Diarrhea is a gastrointestinal infection which causes excess discharge in the form of loose watery stools accompanied by a stomach ache. The situation is very unpleasant and uncomfortable. Acute Diarrhea is a situation which lasts for 1 or 2 weeks where you are temporarily sick. Chronic Diarrhea is a situation where you have symptoms of diarrhea for more than several weeks. If you have loose and watery stools and have been discharging it for more than 3 to 4 times a day, you must be affected with diarrhea.
Diarrhea is a common condition seen in most of the people. Diarrhea is generally associated with a wide variety of diseases. Diarrhea is one of the common ailments caused by bacterial and viral infections. Diarrhea generally refers to the loss of water from your body along with essential salts and minerals that are essential for your body. An effectual cure for diarrhea is possible with simple home remedies.
Diarrhea – One of the body’s best mechanisms of defense against temporary viruses and infections. Short term diarrhea is a way to expel harmful substances out of the body before they create further complications.
Apple Cider Vinegar is rich in minerals like potassium, magnesium, calcium, chlorine, phosphorous, sodium, copper, sulfur, fluorine, iron and silicon which are essential for a healthy body. It is an effective remedy against diarrhea. Let’s know how to use it for treating the ailment.
Benefits: The antimicrobial properties of Apple cider vinegar fight against the microbes causing diarrhea(1) and the anti-inflammatory property provides a soothing effect to the inflamed intestines.
Many kinds of tea soothe the symptoms of diarrhea, acid reflux, and gastric problems.
Benefits: The acetone present in the ginger(2) helps in curing diarrhea.
Do this 2 times a day.
Green Tea is a rich source of antioxidants that help in relieving bowel inflammation and also provides relief from stomach cramps
[Also Read: Top 6 Home Remedies to Stop Diarrhea]
Chamomile is a commonly found herb used as a cure for diarrhea. Chamomile herb has the antispasmodic property that helps in relieving abdominal pains and stomach disorders. Chamomile also plays an important role in reducing intestinal inflammation.
You can have this tea 2 to 3 times a day.
Drinking chamomile tea improves the digestion process and it can be consumed daily till diarrhea cures completely.
Bananas are considered an ideal food when you have diarrhea. They have no fat, no cholesterol or sodium but are a rich source of Vitamin C, fiber. Vitamin B6, folate, complex carbohydrates, and potassium. It is easily digestible and this makes it an ideal food when you or your child has diarrhea. It is also very effective in treating indigestion and heartburn.
Doctors usually suggest BRAT diet for people who suffer from diarrhea. BRAT means “Banana, Rice, Apples & Toast”. BRAT diet is a combination of foods like Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast as they are very rich in nutrition and fiber which pass gently through a weakened digestive system. The loss of electrolytes during diarrhea is replaced by consuming bananas.
Bananas are best when they are eaten plain. Don’t go for unripe bananas as they take more time to digest. Have ripe ones by blending them into smoothies, freeze them or mash them on to a dry toast.
Foods play an important part in treating various body ailments. Nutrients supply to the body is very important for you to keep going. These nutrients supply enough energy to your body to withstand and overcome any health issue. Below-Given foods help in treating diarrhea very effectively.
Diet plays a vital role in the process of recovery when you have diarrhea. So, usually, doctors recommend that you go for a BRAT diet as they have a soothing effect on the digestive tract. They also normalize stools.
BRAT Diet includes other foods like
Drinking plenty of fluids not only keeps you hydrated but also replaces the lost fluid of the body. Drink a good amount of water. You can also include other liquids like
Avoiding some foods speeds up your recovery process when you have diarrhea. The below foods trigger inflammation and irritation in the digestive system and prolong the situation.
[Also Read: Foods That Help to Stop Diarrhea]
Yogurt is known to be an effective treatment for diarrhea. It has the power to kill the intestinal bacteria and provide relief. The anti-inflammatory and anti-pathogen properties of yogurt help in combating bacteria and stimulate better digestion.
Eat one cup of plain, unsweetened yogurt every day after meals. It will help in maintaining a proper balance of bacteria in the intestines.
Eat this mixture once a day after meals, before going to bed.
Regular consumption of this mixture not only brings down diarrhea but is also very good for digestion.
Eat this mixture once a day.
This will help in getting rid of diarrhea and give you relief very quickly and effectively.
[Also Read: Benefits of Yogurt to Stop Diarrhea]
Ginger helps in relieving your abdominal pain caused due to diarrhea.
Eating this mixture regularly helps in promoting the release of gastric juices and thus improves the digestion process. You need to avoid drinking water after eating this mixture for better results.
Ginger tea also shows good results in curing diarrhea. Drinking ginger tea 2-3 times a day is good for patients suffering from diarrhea. Ginger powder can also be used for making tea when the fresh ginger is not available.
Pumpkin is another wonderful food remedy to treat diarrhea. You can use fresh pumpkin or go for canned pumpkin. Below are the reasons why pumpkin is good to treat diarrhea.
