Effective Natural Home Remedies for Diarrhea
Have you ever experienced having a bad stomach ache in school and can’t even control it? Now that’s what you call a case of diarrhea. This condition is defined as a loose and watery stool. This means that you frequently have the urge to “drop the deuce” or pass the stool. Having diarrhea causes you to have loose and watery stools three or more times in a day, while a person without diarrhea normally has stools only twice in a day.
This condition may last for several days, but for severe cases like chronic diarrhea, it can last for weeks. Diarrhea can either be acute or chronic. An acute diarrhea lasts for only 2 to 3 days, while chronic diarrhea can last for 4 weeks or more. It is normal to get diarrhea 1 to 2 times a year. But for some people who get it more often are likely to have an irritable bowel syndrome or other conditions.
A stomach ache is already very annoying and uncomfortable on its own especially when you aren’t in your own house. But it’s much worse if you get diarrhea. This is because your bowel movement can both be uncontrollable and uncomfortable. This is why people with diarrhea prefer staying at home to make toilet visits more accessible and comfortable.
Although most cases are usually manageable and easily treatable, sometimes it can lead to more serious complications. This can cause dehydration from losing large amounts of fluids and also electrolyte imbalance because the body releases excessive sodium, potassium and magnesium. Sodium, potassium, and magnesium are all significant factors for bodily functions.
Diarrhea has several symptoms and the most common one is a watery stool, as stated earlier. Other symptoms include, loose bowel movements, bloatedness, abdominal cramps, frequent urge to have a bowel movement, dehydration, fatigue, and nausea. Sometimes there are severe symptoms such as blood in the stool, weight loss, and fever. Why do you frequently get diarrhea? The common cause of diarrhea is simply by eating something bad. But in reality, it is caused by several factors including:
food allergies
viral infection such as rotavirus, norovirus, and the flu
bacterial infection from food or drinks
intestinal disease such as crohn’s disease
parasitic infection such as amoebiasis
lactose intolerance
side effects from certain medications such as antibiotics, and antacids containing magnesium
excessive laxative abuse
hyperthyroidism
radiation therapy
certain cancer drugs
malabsorption
excessive use of alcohol
stomach surgery
Since this condition is very common, it means that people of all ages can get it. People who are mostly at risk are children and frequent travelers. There is actually a term for travelers who get diarrhea, and that is simply called “travelers diarrhea,” what a coincidence. Why do children easily get diarrhea? it’s because they are fond of going outside to play or playing on the floor. In other cases, children play and touch objects that are dirty and tend to put their hands in the face or mouth. And that’s why being cautious and regularly washing hands are very significant.
The common diagnostics for diarrhea is done by your doctor through completing a physical examination and laboratory tests to examine urine and blood samples. There are also additional tests that your doctor may request to determine the cause of the diarrhea. This includes:
Fasting tests - to determine whether an allergy or food tolerance is the cause.
Colonoscopy - to check the colon for intestinal disease.
Sigmoidoscopy - to check the rectum for intestinal disease.
Stool test - to determine whether bacteria, parasites, or diseases are the cause.
Imaging test - to check for inflammation and abnormalities of the intestines.
After knowing the results and cause of your diarrhea, treatment shall be done as soon as possible. For acute diarrhea with mild symptoms, medication is not the only possible treatment, but also natural remedies. Through using natural remedies for diarrhea, you are avoiding any bad side effects.
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Eat food
It seems ironic to eat when you have diarrhea, but you must know that there are certain foods that can help alleviate diarrhea symptoms and make you healthy. Here are foods to include in your diet especially when having diarrhea.
white rice
bananas
oatmeal
baked potatoes
baked chicken
chicken soup
beef broth
Having a proper meal and balanced diet is essential in treating an illness even if it’s diarrhea. Simply having food in your tummy can give you the essential nourishment your body needs.
Avoid certain foods
While eating is an essential routine, avoiding food is also one of them. By simply avoiding triggering foods, you can reduce the chance of making your diarrhea worse. Fried and greasy food are usually the ones you need to refrain from eating. But there are also certain fruits and vegetables to avoid. These foods can react negatively to diarrhea along with negative side effects to your health since it doesn’t give any nourishment.
Here are certain foods to avoid during a diarrhea:
Beans
Alcohol
Artificial sweetener
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Chickpeas
Coffee
Corn
Berries
Milk
Peppers
Prunes
Tea
Ice cream
Any fried food
Spicy foods
Spicy food - Spicy ingredients react negatively in the digestive system. This is why people dealing with diarrhea should stick to bland foods, as they pose the least risk of agitating your diarrhea.
Fried foods - It is not advisable to eat foods high in fat or oil when treating diarrhea. Fatty and oily foods can make your digestive system have difficulty processing food and will make symptoms worse.
Sugary foods and artificial sweeteners - When having diarrhea, sugary or sweet foods of any kind especially fruit juices or even fruits can worsen the symptoms of diarrhea.
High fiber foods - This is usually a good type of food to intake, but in having diarrhea, it is best to avoid too much fiber.
Excess fiber in the system can cause constipation and diarrhea. This is common for insoluble fiber which leads to hardening and difficulty passing stools.
Probiotics
This is a good way to help your body recover from diarrhea. Since dairy products aren’t advisable to consume when having diarrhea, there are exceptions such as
, yakult, or kefir which contains probiotics. By taking probiotics, you can help restore beneficial bacteria that your body flushes out during diarrhea.
Although there are treatments for diarrhea, prevention is still the best way. By simply having proper hygiene, a balanced diet, and being cautious, you can reduce the chance of getting diarrhea. But in some cases of diarrhea that are inevitable, the use of natural remedies are the best go-to.
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