I Thought All Fruits Helped with Digestion — Until I Got Piles

I always assumed fruits were the safest, healthiest part of any diet. You know — fiber, hydration, natural sweetness. What's not to love? But after struggling with recurring hemorrhoids (piles), I started questioning everything I thought I knew about “gut-friendly” foods. And yep, turns out not all fruits are your friend when it comes to digestion — especially if you’re dealing with piles.

What caught me off guard was how something as innocent as a banana could be part of the problem. I had been eating one every morning. But no one tells you that unripe bananas can be incredibly binding. And when you already have pain, bloating, and difficulty going to the bathroom, binding is the last thing you want.

It was only after I started reading more about Ayurveda that things began to click. I came across this eye-opening piece titled “Which Fruit Is Not Good for Piles” from Ask Ayurveda. You can read it here:
https://ask-ayurveda.com/articles/1290-which-fruit-is-not-good-for-piles-what-to-avoid-and-what-to-eat

That article broke down exactly which fruits to avoid (like jackfruit, custard apple, unripe bananas), and which ones to eat more of — like soaked raisins, ripe papaya, watermelon, and figs. It also explained why ripeness and seasonal choices matter in Ayurvedic nutrition. That was totally new to me.

I started making some changes based on that. I found a LinkedIn post explaining how certain fruits can worsen digestive issues if your dosha is imbalanced. Really aligned with what I was feeling. Here’s the post:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ask-ayurveda_ayurvedic-insight-not-all-fruits-benefit-activity-7355575369699115009-s_e7?

Also saw this Instagram reel showing how papaya helps reduce inflammation and supports regular bowel movements. That definitely helped me stay consistent with it:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DMpsnHSsShE/

Then there’s this Facebook post that shares a home remedy using soaked black raisins for constipation. I tried it. Not glamorous, but it worked:
https://www.facebook.com/885804900366149/posts/1068104548802849

I dug a bit more and found a Threads post that talked about the gut-piles connection from an Ayurvedic lens. That post made me realize how many other people quietly deal with this too:
https://www.threads.com/@askayurveda_24/post/DMpsnK0ukP1

There’s even a Pinterest board with visuals on herbs and lifestyle practices for piles. That one made me curious about sitz baths and triphala — hadn’t considered those before:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/895934919625980165

And this Twitter thread gave a seasonal warning — how fruits like mango or lychee, while delicious, can worsen symptoms if eaten in the wrong season. It matched with some of the flare-ups I had in early summer:
https://twitter.com/AskAyurveda_24/status/1949809590863888822

So now, I’m not just randomly eating fruit. I’ve started listening to what my body needs and matching it with the time of year and my digestion patterns. It’s not about cutting out fruit completely — just making smarter choices based on how my system responds.