Pumpkin has soluble fiber which absorbs water from the digestive tract. It forms a gel-like substance in the intestines and slows down the process of digestion. This makes harder and lesser stools.
Your blood should contain enough levels of potassium to save you from falling prey to weakness, fatigue, cramps, and even death. Loss of excess potassium from the blood is called Hypokalemia which might happen when you have diarrhea. As pumpkin is a rich source of potassium, having one cup of pumpkin provides about 500 milligrams of potassium to the blood.
Sodium is another compound which helps in maintaining a proper water balance in the body. It is an electrolyte. As diarrhea expels sodium out of your body, this loss can be filled by eating pumpkin broth.
Just boil a cup of pumpkin. Mash it to an even consistency. Add some warm water to make it a brothy texture. Add some salt and eat it.
Eating cooked rice is considered to be one of the effective remedies to treat diarrhea. Rice mixed with cooked green bananas gives your body the energy to fight against diarrhea. Let’s see what are the benefits of eating rice.
Rice acts as a binding food and makes your stools a little more solid. It is good to eat refined grains than going for whole grains when you have diarrhea. Rice reduces the number of stools and improves rehydration. You can eat cooked rice along with cooked green bananas rather than going for rice alone to stop diarrhea faster.
Cooked rice along with cooked green bananas provide carbohydrates and energy. Eating bananas helps in restoring the loss of potassium, B6 and Vitamin C. Rice provides you with Manganese, Iron, Folate, Selenium, Thiamine, and niacin.
Drink this mixture every half an hour when you have diarrhea.
This solution is popularly called Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) which is used most prevalently when people have diarrhea because it replaces the fluid loss of the body.
It is good to avoid foods that are high in sugar & fats and drinks that have alcohol, caffeine or carbon in them. Also, avoid foods that give you gas. Avoid dairy products.if they are worsening your situation. Potatoes can be eaten as they are bland foods and provide you with potassium. Consuming salty foods like soups and broths help in replacing the electrolytes.
Go for cooked vegetables like zucchini, carrots, asparagus, green beans, and acorn squash as they digest easily. Crackers, Oatmeal, Skinless Chicken breast, and pancakes are also good for diarrhea.
Eat 1 teaspoon of this mixture three times a day.
The anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant properties of the mixture reduce inflammation and soothe the stomach.
[Also Read: Popular Herbs to Treat Diarrhea]
Eat this mixture once in a day
This mixture is an effective remedy in relieving the symptoms of loose stools and an upset stomach. Consuming yogurt gives your stomach the right amount of probiotics to heal the infection and isabgol helps harden runny stools.
Eat this mixture
Eat this mixture 2 times a day
This mixture is very effective to treat inflammation and loose stools which are the common symptoms of diarrhea.
The oil that tops the list of essential oils for treating diarrhea is Peppermint essential oil. It is an excellent remedy for relieving diarrhea and stomach cramps.
The menthol that is present in Peppermint oil offers an invigorating, pain relief and a cooling effect on the stomach and intestines.
Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, Peppermint oil brings down the inflammation of the bowel, thus providing a soothing effect to the digestive tract. Peppermint oil also offers relief for irritable bowel syndrome.
It also treats flatulence and gas because of its carminative properties. Peppermint oil is good for fighting cramps and contractions because it blocks the calcium channels in the intestines.
Add 2 drops of Peppermint oil to a glass of lukewarm water. Mix well and drink this solution slowly. This will give you considerable relief from stomach pain and diarrhea.
Drink this solution once a day before going to bed.
Cinnamon oil is considered as one of the most effective essential oils that can cure diarrhea. It helps in getting rid of parasites and bacteria living inside the intestine and stomach. It is a spice that has antibiotic properties. Cinnamon also treats muscle contractions and intestinal cramps very effectively, which are the common symptoms of diarrhea.
Cinnamon Oil has a soothing effect on the lining of the gastrointestinal system and the colon. Other symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, stomach flu or food poisoning are also cured by cinnamon oil.
[Also Read: Castor Oil Health Benefits]
Ginger is one of the best essential oils for diarrhea. The analgesic properties of ginger reduce stomach pain caused due to diarrhea.
Sip this mixture like tea.
You can have this mixture 2 times a day.
Ginger essential oil has anti-inflammatory properties which also offer a soothing effect to your stomach.
Although you don’t have a proper appetite, or no appetite during diarrhea, having a bowl of oatmeal helps you in binding the stools and decreasing the frequency of your visits to the washroom and adds to a faster recovery. Oatmeal is rich in soluble fiber.
Diarrhea does not go beyond 3 to 5 days, but if the symptoms go for more than 4 to 6 weeks, you must be suffering from an underlying gastrointestinal condition.
If your child has more than 6 bowel movements which are watery and loose within 24 hours, there is a high chance that they have diarrhea. You should take your child immediately to the doctor.
Traveler’s diarrhea is diarrhea when you have while traveling long distances. Below are the tips to prevent it.