What is Diarrhoea?
Diarrhoea is an outcome of intestinal infection, caused by viruses, bacteria or parasites, known as gastroenteritis. At least three watery stools in a day signify the presence of diarrhea which can last up to a few days. This condition is reckoned as serious because it can cause severe dehydration in a short time.
The watery stools can contain blood too on aggravation of the problem. In old times diarrhea was reckoned as killer-disease and has consumed thousands of lives.
In modern countries, this problem is almost negligible and today can be controlled through medicines. Home remedies for Diarrhoea too are very effective in handling the problem and eliminating the infection.
It is primarily caused by an infection that is passed by the faces of an infected person through food and water. Diarrhea can be divided into three categories – short duration watery diarrhoea, bloody diarrhea, and persistent diarrhoea.
The short duration diarrhea can be due to infection caused by cholera but if blood is present it is referred to as dysentery. Certain medical conditions like hypothyroidism and IBS etc. are also common causes of the problem apart from infection.
Diarrhoea may be an old and common disease in developing and poor countries but it has the potency of becoming life-threatening too.
There are simple steps that can prevent this disease from affecting and spreading, and many easily available medicinal supports can prevent it from becoming life-threatening.
Governments in developing countries run programs to supply rehydrating fluids for free to save people from succumbing to diarrhea in the absence of quick treatment.
Home remedies for Diarrhoea can be of immense use in controlling the infection and stopping the problem from aggravating. Home remedies for diarrhea can save lives and prevent symptoms from aggravating before these can cause any harm to health.
You may like reading:
Ayurvedic Medicines to Increase Energy, Stamina, and Strength
Ayurvedic Medicines for Weakness, Fatigue and Low Energy
Causes and Symptoms of Diarrhoea
There is a variety of causes that can lead to diarrhea. Rotavirus is the most common cause of diarrhea in children and Norovirus is the most common cause of the infection in adults. Home remedies for diarrhea handle both types of viruses efficiently and suppress symptoms.
Types of adenoviruses and astroviruses are also responsible for causing infection commonly. Bacterial infection also causes this problem, in numerous cases, certain types of toxins that get produced in the body due to medication are also causes of the problem.
Natural treatment for diarrhoea is capable of suppressing infections and relieving symptoms.
Diseases related to pancreas and the problem of mal-absorption also cause the problem. Enzyme deficiencies, structural defects, cystic fibrosis, and pancreatitis are common causes that raise the problem of diarrhoea by causing mal-absorption.
Inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease and IBS are other common causes of diarrhea.
Poor sanitation, unclean water, and malnutrition are major reasons which make people susceptible to suffer from diarrhea. Natural treatment for diarrhea encompasses all the causes and also helps in the prevention of disease efficiently.
More than three watery stools in a day are clear symptoms of diarrhoea. However, depending upon the cause of the problem other symptoms like abdominal cramps, stomach pain, bloating, fever and frequent thirst may also accompany.
Weight loss, blood or pus in stools, diarrhoea more than 2 weeks old, signs of dehydration are aggravated signs of a serious cause of the problem.
Home Remedies for Diarrhoea
BRAT Diet – Best Home Remedy for Diarrhoea
The BRAT diet is perhaps one of the most popular home remedies for diarrhoea. BRAT stands for banana, rice, applesauce, and toast.
Take a small portion of each food item 2-3 times during the day as meals to maintain hydration and energy and flush the infection out of guts easily. It also binds the stools and controls fluid loss.
Yogurt and Banana – Home Remedy for Diarrhoea
Yogurt and banana are other food items that are effective home remedies for diarrhoea. Banana supports by maintaining energy and binding stools.
Yogurt possesses bacteria which clears problem causing infection from guts. Consume 2-3 bowls of yogurt after mashing one ripe banana during the day.
Orange and Peel – Natural Treatment for Diarrhoea
Take an orange and peel it off. Chop it finely and add to one and a half cup of water. Boil the mixture for few minutes and later allow it to steep.
Strain and add some honey and drink 2-3 times in the day. This is one of the simplest home remedies for diarrhoea.
Chamomile tea is another natural treatment for diarrhoea. Add one or two teaspoons of dry chamomile to a cup of boiling water and drink after straining when it is warm.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey – Remedy for Diarrhoea
Add two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to a cup of water and drink. Repeat 2-3 times in the day. ACV will clear the infection and relieve the symptoms.
Use honey with drinks or you can consume one or two teaspoons at a time 2-3 times in the day. Anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of honey are excellent remedies for diarrhoea.
A few cups of caraway tea during the day also help in controlling watery stools and related symptoms. It is effective against infection as well and provides long-lasting relief.
