Piles are caused by straining the lower bowel - they often appear during pregnancy because of increased pressure on the veins, or after childbirth because of the pressure caused when pushing the baby out - and they can stay put for many years。

　　However, a far more common cause is straining because one is constipated - and this is where bowel habits come into the equation because to prevent constipation, you have to address diet。

　　痔疮的成因是肠道末端紧张性而造成的，妇女在怀孕期间静脉曲张，或是在分娩时推送婴儿所造成，后遗症或延续数年。而另一更常见的诱因则是便秘，为保持排泄畅通，饮食方面则需多加注意。

　　Unfortunately, over the Christmas party season you are likely to be snacking endlessly on canapes rather than eating a balanced meal for lunch or dinner and most likely drinking more alcohol than normal。

　　Many of my patients go to a party thinking that they will tuck into canapes as a substitute for a proper dinner。

　　While canapes may be tasty and those mini-hamburgers and tiny cornets of fish and chips look appealing - virtually all canapes are highly calorific and contain few nutrients。

　　Unless they are homemade they are likely to be processed and high in saturated fats, salt and often sugar。

　　Few party foods are going to be good for bowel health and - because the fibre content will be low - are more likely to put you at risk of piles。

　　不幸的是，在节日期间保持均衡的膳食摄取则变得越发困难。尽管派对上常见的美食看起来都非常诱人，但其实都是无一例外的都属于高脂肪高盐和高糖的食物，而且它们的纤维含量较低，这增加了痔疮“爆发”的危险。

　　To offset this problem, try to make sure that you eat the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetable a day, preferably more, and fill up on some of these before you go to the party so you do not rely on canapes as the source of your main meal。

　　You should also eat high-fibre foods - for instance Weetabix or bran-based cereals - for breakfast as this will certainly help combat the negative effect of fingerfoods。

　　Most of us enjoy the flow of alcohol at Christmas but consume too much and you will become dehydrated and in turn constipated。

　　On the other hand, too much alcohol - binge-drinking in particular - can also lead to diarrhoea. I suggest to patients alternating a glass of wine, for example, with one of water or a soft drink。

　　This will help keep the faeces at the right consistency so as not to cause straining, which can lead to bleeding, itching or even an anal fissure (a small tear in the anus)。

　　It may be hard to believe, but lack of sleep from all that partying can also cause piles。

　　为了防止这样的情况发生，你可以在赴约前先吃五分饱的蔬菜及水果，这样势必会减少你对于派对食物的需求，同时还应尽量选择例如麦麸或粗粮等的高纤维食品。朋友之间畅饮几杯是在所难免，但是过度饮酒会造成脱水，从而引发便秘，严重者或出现出血甚至肛裂的情况。

　　The bowel has one of the richest areas of nerve supply in the body and the brain-bowel connection - the theory that the health of the gut does seem to be directly linked to the mind - is well-established。

　　So, if you are overtired and cannot sleep then you could get stressed in which case there is a good chance that your bowel will not be working efficiently and you may become constipated。

　　Even clothing may exacerbate piles if you already have them - I've had female patients complaining that thongs and G-strings can cause pain and it is quite possible that tight undergarments, such as the currently fashionable compression underwear that pulls in the stomach and bottom, might cause problems if too tight and putting pressure on the back passage。

　　另外，睡眠不足也将会也将会导致便秘，因为肠道周围神经密集，并直接受大脑的支配，理论是上心理状况的“晴雨表”。若你过度劳累和难以入眠，这将影响到肠胃的正常“运作”，或产生便秘的情况。甚至，不科学着装也会加重病症，以目前流行的紧身衣便是为例，它会对腹部中下段造成挤压，如果过紧将造成同样的问题。

　　The good news is that piles may be uncomfortable but are rarely dangerous。

　　However, if there are any symptoms - whether new, worrying or frequent - which persist and may not be related to piles, you should go straight to your GP who, unless there is a clear cause (such as an anal fissure)， will refer you to a specialist to exclude more serious causes including polyps, cancer and inflammatory bowel disease。

　　痔疮虽然很不舒服，不过好在并非危险病症。如果有类似的症状发生，应立即就医，若任其发展或照成息肉，肠道炎症严重者或发展成癌症。