How to Prevent Hemorrhoids: 8 Daily Habits That Can Help

Most people don't think much about hemorrhoid prevention.

Until they've had hemorrhoids.

Then suddenly you're very interested in making sure they never come back.

The frustrating part is that hemorrhoids don't always come with one obvious cause you can simply remove from your life.

You may be dealing with constipation.

Straining.

Long bathroom sessions.

A low-fiber diet.

Heavy lifting.

Or several of those things at once.

That's why learning how to prevent hemorrhoids usually isn't about discovering one magic habit.

It's about reducing some of the everyday pressure and straining that can contribute to them—and doing it consistently enough that healthier habits become normal.

The good news?

None of this requires turning your life upside down.

Some of the most useful hemorrhoid prevention habits are surprisingly simple.

1. Get Enough Fiber Every Day

If there's one place to start, fiber deserves to be near the top of the list.

Fiber can help make stools softer and easier to pass. That matters because hard stools and constipation can lead to more straining during bowel movements—and straining is one of the most common contributors to hemorrhoids.

Good sources of fiber include:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Beans and lentils
• Whole grains
• Nuts and seeds

The key isn't having one enormous bowl of bran cereal after a hemorrhoid flare-up.

It's getting enough fiber consistently.

If your diet falls short, a fiber supplement can also help fill the gaps. NIDDK includes fiber supplements such as psyllium among at-home approaches for hemorrhoids.

That's where Easy Flow Fiber® can fit into a daily routine. It's designed to make adding fiber more convenient while supporting healthy digestion and regular bowel movements.

Not instead of eating well.

Just another way to make consistency easier.

2. Give Fiber the Fluids It Needs

Fiber and fluids work together.

NIDDK notes that drinking water and other liquids can help fiber work better, supporting softer, easier-to-pass stools.

So if you've made a big effort to increase your fiber but aren't paying attention to fluids, you're only looking at half the picture.

You don't need to obsess over a universal number of glasses every day. Fluid needs vary based on factors such as your health, activity level, body size, and environment.

Instead, think about consistency again.

Fiber? Check.

Fluids? Check.

Your digestive system would like both, please.

3. Don't Keep Ignoring the Urge to Go

Sometimes your body gives you a pretty clear message.

Bathroom. Now.

And you respond:

• After this meeting.
• When I get home.
• After I finish this.

Once in a while, life happens.

But if delaying bowel movements becomes a regular habit—especially if you're already prone to constipation—it's worth changing.

NIDDK's constipation guidance recommends using the bathroom when you feel the need to go and developing regular bowel habits.

The goal isn't to put bowel movements on your calendar.

It's simply to stop treating the urge to go like an email you can leave unread until tomorrow.

4. Stop Trying to Force It

This one matters.

You sit down to have a bowel movement.

Nothing happens.

So you push harder.

Still nothing.

Push again.

More effort isn't always the answer.

Straining during bowel movements is a recognized contributor to hemorrhoids, and both NIDDK and current clinical guidance emphasize addressing bowel habits as part of hemorrhoid care and prevention.

If you're regularly having to strain, the bigger question is:

Why are your bowel movements so difficult in the first place?

• Constipation?
• Not enough fiber?
• Not enough fluids?
• A medication or health condition?

Addressing the reason you're straining makes a lot more sense than simply getting better at pushing.

5. Your Toilet Doesn't Need to Become a Second Office

We need to talk about phones.

You go into the bathroom for one reason.

Then you check an email.

Open Instagram.

Watch a video.

Read the comments.

And twenty minutes later, you're still sitting there.

Prolonged toilet sitting is another recognized contributor to hemorrhoids, and avoiding long periods on the toilet is part of NIDDK's prevention guidance.

So keep bathroom trips focused.

Go when you need to go.

Give your body a reasonable chance.

Avoid straining.

Then get up.

Your phone will still be there.

We promise.

