Gillian McKeith's Food Bible (235 page)

Action plan

Improving liver function can help enormously with this condition.

EAT/DRINK

Berries and cherries, as they contain proanthocyanidins, which can help to strengthen the capillary walls. You can use berries in juices, too.

Foods that nourish the liver: cabbage, cauliflower, kale, broccoli, sprouted seeds, and figs.

Plain yogurt.

Dark green leafy vegetables and alfalfa, sources of vitamin K, a good preventative.

AVOID

Coffee and alcohol. Both will make the situation worse.

Junk food and sugar.

HERBS AND SUPPLEMENTS

Drink dandelion and nettle teas.

Add the herb bilberry to your dietary regimen. It is high in bioflavanoids, which are anti-inflammatory compounds. Bioflavanoids help to relieve hemorrhoids and the distended veins of hemorrhoids.

Drink aloe vera juice before meals.

Take milk thistle to help soften stools and cleanse the liver.

The herb butcher’s broom can improve vein tone by reducing the inflammation of the tissue surrounding the hemorrhoid.

The herb plantain can help to soften the stools and make them easier to pass.