Diarrheas are bouts of frequent and watery bowel movements. This disturbance in bowel is very common. Typically, people gets to experience it once or twice within the year, but this condition is not usually serious especially when its underlying cause is of minor relation. Generally, acute diarrhea lasts for about two to three but the thing is that it can be easily remedied. Some serious diseases that precipitate the lashing out of watery stool are chronic disorders of the large intestine and irritable bowel syndrome. Most often, one can let diarrhea just run its course for it will eventually subside although sometimes, to prevent the consequences of dehydration and to encourage healing, it must be halted.

Yes, pharmaceutical products would stop diarrhea in no time but we have to keep in mind that these products have the potential of causing unwanted side effects. If there are natural methods to manage diarrhea, why not make use of such natural approaches? These are often inexpensive, safe and effective.  You might as well try the following approaches before opting for that over-the-counter medicine.

Do:  Drink plenty of liquids

Why drink plenty of water, even double that of your daily intake, when you are having diarrhea?

The moment you are excreting bowel contents, you lose fluid and some electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and chloride. These salts and minerals can affect the amount of water that stays inside your system. Thus, excessive excretion of your bowel movement can create serious complications such as fluid and electrolyte imbalances. Dehydration is an indication that your body does not have enough fluid to work properly. So replenishing the lost fluids and manipulation of the salts and minerals is a good idea to combat dehydration.

Don’t: Drink alcohol, caffeinated and sugary beverages

Alcohol basically inhibits the activity of the anti-diuretic hormone (ADH), to which the main function is to reabsorb fluid and electrolyte in the body. Taking alcohol during bouts of diarrhea can cause dehydration and further promote imbalances with the fluid and electrolyte regulation of the body.  To add, alcohol is also acidic so it can further irritate the colon.

Caffeinated drinks can also lead to dehydration since it has a diuretic effect. Aside from that caffeine can be easily absorb into the bloodstream and hasten the passage of food through the colon. Sugary beverages or carbonated drinks has high acid and sugar content, both can irritate the colon and can worsen diarrhea.

Do: Drink carrot and vegetable juices.

Carrot juice is comprised of a lot of minerals and vitamins. In relation to diarrhea, chugging down carrot juice will be beneficial because it will help in maintaining the fluid and electrolyte balance in the body. Other vegetables juices offer the same benefit. It is important that while having diarrhea, you should stick to a low fiber or low residue diet. And luckily some vegetables and carrot juice fit in to this category of diet. So why juice carrots instead of taking it in as it is? Carrots, in its raw form, have high fiber content and this can lead to an increase in the peristaltic movement of the intestines which could put additional stress to the bowel.

Don’t: Drink acidic juices such as Apple juice.

Juices made from apple, pear or cherry are acidic and high in sorbitol, a sugar composition. Both can worsen diarrhea by stimulating the bowel’s peristalsis. Just remember that apple juice is different from apple sauce, the latter can help in managing diarrhea while the former will only upset the stomach more and worsen the condition. Drinking a lot of apple juice may precipitate diarrhea, from this fact alone reinforcing the intake during the actual circumstances will aggravate the condition. Apple the fruit and its juice contain a lot of sorbitol, a form of sugar that occurs naturally but it cannot be digested by the body. There was a study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology way back in 2006 that discloses the fact that sorbitol can trigger diarrhea because of the body’s inability to absorb sorbitol as tested in rats. When someone has sensitivity to sorbitol even a sip can cause diarrhea. 

 Do: Eat toast, papaya, cooked potatoes

Toast, papaya and cooked potatoes are examples of bland foods and these are low in fiber thus, it will reinforce the bowel to stabilize.  The mild flavor and the sponge-like texture can aid the body to cleanse itself while experiencing diarrhea. BRAT (banana, rice, apple sauce and toast) diet should be emphasized during the recovery stage. However, it should be stopped after 72 hours because it does not provide complete nutrition. 

Don’t: Eat dairy products, spicy and heavily seasoned foods as well as foods very high in fiber.

As mentioned above, high fiber foods should be avoided as well as heavily seasoned foods.  The same is true with dairy products. All these food categories can stimulate the intestinal tract, irritating it and adding insult to injury.

There are people who find that they are having a difficult time in digesting dairy food after they have experienced diarrhea. It is due to the body losing its ability to breakdown the milk sugar lactose temporarily. For a substitute, you may try consuming yogurt, which comprises less lactose and so it is easier to digest. Also, yogurts contain active bacteria cultures in it. These harmless bacteria are the same ones that are residing in your intestines and it will help with digestion and in relieving the symptoms of diarrhea more quickly.

Commonly, when a person experiences diarrhea, it is essential to give it some time to determine if the one causing the disturbance in the body is caused by a bacteria or a virus. It is a good idea to treat the underlying cause and the symptoms and wait for a couple of days to determine if the condition has worsened. Though in cases that are considered extreme especially among the very young and the very old, it is essential to observe the duration of the symptoms and seek medical help immediately so that the serious complications of diarrhea will be avoided.  Basically, watching out for the awful complication of dehydration which can potentially bring in more problems is the main issue.

Sources
digestive.niddk.nih.gov
all4naturalhealth.com
cancercarecorpuschristi.com
livestrong.com
livestrong.com
livestrong.com