6. Move Your Body Regularly

Exercise isn't a guaranteed way to prevent hemorrhoids.

But regular physical activity can support bowel function and may help with constipation.

And movement doesn't have to mean spending an hour in a gym.

• Walk around the block.
• Take a walk after dinner.
• Get up periodically during the workday.
• Take the stairs.
• Go swimming.
• Ride a bike.
• Dance around the kitchen if that's your thing.

The best movement is generally the kind you can realistically make part of your life.

This is particularly worth thinking about if you spend most of your day sitting.

You don't need to become an athlete.

You just need to move.

7. Be Smart About Heavy Lifting

This doesn't mean:

Never lift anything heavy again.

But frequent heavy lifting is recognized as a hemorrhoid risk factor, and NIDDK includes avoiding regular heavy lifting among its hemorrhoid-prevention recommendations.

If you lift weights regularly—or heavy lifting is part of your job—pay attention to patterns.

Do hemorrhoids seem to flare after periods of particularly heavy lifting?

Are you also dealing with constipation and straining?

Do certain activities noticeably aggravate an existing flare-up?

You don't necessarily have to quit lifting.

You may simply need to look at the whole picture and make sensible adjustments when your body is telling you something isn't working.

8. Pay Attention Before the Next Flare-Up

This might be the most underrated habit on the list.

When hemorrhoids hurt, you pay attention.

You increase your fiber.

Drink more water.

Stop sitting on the toilet forever.

Maybe start walking more.

Then you feel better.

And slowly...

Everything goes back to normal.

Until the hemorrhoids do too.

If yours keep returning, start paying attention to what tends to happen before a flare-up.

Was it:

• Constipation?
• Several days of low-fiber eating?
• A long trip?
• Long days sitting at work?
• Heavy lifting?
• More straining than usual?

You may start noticing a pattern.

And that pattern can tell you which daily habits deserve the most attention.

Because preventing hemorrhoids isn't only about what you do when something hurts.

It's what you keep doing when you feel perfectly fine.

You Don't Need a Perfect Hemorrhoid-Prevention Routine

If you've made it this far and are now mentally creating a 14-step morning hemorrhoid routine...

Please don't.

That's not the point.

You don't need to drink the perfect amount of water, hit an exact fiber number, walk at precisely 2:15 every afternoon, and live in fear of accidentally sitting on a toilet for 45 seconds too long.

The goal is consistency, not obsession.

Start with whatever seems most relevant to you.

If you're regularly constipated, start there.

If you eat very little fiber, work on that.

If your phone accompanies you on every 25-minute bathroom adventure, that's probably an easy one.

If you sit all day, find more opportunities to move.

Small changes that become normal are much more valuable than a perfect prevention plan you abandon next Tuesday.

Building a Daily Hemorrhoid Health Routine

At Hem Healer, we're interested in what happens between flare-ups, not only what you reach for once hemorrhoids become uncomfortable.

That's why we think about hemorrhoid health as a bigger routine.

• Healthy digestion.
• Regular bowel movements.
• Fiber and fluids.
• Movement.
• Better bathroom habits.
• Supporting healthy veins and circulation.

Easy Flow Fiber® is designed to support healthy digestion and regularity while making daily fiber intake more convenient.

Hem Hero® is designed to support healthy veins and circulation as part of a consistent wellness routine.

Neither replaces healthy habits or appropriate medical care.

They're simply tools that can fit into the bigger picture.

Because the ultimate goal isn't to become an expert at managing hemorrhoids.

It's to spend less of your life thinking about them.

Can You Completely Prevent Hemorrhoids?

Unfortunately, there isn't a routine that can guarantee you'll never develop hemorrhoids.

Some risk factors aren't fully within your control. Aging and pregnancy, for example, can increase the likelihood of developing hemorrhoids.

That's why we prefer to talk about reducing risk and supporting hemorrhoid health rather than promising prevention.

