believed to be the mechanism of action. Prolonged
sitting on a toilet, for instance while reading, is also
thought to cause a venous return problem in the
perianal area, resulting in enlarged hemorrhoids.
Aging also weakens the anal support structures,
which facilitates prolapse. Weakening of support
structures can occur as early as the third decade of
life. There is agreement among health practitioners
that the best way to prevent hemorrhoids is to keep
stools soft so that they can pass easily, and to empty
bowels as soon as there is an urge. Waiting to pass
stool may cause it become dry and harder to pass.
Resources
BOOKS
Wood, G. K.The Complete Guide to Digestive Health: Plain
Answers About IBS, Constipation, Diarrhea, Heartburn,
Ulcers, and More.Peachtree City, GA: FC&A Publish-
ing, 2006.
Monastyrsky, K.Fiber Menace: The Truth About the Lead-
ing Role of Fiber in Diet Failure, Constipation, Hemor-
rhoids, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Ulcerative Colitis,
Crohn’s Disease, and Colon Cancer.Lyndhurst, NJ:
Ageless Press, 2005.
Lahr, C.Why Can’t I Go?: Answers and Relief for Women
with Constipation.Portland, OR: Sunburst Press, 2004.
Icon Health Publications.The Official Patient’s Sourcebook
on Hemorrhoids: A Revised and Updated Directory for
the Internet Age.San Diego, CA: Icon Health Publica-
tions, 2002.
DiMarco, D.Natural Relief from Constipation.New York,
NY: McGraw-Hill, 1999.
Yasney, K.Put Hemorrhoids and Constipation Behind You:
New Treatment and Technology for 2 of Today’s Most
Common Yet Least Talked-About Problems.Sheffield,
MA: Safe Goods Publishing, 1997.
ORGANIZATIONS
American Dietetic Association. 216 W. Jackson Blvd, Chi-
cago, IL 60606-6995. 1-800-877-1600 ext. 5000.<www.
eatright.org>.
Food and Nutrition Information Center. 10301 Baltimore
Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705-2351.<http://www
.nutrition.gov>.
American Gastroenterological Association. 930 Del Ray
Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814. (301)654-2055.<http://
http://www.gastro.org>.
International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal
Disorders Inc. P.O. Box 170864, Milwaukee, WI 53217-- 1-888-964-2001.http://www.iffgd.org.
Monique Laberge, Ph.D.Herbalife
Definition
Herbalife is a U.S. company—formally named
Herbalife International—which sells weight-loss,
weight management, personal care, health, food/diet-
ary, and nutritional supplement products. The com-
pany uses network marketing, also called multi-level
marketing, which is a type of marketing plan that uses
direct marketing along with franchisers and/or inde-
pendent contractors to sell its products. According to
the company’s Website, ‘‘Herbalife’s innovative prod-
ucts have been developed by scientists, doctors and
nutritionists with your personal wellness goals in
mind.’’
Herbalife is headquartered in Los Angeles, Cali-
fornia, with about 3,500 employees worldwide, as of- The company is part of the nutrition and skin
care products industry. Its website is http://www
.herbalife.com.
The company sells a wide range of herb-, botanical-,
and other such health-based products including Male
Factor 1000, 21-Day Herbal Cleansing, NiteWorks,
HeartBar, Shapeworks, MentalBalance, Health & Fit-
ness Bulk & Muscle Program, Dermojetics skin-care
products, Cell-U-Loss supplement, and Nature’s Raw
Guyana. As of 2006, Herbalife sells products in 63
countries, and has annual retail sales of $3 billion.
Over one million (qualified and unqualified) independ-
ent distributors are associated with the company.
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR
DOCTOR How common are hemorrhoids?
How did I get hemorrhoids?
How are hemorrhoids treated?
Are there foods that I should avoid?
How are hemorrhoids prevented?
Can hemorrhoids be cured?
How can I tell if I am getting enough fiber in my
diet?
How will I know if I am getting too much fiber in
my diet?
Would seeing a dietician for an eating plan help?
How effective is diet in controlling
hemorrhoids?
What is the function of dietary fiber?Herbalife