Over 150 million of the living people in America today will experience some kind of hemorrhoids by the age of 50. Most will do nothing about it. Only 500,000 are expected to seek help this year. It is a crazy statistic, because for most people, hemorrhoids can be prevented and cured by making a few simple changes to lifestyle, diet and the use of an anti-inflammatory gel/cream.

There are 2 types of hemorrhoids, internal and external, both of which left unchecked can lead to more severe cases, and ultimately surgery. But that is if you do nothing about it. And there is not much to look forward to if you need surgery. Surgery is an excruciatingly painful experience, especially post-op. Many patients have reported days, if not weeks of pain during the healing period after surgery. You see the outer rectum is one of the most sensitive parts of the body, and the most prevalent surgeries involve burning off hemorrhoids, or banding (tying a band around the affected area until it drops off) which leaves the area extremely tender, and when the patient needs to have a bowel movement, the pain can be even more excruciating than the hemorrhoids ever were.

But that is what happens if you do NOT attend to your hemorrhoids early. And considering that one of the major causes of hemorrhoids is from straining during bowel movements due to poor diet/lifestyle, then there really is no reason that most sufferers can't avoid getting more/worse hemorrhoids. That is, most people strain during a bowel movement because the stool (feces) has become hard and requires a lot of pushing and straining. Simple changes to diet and lifestyle can improve regularity and reduce painful 'straining' bowel movements, and thus wipe-out the cause of hemorrhoids.

This is where the health of your colon kicks in. The colon (large intestine) can hold anywhere between 6-40lbs of fecal matter in the average adult. People who experience regular bowel movements (at least once daily), typically have a lot less of this fecal matter in their system, and quite obviously people who are less 'regular' have a lot more in their system. The colon, the last major part of the digestive system, actually draws a lot of water out of the fecal matter (stool) before it reaches the rectum. If the stool spends too much time in the colon, or if your diet is missing some key foods, then too much water is drawn out of the stool, and this is when you experience a hard bowel movement that requires straining and pushing....resulting in hemorrhoids.

There is much debate about what causes the stool to spend more time in the colon and thus become harder, but most agree that a clean and clear colon will assist in helping the stool to move freely and smoothly through the intestine. Couple this a diet rich in water and fiber (which assists in making the stool softer and easier to pass) and you're on the right path towards reducing the cause of hemorrhoids.

Exercise is another major factor in improving you inner health. Many experts believe that exercise assists in speeding up our metabolic rate which actually sees our digestive system work quick, thus resulting in 'regularity' and less fecal matter sitting virtually idle in the digestive system (colon).

So if you have a diet that incorporates a lot of fiber (wholemeal breads/cereal and fruits), you drink ample water (6-8 glasses daily) and you partake in regular exercise, then you could well be on your way towards improving your inner health, improving your bowel-movement regularity and reducing your hemorrhoids.

And for many people who are already 'dealing' with hemorrhoids, the use of an anti-inflammatory cream/gel can be the first step in helping to cure, and rid themselves of their hemorrhoids. Poor diet, laziness and lack of hydrating fluids are CAUSES of hemorrhoids, so making improvements in these areas will probably help to ease the current hemorrhoids, but will NOT FULLY CURE the sufferer. The use of an anti-inflammatory will assist here (in most cases) by soothing the affected area, and also helping with circulation in the rectum area. These products act as a kind of decongestant in the rectum by reducing the swelling, which naturally brings with it better blood circulation in the veins, which in turn helps to diminish the size and existence of the hemorrhoids.

There's a lot more to learn about hemorrhoids, and you can do it at http://www.hemorrhoid-relief.com