While frequent warm baths and anti-inflammatory creams can relieve symptoms, you can only achieve long-term relief through dietary changes. This means more fibre, but the often-recommended bran is not the way to go: as an insoluble and sometimes allergenic fibre, it can be harsh on the digestive system. A much better alternative is soluble fibre, such as is found in fruit and vegetables. Cabbage and prunes are rich in soluble fibre, as are psyllium husks and flax seeds, both widely available at healthfood stores. Celery has a lot of insoluble fibre, but doesn' t tend to irritate the gut, so it' s a good choice. As for the rest, choose wholegrains and wholefoods: try eating more beans, lentils, oats and rye. And be sure to drink 1 to 1.5 litres of water a day.