nervous tension on the organs of the body, these types of personalities often rush to eat, gulping down their food, anxious to get on with other things, or just too nervous to relax while eating.
Consequently, their stomachs are unable to properly digest foods or nutrients, and need to work much harder to move food through the system. This places a great deal of unnecessary pressure on all organs of the body. Tense abdominal muscles place the contents of the colon under pressure, potentially causing constipation, stomach pain, colon pain, and hemorrhoids.
Anxious, competitive personalities are also more prone to eat high-fat low-fibre fast foods – again, less time spent eating means more time for all the other things they want to get done. All this is bad news for hemorrhoid sufferers – unless you know how to make some simple modifications to your diet and eating habits which will help counterbalance these effects. For starters, you could read my blog post How to Eat Well.
It seems to me to be no coincidence that so many digestive health illnesses – from hemorrhoids to ibs and so many more – seem to miraculously cure themselves when the sufferer is in their 40s and over the most stressful period of raising their family and/or climbing the career ladder.
Over the past 25 years of consulting with hemorrhoid sufferers and those with other gastrointestinal issues, I have found a strong link between eating habits and hemorrhoids. The good news is that these habits can be easily reversed, and hemorrhoids can be cured. To cure hemorrhoids if the above applies to you, it’s important to set aside time to sit down and eat slowly and on time. Just chewing your food sufficiently before you swallow can take so much pressure off your digestive system.
I know from experience that suggesting to hyper-active hemorrhoid sufferers that they need to learn to relax, is easier said than done. But there are some very effective clinically-tested natural treatments which can help assist enzyme function in the digestive system and redress some of the imbalances caused by a nervous disposition. These can help reduce pressure on the colon, thereby reducing the incidence of hemorrhoids. Of course, relaxation and reduction of stress will help cure hemorrhoids, but a holistic approach will bring greater relief and results. You can learn more about how to cure hemorrhoids at my Hemorrhoids Saviour website.