Types of meals and diets to avoid while suffering from anal fissures

Anal fissures are cracks and tears in the anal area usually caused by constipation and other bowel syndromes. This condition is very painful. Some of its symptoms are: (1) tears in the anal area, (2) chronic pain associated with bowel movement, (3) rectal bleeding, (4) itching or burning sensation around the anal and rectal area, (5) malodorous discharge and in rarer cases (6) inability to urinate.

To prevent the condition from worsening, the following are the types of meals and diets to avoid while suffering from anal fissures:

• Dairy products

Dairy products can be bad for people experiencing anal fissures because of lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance is the condition wherein the body cannot properly digest or process lactose due to lack of some chemicals. People suffering from this would often need a trip to the toilet. In some recent studies, it was found that fissures and constipation may be caused by lactose intolerance.

There are a lot of substitutes for dairy such as rice milk, almond milk and soy-based products.

• Fatty meats

Meat products do not contain much fiber. Aside from that, it contains large amounts of cholesterol and saturated fat. Lack of fiber would often lead to constipation. Aside from that, large intake of fatty meat is also a known cause of Crohn’s disease – one of the leading causes of anal fissures.

Other than anal fissures, large intake of fatty meats can also lead to diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

• Enriched flour

Enriched flour is a grain product that went through heavy processing. During the processing, the grain product loses its mineral, vitamins, nutrients and fiber content. Examples of enriched flour are the following:  pasta, cereals, bread and snack food.

• Gluten-rich food

Gluten usually causes chronic constipation. It is often hard to diagnose if one suffers from allergy to gluten since it is consumed almost on a daily basis. It is therefore recommended to avoid all gluten-rich food all together. Some examples of gluten-rich food are bread, dairy products, wheat and chocolates.

• ‘Sharp’ food

‘Sharp’ food pertains to those foods that are hard to digest. Examples of these are peanuts, tortilla chips and popcorn.

Instead of consuming the aforementioned, it is recommended to increase the intake the following products when suffering anal fissures:

• Fiber-rich food

Fiber is the key to good digestion. As emphasized throughout the whole article, constipation is one of the main causes of anal fissure. The strain constipation and diarrhea puts on the anal muscles causes anal fissures. Fiber-rich food will greatly improve bowel movements. Some examples of fiber-rich foods are: lentils, wheatgrass, flaxseed, raspberry, blackberry, avocado, Asian pears, coconut, figs, artichokes, okra, peas and acorn squash.

• Natural laxatives

Laxatives stimulate bowel movement. It also softens the stool. It is usually used to prevent constipation. The following are some examples of natural laxatives: aloe vera, chia seeds, flax seeds, probiotic food, leafy green vegetables, coconut water and high-fiber fruits.

• Water

Hydration is also important to avoid constipation. Drink at least 10 to 12 times a day.

Diet plays an important part in the prevention of anal fissures. It is therefore pertinent to keep in mind the types of meals and diets to avoid while suffering from anal fissures and which food to eat more while suffering from anal fissures.