Piles

Piles or haemorrhoids are among the most common ailments today, especially in the Western
world. They are a varicose and often inflammed condition of the veins inside or just outside the
rectum. In external piles there is a lot of pain, but not much bleeding. In case of internal piles
there is discharge of dark blood. In some cases the veins burst and this results in what is known
as bleeding piles.
Symptoms
Pain at passing stools, slight bleeding in the case of internal trouble and a feeling of soreness
and irritation after passing a stool are the usual symptoms of piles. The patient cannot sit
comfortably due to itching, discomfort and pain in the rectal region.
Causes
The primary cause of piles is chronic constipation and other bowel disorders. The pressure
applied to pass a stool to evacuate constipated bowls and the congestion caused by
constipation ultimately lead to piles. The use of purgatives to relieve constipation, by their
irritating and weakening effect on the lining of the rectum, also result in enlargement and
inflammation of veins and bleeding of the mucus lining. Piles are more common during
pregnancy and in conditions affecting the liver and upper bowel. Prolonged periods of standing
or sitting, strenuous work, obesity and general weakness of the tissues of the body are the other
contributory causes of piles.
Mental tension is also one of the main causes of harmorrioids. Persons who are always in a
hurry often strain while passing stools. They rush through defecation instead of making it a
relaxed affair. The pressure thus exerted by the anal muscles affect the surrounding tissues. The
extra rectal pressure and the resultant congestion of veins ultimately leads to haemorrhoids.
There is probably a hereditary factor also involved in the development of piles.
Treatment
The treatment of the basic cause, namely, chronic constipation, is the only way to get rid of the
trouble. To begin with, the whole digestive tract must be given a complete rest for a few days
and the intestines thoroughly cleansed. For this purpose the patient should adopt an all-fruit diet
for at least seven days. After the all-fruit diet, the patient may adopt a diet of natural foods aimed
at securing soft stools.
The most important food remedy for piles is dry figs. Three or four figs should be soaked
overnight in water after cleansing them thoroughly in hot water. They should be taken the first
thing in the morning along with water in which they were soaked. They should also be taken in
the evening in a similar manner. This treatment should be continued for three or four weeks. The
tiny seeds of the fruit possess an excellent quality of stimulating peristalic movements of
intestines. This facilitates easy evacuation of faeces and keeps the alimentary canal clean.
The pressure on the anus having thus been relieved, the haemorrhoids also get contracted.
Mango seeds are regarded as an effective remedy for bleeding piles. The seeds should be
collected during the mango season, dried in the shade and powdered and kept stored for use as
medicine. It should be given in doses of about one and a half gram to two grams with or without
honey.
The jambul fruit is another effective food remedy for bleeding piles. The fruit should be taken
with salt every morning for two or three months in its season. The use of the fruit in this manner
in every season will effect a radical cure and save the user from bleeding piles during his / her
entire life.
White radish is considered highly valuable in the treatment of piles. Grated radish mixed with
honey may be taken in this condition. This vegetable can also be taken in the form of juice mixed with a pinch of salt. It should be given in doses of 60 to 90 ml. in the morning and evening. White
radish well ground into a paste in milk can also be beneficial applied over inflammed pile masses
to relieve pain and swelling.
The patient should drink atleast six to eight glasses of water a day. He should avoid straining to
pass a stool. Cold water treatment helps the veins to shrink and tones up their walls. The
treatment is done by sitting in a tub filled with cold water for two minutes with knees drawn up to
your chin. The water level should cover the hips. This should be done twice a day. Other water
treatments beneficial in curing piles include cold perennial douche and cold compress applied to
the rectal area for an hour before bed time.
A patient with piles must make an all out effort to tone up the entire system. Exercise plays an
important corrective role in this condition. Movements which exercise the abdominal muscles will
improve circulation in the rectal region and relieve congestion. Outdoor exercises such as
walking and swimming are excellent methods of building up general health. Yogic kriyas like
jalneti and vamandhouti and asanas such as sarvangasana,viparit karani, halasana,
gomukhasana are also useful. Sarvangasana is especially beneficial as it drains stagnant blood
from the anus.

