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- Half Of Americans Over 50 Have Hemorrhoids, But They Can Be Prevented!
Half Of Americans Over 50 Have Hemorrhoids, But They Can Be Prevented!
Plus: want to do the resting squat, but your ankles won’t let you? Here’s how to fix that
The 10almonds Team
December 22, 2023
Today’s almonds have been activated by:
🎶 Christmastime… Mistletoe and wine… Would make you very unwell; please do not consume mistletoe with or without wine, as it is poisonous!
⏰ IN A RUSH?
Today’s 30-Second Summary
If you don’t have time to read the whole email today, here are some key takeaways:
Half of all Americans over 50 have hemorrhoids, but understandably, it’s not something that many talk about.
Preventative measures include good fiber intake and hydration, going easy on certain medications, and the right kind of hygiene down there.
And one more thing: leave your phone in another room—see the main feature for why!
Foods like peanuts, soy, vinegar, chocolate, citrus fruits, and caffeine (amongst others) have been linked to migraine. Too bad if you are prone to migraines and want a snack!
Today’s sponsor Amia are offering delicious cookies that are not only free from all common migraine triggers, but also all common allergens, and as a bonus, they have a bunch of brain-healthy ingredients too—See today’s sponsor section for details!
Read on to learn about these things and more…
👀 WATCH AND LEARN
How to Increase Ankle Mobility in 3 Steps (10:51)
Want to do the resting squat, but your ankles won’t let you? Here’s how to fix that:
Ankle menu:
Want to watch it, but not right now? Bookmark it for later 🔖
❓ MAIN FEATURE
It’s Q&A Day at 10almonds!
Have a question or a request? We love to hear from you!
In cases where we’ve already covered something, we might link to what we wrote before, but will always be happy to revisit any of our topics again in the future too—there’s always more to say!
As ever: if the question/request can be answered briefly, we’ll do it here in our Q&A Thursday edition. If not, we’ll make a main feature of it shortly afterwards!
So, no question/request too big or small 😎
❝Hello. I was hoping you could give some useful tips about how to avoid a painful ailment that has affected Ernest Hemingway, Karl Marx, David Livingstone, Napoleon, Marilyn Monroe, King Alfred, and Martin Luther, and, I confess, me from time to time … namely, hemorrhoids. Help!❞
Firstly: that list could be a lot longer! We don’t have global stats, but in the US for example, half of adults over 50 have hemorrhoids.
So, you’re certainly not alone. People just don’t talk about it.
But, there are preventative things you can do:
Fiber, fiber, fiber. See also:
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
This one’s simple enough. If you are dehydrated, constipation is more likely, and with it, hemorrhoids.
Watch your meds…
Some medications can cause constipation—painkillers containing codeine are a common culprit, for example.
When you go, go!
Not only can prolonged straining promote hemorrhoids, but also (if you’ll pardon the phrasing—there’s only so delicately we can say this) simply sitting with things partway “open” down there is not good for its health; things can quickly become irritated, and that can lead to hemorrhoids.
So: when you go, go. Leave your phone in another room!
Wash—but carefully.
Beyond your normal showering/bathing routine, a bidet is a great option for keeping things happy down there, if you have that option available to you.
However, if you have hemorrhoids, don’t use soap, as this can cause irritation and make it worse.
Warm water is fine, as is a salt bath, and pat dry and/or use gentle wet-wipes rather than rougher paper.
You can follow up with a hemorrhoid cream of your choice (or hydrocortisone, unless that’s contraindicated by another condition you have)
Know when to seek help
Hemorrhoids will usually go away by themselves if not exacerbated. But if it’s getting unduly difficult, and/or you’re bleeding down there, it’s time to see a doctor.
Note on bleeding: even if you’re 100% sure you have hemorrhoids, there are still other reasons you could be bleeding, and so it needs checking out.
Hemorrhoid treatment, if needed, will vary depending on severity. Beyond creams and lotions, there are other options that are less fun but sometimes necessary, including injections, electrotherapy, banding, or surgery.
Take care!
📊 POLL
We turn the tables and ask you a question…
We’ll then talk about this tomorrow:
What is a migraine? |
❤️ OUR SPONSORS MAKE THIS PUBLICATION POSSIBLE
Finally, Migraine-Friendly Food
Foods like peanuts, soy, vinegar, chocolate, citrus fruits, and caffeine (amongst others) have been linked to migraine. Too bad if you are prone to migraines and want a snack!
Amia's products fill that gap. They're made free from all common migraine triggers, and yes, they're also free from other nuts, dairy, and gluten.
Bonus: They're not just "the nothing cookie", though. Instead, they're packed with a nutritious blend of trigger-free oats and seeds, including hemp, flax, chia, and pumpkin... All known to have brain-healthy properties!
Please do visit our sponsors—they help keep 10almonds free
🌎 AROUND THE WEB
What’s happening in the health world…
Fasting-mimicking diet shows unique benefits in cardiovascular health, study finds
Study reveals altered time perception in early Alzheimer's stages, offering potential early diagnostic marker
Have we been trying to prevent suicides wrongly all this time?
Loneliness is a major public health problem—and young people are bearing the brunt of it, say researchers
Study supports cutting out red meat for type 2 diabetes prevention, highlights alternative protein sources
Super-aging: defining exceptional cognitive ability in late-life
Study shows synergistic effects of genetic factors, binge-drinking, and diabetes in alcohol-related cirrhosis
More to come tomorrow!
📖 ONE-MINUTE BOOK REVIEW
Pinch of Nom: 100 Slimming, Home-style Recipes – by Kate Allinson & Kay Allinson
"Home-style recipes", because guess where most readers live!
And: slimming, because trimming the waistline a little is a goal for many after holiday indulgences.
The key idea here is healthy recipes that "don't taste like diet food"—often by just switching out a couple of key ingredients, to give a significantly improved nutritional profile while remaining just as tasty, especially when flavors are enhanced with clever spicing and seasoning.
The food is simple to prepare, while being "special" enough that it could be used very credibly for entertaining too. For that matter, a strength of the book is its potential for use as a creative springboard, if you're so inclined—there are lots of good ideas in here.
The recipes themselves are all you'd expect them to be, and presented clearly in an easy-to-follow manner.
Bottom line: if you've ever wanted to cook healthily but you need dinner on the table in the very near future and are stuck for ideas, this book is exactly what you need.
What did you think of today's newsletter?We always love to hear from you, whether you leave us a comment or even just a click in the poll if you're speeding by! |
May today see you in great health in every way,
The 10almonds Team