• You can improve your bowel habits.
• You can address constipation.
• You can get more fiber.
• You can avoid unnecessary straining.
• You can spend less time sitting on the toilet.
• You can pay attention to heavy lifting.

Those are worthwhile changes even though nobody can promise you'll never have another flare-up.

When to Get Checked

Sometimes better habits aren't enough.

If hemorrhoid symptoms persist, NIDDK recommends talking with a healthcare provider.

That's particularly important because not every anal symptom or case of rectal bleeding is caused by hemorrhoids.

If you have severe anal pain and rectal bleeding—especially with abdominal pain, diarrhea, or fever—seek medical care promptly.

The point of prevention isn't to ignore symptoms indefinitely.

It's knowing what you can manage yourself and when something deserves another look.

The Bottom Line

If you're wondering how to prevent hemorrhoids, don't look for one miracle solution.

Look at your routine.

• Get enough fiber.
• Drink enough fluids.
• Don't ignore the urge to go.
• Avoid unnecessary straining.
• Keep toilet time reasonable.
• Move regularly.
• Be sensible about heavy lifting.
• And pay attention to the patterns that tend to show up before your hemorrhoids do.

You don't have to do everything perfectly.

You just need to make the habits that support your body easier to repeat.

Because hemorrhoid prevention shouldn't become another full-time job.

The whole point is getting back to your actual life.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to prevent hemorrhoids?

There isn't one guaranteed method. Eating enough fiber, drinking adequate fluids, avoiding straining and prolonged toilet sitting, and avoiding regular heavy lifting are among NIDDK's hemorrhoid-prevention recommendations.

Can you prevent hemorrhoids naturally?

Lifestyle and dietary habits can help reduce several recognized hemorrhoid risk factors. High-fiber foods, adequate fluids, healthier bowel habits, and avoiding unnecessary straining are good places to start. However, no lifestyle routine can guarantee that hemorrhoids won't occur.

Does fiber help prevent hemorrhoids?

Fiber can make stools softer and easier to pass, which can help reduce constipation and straining. NIDDK recommends high-fiber foods as part of both hemorrhoid treatment and prevention.

Does drinking water prevent hemorrhoids?

Water alone doesn't guarantee hemorrhoid prevention. However, adequate fluids help fiber work effectively and can support softer stools and healthy bowel function.

Can exercise help prevent hemorrhoids?

Exercise isn't a guaranteed prevention method, but regular physical activity may help with constipation and support healthy bowel habits.

Why do my hemorrhoids keep coming back?

Recurring hemorrhoids can have several contributing factors. Constipation, straining, prolonged toilet sitting, a low-fiber diet, pregnancy, and frequent heavy lifting are among recognized risk factors. If hemorrhoids repeatedly return despite lifestyle changes, consider discussing them with a healthcare provider.

References

American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Hemorrhoids. Diseases of the Colon & Rectum. 2024.
PubMed: 2024 Hemorrhoids Clinical Practice Guidelines

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Treatment of Hemorrhoids.
NIDDK: Treatment of Hemorrhoids

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Symptoms & Causes of Hemorrhoids.
NIDDK: Symptoms & Causes of Hemorrhoids

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Hemorrhoids.
NIDDK: Eating, Diet & Nutrition for Hemorrhoids

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Treatment for Constipation.
NIDDK: Treatment for Constipation

Continue Learning

The Connection Between Constipation and Hemorrhoids: Why One Often Leads to the Other
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Why Hemorrhoids Keep Coming Back (And What Most People Miss)
Explore some of the everyday patterns that can contribute to recurring hemorrhoid problems—and why lasting prevention often goes beyond treating the latest flare-up.

Our Commitment to Evidence-Based Education

At Hem Healer, we strive to base our educational content on guidance from respected medical organizations and peer-reviewed research whenever possible.

Our articles are intended for educational purposes and should not replace personalized medical advice from your healthcare provider.