The Short Answer

Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in the rectum and anus that often develop from constipation, a common issue for people with autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s low thyroid. Addressing diet, gut health, brain function, and immune management can help prevent and relieve hemorrhoids while supporting your overall autoimmune health.

Hemorrhoids are an embarrassing subject, but they can make you miserable. Although the issue tends to run in families, there are steps you can take to relieve and prevent hemorrhoids. When you have an autoimmune condition, including Hashimoto’s low thyroid, addressing the root causes of hemorrhoids can help you manage your condition more effectively.

Hemorrhoids are swollen and inflamed veins in the anus and rectum that cause pain from sitting, squatting, going to the bathroom, and other ordinary activities. In addition to pain, other symptoms include bleeding, the urge for a bowel movement, itching, and irritation.

The Connection Between Diet, Constipation, and Hemorrhoids

The most common cause of hemorrhoids is a diet low in fiber. Most Americans eat less than half the daily recommended amount of fiber, which has increased from 5–7 servings a day to 7–10. A serving is a half cup of vegetables and fruits or a cup of leafy greens. So a sufficient fiber day might look like four cups of salad and three cups of other vegetables and fruits, or three cups of spinach, kale, or collard greens, and three to four cups of vegetables and fruits.

Be careful to eat modest amounts of low-glycemic fruit, like berries, so you don’t spike your blood sugar and cause inflammation that can worsen hemorrhoid pain.

Ways to increase vegetables in your diet include:

Prepping and storing veggies to add to meals

Ordering salads with meals when eating out

Making big batches of veggie soups and stews

Keeping a container “salad bar” in your fridge

Veggie smoothies

Snacking on raw veggies

Also, drink plenty of water and exercise daily to prevent constipation.

Some people experience gastric discomfort from eating a lot of produce. If this happens to you, you may need to take digestive enzymes with your meals or address more serious gut healing issues. Contact RedRiver to learn about ways to repair your gut function.

Eating a diverse and ample amount of vegetables goes beyond relieving constipation and hemorrhoids. This diet creates a healthier gut bacteria environment, which in turn supports immune health, a vital component of managing any autoimmune condition.

When Fiber Isn’t Enough: Other Root Causes of Constipation

If you eat plenty of fiber and are still constipated, you’ll need to investigate other causes.

Low thyroid function and autoimmune conditions. Autoimmune thyroid dysfunction, including Hashimoto’s low thyroid, causes constipation and can worsen hemorrhoids. Managing your autoimmune condition is fundamental to addressing constipation. This means looking at food intolerances, inflammation, chemical sensitivities, and other diet and lifestyle factors that influence autoimmunity.

Brain and vagus nerve function. Poor brain function can lead to hemorrhoids. If your brain doesn’t function optimally, the vagus nerve, a large nerve connecting the brain and the gut, isn’t properly activated. An active vagus nerve signals the intestines to contract and move food along, preventing constipation.

Poor vagus nerve function also inhibits the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and of digestive enzymes, leading to constipation. It also fails to keep the tissues of the rectum and anus healthy, making hemorrhoids more likely.

Fortunately, you can activate the vagus nerve with simple exercises such as vigorous and frequent gargling, singing loudly, or stimulating the gag reflex. Unmanaged autoimmune thyroid dysfunction can deteriorate brain function, so addressing your autoimmune condition supports both brain health and hemorrhoid prevention.

Gut health and the enteric nervous system. A leaky gut and gut inflammation contribute to constipation. The gut has its own nervous system, called the enteric nervous system. When gut health is poor, the enteric nervous system does not function properly, leading to constipation.

Additionally, poor gut health and imbalanced gut bacteria impact brain health in a way that, thanks to the communication pathway of the vagus nerve, sets the stage for constipation and hemorrhoids due to faulty brain-gut interaction. Addressing gut health is fundamental to managing any autoimmune condition.

Practical Solutions: Positioning and Non-Surgical Treatments

The “Squatty Potty” movement is another tool against hemorrhoids. Elevating your feet when you sit on the toilet helps prevent constipation and hemorrhoids. Be aware of non-surgical solutions for hemorrhoids, such as treatments that use an electrical current.

A variety of factors can cause hemorrhoids, so make sure you address diet, digestive tract health, brain function, and immune system management. These interconnected systems all influence whether hemorrhoids develop and persist.