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Remedies for diarrhea

Treatment of diarrhoea
(October 19, 2010)

Diarrhea is usually a symptom of a stomach or intestinal disorder, which manifests itself in the form of watery and persistent stools. It is important to consult your doctor and get a correct diagnosis before you start diarrhea treatment. Talk to your doctor if you have persistent diarrhea that does not respond to medicine or if you become dehydrated due to continuous diarrhea. You may also experience mild to severe abdominal cramps. Sometimes, diarrhea maybe followed by blood in your stools, needing diarrhea treatment immediately.



Diarrhoea remedies. Food ingested through the stomach passes through the colon where the fluid content in our food is absorbed letting only the semi-solid matter pass through our intestines. However, if too much fluid passes through the colon it leads to watery stools in large volumes.

Some of the causes of diarrhea are as follows.
• Viruses that cause intestinal or stomach infections. Sometimes, bacteria or parasites present in contaminated food and water may cause diarrhea and abdominal cramps. While travelling through unhygienic places or eating in unclean surroundings, you may have experienced diarrhea. This condition, called traveler’s diarrhea, maybe treated through medication and rest.
• Side-effects of certain strong medications may cause diarrhea. This is because our intestines contain a natural balance of good and bad bacteria, which maybe destroyed by medication and drugs.
• Children and adults suffering from lactose intolerance (milk intolerant) may suffer from diarrhea. Similarly, individuals who are fructose intolerant may also suffer from diarrhea. Food additives, artificial sweeteners, and food color may cause sensitivity leading to diarrhea.
• Digestive disorders like Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and ulcerative or amoebic colitis may also show up as diarrhea.
Once the cause of diarrhea is ascertained, your doctor may recommend the following diarrhea remedies.
• Diarrhea remedies generally consist of a course of antibiotics.  Follow the entire course of antibiotics to treat diarrhea caused by bacteria or parasites.
• Drink plenty of fluids or have a saline water drip to replace lost fluids. Apart from water, your body also loses minerals like sodium and potassium. It is important that you replenish these by consuming juices or soup to replace lost electrolytes.
• If you suspect that your diarrhea is a result of medication, inform your doctor about your condition and the drugs you take. Your doctor may change your medication or lower your dosage for better absorption.
• If your diarrhea is a symptom of a more severe medical condition like gastroenteritis, you may have to go to the hospital for more potent diarrhea remedies and treatment.
• Alternately, you may also seek cure of diarrhea through home diarrhea remedies.
• Drink plenty of fluids to flush your body of the diarrhea causing bacteria or parasites.
• While recovering from a bout of diarrhea, even if you are following certain diarrhea remedies or treatment, start eating high fiber foods gradually to regulate bowel movement.
• Diarrhea Foods To Avoid - Avoid smoking and alcohol, diary products or high calorie, high fat foods that are difficult to digest.

Prevention of diarrhea. While travelling through unknown places, it is best to resort to certain guidelines for prevention of diarrhea. Do not consume food in unhygienic surroundings or prepared in an unhygienic way. If you travel to unknown destinations, always carry bottled mineral water. Ask your doctor about a preventive course of antibiotics when traveling in hot, humid countries. Wash your hands frequently, especially before meals and maintain hygiene. Lather up with soap especially after handling raw meat, cleaning products, or changing diapers. In the absence of water or soap, keep an alcohol-based sanitizer handy. Apply as directed, and use it frequently if you are suffering from cold sores or infections.

Freeze leftover meals and reheat before serving. Thaw your frozen meats in the refrigerator. At room temperature, there are chances that the packet of meat will start breeding unhealthy bacteria that may cause diarrhea. If you suspect food spoilage, discard it in a sanitary manner.

Keep separate cutting boards for meat and fresh produce and wash your knives after handling meat. Clean your work surfaces with warm water diluted with vinegar, which works as a disinfectant.

Submitted by A M on October 19, 2010 at 06:31

 

The following tips will help to treat your diarrhea -

  • Mix 2 tsp arrowroot powder in water. Boil it and drink this every 2-3 hours. This is a very effective way to treat diarrhea.
  • Pomegranates have astringent property in treating diarrhea. Drink pomegranate juice or eat pomegranate (chew seeds too).  
  • Make strong black coffee in water (without milk). Drink this to treat diarrhea.  
  • Drink buttermilk 3-4 times a day. The acid and micro flora in buttermilk will help fight with the bacteria and overcome harmful intestinal flora. Avoid milk for few days.
  • Eat apples in stewed form, the fiber from apples also helpful in treating diarrhea. Eat soft, simple and easily digestible foods; avoid spicy, fried/oily foods.
  • To avoid dehydration it is very important to replenish the fluids lost in the body.
Submitted by S M on October 26, 2007 at 06:39

 

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