Yikes! Anal fissures are VERY painful. Avoid them, but (no pun intended) if you have one, YOU CAN HEAL FROM A FISSURE! And, contrary to what you may have heard, you can heal a fissure without surgery. This blog post explores some of the foods to eat and some to avoid when working towards curing an anal fissure.

Eat at least one large bowl of bone broth soup every day. Bone broth soups are rich in minerals like magnesium and potassium, rich in gelatin collagen, bone marrow, and cartilage, and high in easily digestible amino acids like proline and glycine. These are key nutrients to promote anal tissue healing and to reduce stress in the body, which can aggravate the condition. Bone broth soup also helps to hydrate the body, which is essential to optimal health.

How to Cook Bone Broth

• Use the bones and cartilage of poultry, beef, buffalo, lamb and fish. I don’t generally recommend pork bones and it is best to use high-quality bones from organic meats and natural, grass-fed animals.
• If possible, use kitchen scissors to break the bones into smaller pieces, ideally 2-3 inches long, increasing the surface area of bone exposed to the boiling water, therefore increasing the quality and nutrient value of the soup.
• Place the bones in a stockpot and just cover with cold water. Add a "splash," or about 2 tablespoons, of rice, wine, cider, or balsamic vinegar per quart of water or per about 2 pounds of bones. An acid such as vinegar is necessary in order to extract the minerals and nutrients from the bone into the soup. Lemon juice may be substituted for the vinegar.
• Garlic, onions, and ginger may be added for increased flavor, as well as coarsely chopped pieces of celery, carrots, mushrooms, onions, garlic, cabbage, zucchini, kale, collards, parsley, and many other vegetables.

Others Foods That Promote Fissure Healing

Ensure an adequate intake of healthy fats and oils, which will replenish cellular membranes with needed nutrients, strengthening cell walls. By maintaining the structural integrity of our cells, fats promote the full functioning of our rebuilding and cleansing mechanisms. The cell’s ability to renew itself leads to the healing of the anal fissure. Foods that are rich in healthy fats include: organic, grass-fed meats, avocados, organic eggs, olives, extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil, raw nuts, raw seeds, and cold-water fish.

Foods to Avoid When Healing a Fissure

Common foods that can irritate an anal fissure or cause the anus to tear are foods with gluten, chocolate, coffee, alcohol, spicy foods, and pasteurized dairy. Don’t eat these foods for at least 10 days to determine if they are contributing to your anal fissure. If they are, you will need to avoid them until your fissure is healed. Once your fissure is healed, you can experiment with adding them back, one at a time.

Too Much of a Good Thing Can Irritate Fissures

Too much fiber and fiber supplements can cause more pain and damage to the anus. Make sure the fiber you ingest includes water-rich fruits, vegetables, and possibly grains. Good examples are grated carrots, apples, pears, grated beets, split peas, quinoa, and brown rice.

This is also true of citrus fruits: eat them, but not every day.

However, if you notice that your body likes or doesn't like particular foods, pay attention to that. If your body wants them, eat more, as long as you don't notice direct irritation to your anal area, mouth, stomach, or mood.

You Are Not Alone! Get Support for Dealing with a Painful Fissure!

For more detail on these dietary suggestions to heal an anal fissure, read Kristina Amelong’s Ten Days to Optimal Health: A Guide to Nutritional and Colon Therapy. 

For an anal fissure treatment, check out our anal fissure healing program.

Labels: anal fissure diet, best foods for anal fissure, eating to cure a fissure, heal a fissure