DIET

The right diet is the key to a healthy life. You can help prevent piles by following the recommendations of the Department of Health - five servings of fruit and veg a day. But do ensure that you incorporate plenty of the more fibrous foods into your diet - potatoes in their skins, unpeeled apples and so on.

Wholewheat bread, bran flakes, pulses (beans and lentils) brown pasta and rice will also help to keep your stools soft and bulky and therefore easy to pass. Don't forget how important water is - not just for your general health but for your gut and bowels in particular.

Around eight glasses - 1 - 2 litres - a day should keep your stools soft and quick and easy to pass. Aim to drink a glass an hour during the working day and you'll be on target.