Peptic Ulcer

Peptic Ulcer refers to an eroded lesion in the gastric intestinal mucosa. An ulcer may form in any
part of the digestive tract which is exposed to acid gastric juice, but is usually found in the
stomach and the duodenum. The ulcer located in the stomach is known as gastric ulcer and that
located in the duodenum is called a deudenal ulcer. Usually both are grouped together and
termed peptic ulcer.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of peptic ulcer are sharp and severe pain and discomfort in the
upper central abdomen. The pain is commonly described as burning or gnawing in character.
Gastric ulcer pain usually occurs an hour after meals, but rarely at night. Duodenal ulcer pan
usually occurs between meals when the stomach is empty and is relieved by food, especially
milk. It is often described as hunger pain and gets the sufferer out of bed between 2 and 4 a.m.
As the disease progresses there is distension of the stomach due to excessive flatulence,
besides mental tension, insomnia and a gradual weakening of the body. It may also cause
constipation with occasional blood in the stools. If an ulcer bleeds slowly, there is anaemia.
Causes
Peptic ulcers result from hyperacidity which is a condition caused by an increase in hydrochloric
acid in the stomach. This strong acid, secreted by the cells lining the stomach, affects much of
the breakdown of food. It can be potentially dangerous and, under certain circumstances, it may
eat its way through the lining of the stomach or duodenum producing, first, irritation of the
stomach wall and eventually an ulcer.
Dietetic indiscretion, like overeating, taking of heavy meals or highly spiced foods, coffee,
alcohol and smoking are the main factors contributing to this condition. The ingestion of certain
drugs, particularly aspirin, food poisoning, infections like influenza and septicaemia and gout
may also cause ulcers. Emotional stress or nervous tension also plays a major role in the
formation of ulcers.
Treatment
Diet is of utmost importance in the treatment of ulcer. The diet should be so arranged as to
provide adequate nutrition to afford rest to the disturbed organs, to maintain continuous
neutralisation of the gastric acid, to inhibit production of acid and to reduce mechanical and
chemical irritation. Milk, cream, butter, fruits, and fresh, raw and boiled vegetables, natural foods
and natural vitamin supplements are the best diet for an ulcer patient.
The most effective remedy for peptic ulcers is bananas. They are said to contain an unidentified
compound called, perhaps jokingly, vitamin U (against ulcers). Bananas neutralises the over
acidity of the gastric juices and reduces the irritation of the ulcer by quoting the lining of the
stomach. Banana and milk are considered an ideal diet for the patients who are in an advanced
state of the disease.
Almond milk made from blanched almonds in a blender is very beneficial as it binds the excess
of acid in the stomach and supplies high quality proteins. Raw goat’s milk is also highly
beneficial. It actually helps to heal peptic ulcer.
Cabbage is regarded as another useful home remedy for peptic ulcers. Cabbage is boiled in
water. This water is allowed to cool and taken twice daily. The leaves of kalyana murangal tree,
which is a variety of drumstick found in South India, have also proved helpful in the healing of
the ulcers. The leaves of this tree are ground into a paste and taken mixed with yogurt daily.
Raw vegetables juices, particularly carrot and cabbage juices are beneficial in the treatment of
the peptic ulcers. Carrot juice may be taken either alone or in combination with spinach or beat
and cucumber. The formula proportions in the case of the first combination are 300 ml. of carrots
and 200 ml. of spinach and in case of the second combination, 300 ml. of carrots and three
ounces each of beets and cucumber to make half a litre of juice.
The observance of certain rules by an ulcer patient with regard to eating habits are essential. He
should never eat when tired or emotionally upset, nor when he is not hungry even if it is meal
time, nor when his mouth is dry. He should chew every morsel thoroughly. He should eat only
natural foods and take food in as dry a form as possible. Meals must be small and frequent. All
foods and drinks which are either too hot or too cold should be avoided.
The ulcer patient should drink eight to 10 glasses of water every day. However, he should not
drink water during or with meals, but only half an hour before or one hour after he has eaten. He
should bathe, preferably in cold water, twice daily. Alternate hot and cold hip baths for 10 to 15
minutes and a mud pack applied over the lower abdominal for half an hour daily will help the
ulcers to heal. The hip bath or the mud pack should be taken on an empty stomach and should
be followed by a walk. In case of haemorrhage in the stomach, a rectal enema should be
administered four times daily with water temperature at 110 to 115 o F. In case of abdominal or
stomach pain, hot pack should be placed on the abdomen with water temperature at 120 o F. A
hot pack should also be placed between the shoulder blades.
Daily massages and deep breathing exercises also help. Above all, the patient must try to rid
himself of worries and stay cheerful. He should also cultivate regularity in his habit - be it work,
exercise or rest. Asanas which are beneficial in the treatment of hyperacidity and ulcers are
vajrasana, uttanpadasana, pawanmuktasana, bhujasana, paschimottanasana. Yogic kriyas like
jalneti and pranayamas like anuloma-viloma , shitali and sitkari are also beneficial.
Hyperacidity does not appear suddenly ; it develops gradually and its cure is also a gradual
process. The patient should not lose patience but must continue the regimen suggested ; this
will help him get relief from his ailment.