The main areas to concentrate on to prevent or help existing piles are your diet & exercise.
Diet is important with regard to preventing piles because what you eat is how your digestive system works.
Follow a poor diet & you are more likely to be constipated & have an irritable bowel.
If you follow a good healthy diet you will have regular bowel motions which are easy & pain free to pass.
By 'healthy' I would aim for a high fibre diet (preferably lots of fresh fruit & veges) accompanied by lots of water (this aids the fibre to work properly).
You need about 2 litres of fluid today, preferably half of that should be water.
Other fluids that are great are fruit juices (go easy on kiwifruit!) & herbal teas.
If your fluid intake is 3 glasses or less per day you are upsetting your digestive system & more than likely suffering from constipation issues.
If you find you need to add a fibre supplement (ie.
Metamucil) to your diet since you aren't getting enough naturally, then its a good idea.
These supplements must be accompanied by lots of water.
It will relieve hard stools, constipation & ensure more regular bowel motions.
You should notice a big difference straight away.
However here is a list of foods you can add to your diet to increase your fibre intake naturally: Foods High in Fibre ~ Apples with skin on, Dried or fresh Apricots, Bananas, Blueberries, Dried Figs, Grapefruit, Oranges, Dried or fresh Peaches, Pear, Plums, Raisins, Raspberries, Avocado, Beetroot, Cooked Bok Choy, Cooked Broccoli, Cooked cabbage, Cooked & fresh Carrots, Cooked Cauliflower, Coleslaw, Corn, Beans, Celery, Bran cereals, Porridge, Rolled Dry Oats, Wholewheat Pasta, Brown Rice, Almonds, Cooked Black/Kidney/Lima Beans, Cashews, Flax seeds, Cooked Lentils, Peanuts.
The amount of fibre an adult should strive to have in their diet on a daily capacity is 25g for women & 30g for men.
It has also been known to lower your cholesterol too which is a bonus.
Foods to cut down on or reduce in your diet to alleviate constipation include cheese, milk, caffeine, alcohol, sugar, fries, chips, takeways that are high in saturated fat, processed meats & foods.
The next area to enhance is the amount of time you spend exercising.
Exercise is very important because it ensures a healthy & functionable digestive system & bowel (as well as lots of other organs!) Some people will notice that if an event in their life stops them from being active they become constipated.
This is because it slows your system right down.
It is preferable to remain active & exercise for at least 30 minutes 3-4 times per week.
The only type that can develop piles because of the straining involved is weight lifting.
Herbal remedies are also great, in particular Horse chestnut, Ginko & Gotu Kola.
All of these natural herbal remedies aid in strengthening weak veins, aiding circulation, dilating blood vessels & promoting healthy blood vessels to help prevent piles.