Best Home Remedy to Treat Diarrhoea
Take an inch long piece of ginger and peel it off, crush it and add to a glass of buttermilk. Add half a teaspoon of black salt and mix the ingredients well.
Drink this glass of buttermilk and repeat 2-3 times in the day. Not only it clears infection but protects from dehydration, bloating and cramps and arrest progression of the disease.
Eat Carrots and Potato – Remedy to Relieve Diarrhoea
Eat a mixture of cooked carrots and potato. These foods are great for controlling infection and also maintaining a supply of nutrition to the body. Avoid dairy products except yogurt and high-fiber foods completely during the passage of stools.
Fenugreek Seeds – Natural Remedy to Get Rid of Diarrhoea
Take a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds and add to a cup of boiling water. Let the mixture become warm, in between stir it 2-3 times so that goodness of seeds gets mixed with water. Strain when it is warm and drink the water. Repeat one more time if symptoms are aggravated.
Blueberry roots – Remedy for Handling Diarrhoea
Blueberry roots are folk remedies for handling diarrhoea. Drinking tea of blueberry roots or consumption of blueberries both are effective home remedies for diarrhea.
Drinking a few glasses of coconut water keeps a body hydrated and also supplements vital nutrients to prevent side effects of the disease. The nutritive properties of coconut water help in flushing out infection as well.
Use Mixture to Relieve Symptoms of Diarrhoea
- Cumin
- Ginger
- Cinnamon powder
- Honey
Prepare a mixture by adding one teaspoon each of cumin, ginger and cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey.
Consume this mixture with a glass of water three times in the day after regular intervals. It relieves symptoms and clears the infection in a short time.
Rice Water – Natural Remedy to Relieve Symptoms of Diarrhoea
Rice water also helps in relieving symptoms and controlling the passing of watery stools efficiently. Add half a cup of brown rice to 3 cups of water and bring mixture to a boil.
Let the mixture boil on a low flame for 20-30 minutes and later allow it to cool down. Strain and save water. Drink this water throughout the day.
Olive Oil – Natural Treatment for Diarrhoea
Consume one teaspoon of olive oil in the morning and one more during the day. It helps in controlling the problem. Drinking 2-3 cups of green tea is also a good option to curb the infection and symptoms of diarrhoea.
Diet for Diarrhoea Patients
Diet for diarrhoea shall contain water and minerals as these get lost due to watery fluids at a rapid pace. High energy foods such as fats, yogurt, and cereals are ideal as these get absorbed smoothly in the body.
Potassium-rich foods shall be given special stress in a diet for diarrhoea to reinstate depleted mineral reserves in the body. Foods like bananas, lentils, pineapple, papaya, mangoes, citrus fruits, etc. are good sources of potassium and shall be part of the diet.
The foods shall be prepared so that these have thin consistency to make them easily digestible. Drinks like lemonade, coconut water, curd, buttermilk, weak tea, etc. are good as a diet for diarrhoea as these replenish lost water and fluids and also help in expelling infection.
High fiber, spicy, vegetables, and wholegrain shall be avoided during diarrhoea. These foods can bring cramps and increase the frequency of passing of stools.
In case of young children breastfeed is the best food for them, if a child is older for breastfeed light and thin foods like ‘Khichri’ and drinks like curd, buttermilk, etc. shall be given.
Diarrhoea Treatment and Prevention
Avoid foods that are high in fiber and caffeine, dairy products except for curd, yogurt and buttermilk, and greasy and sugary foods.
Avoid taking non-steroidal medicines like aspirin, ibuprofen, etc. for relieving pain as these can increase the frequency of stools.
Proper hygiene is the best prevention for diarrhoea. Eat clean foods and drink purified water. If traveling is frequent, trust hygienic sources for eating and drinking.
Keep hands clean always particularly before eating, wash regularly and use hand – sanitizers frequently as an effective prevention for diarrhoea.
Do not eat raw foods like fruits, veggies, etc. These can contain bacteria that can cause infection. Put foods in the refrigerator which can get spoilt.
Do not eat a few day old foods even if these are in the refrigerator without cooking or heating. Cook meat thoroughly before eating, even a part of raw meat in a meal can contain bacteria and parasites which can cause severe diarrhoea.
Clean items in the kitchen properly and regularly. Take care of the slab, chopping boards, knives, stovetops, and benchtops. Clean them with bleach or strong soap after use and keep them dry.
Do not use plates or bowls to keep cooked food in which raw foods were stored. The bacteria can reside over the surface of utensils for a long time and can contaminate cooked food to cause the problem.
Drink clean purified water and avoid using glasses that are made of glass or ceramics. It is best that one uses disposable glasses for drinking.
Ceramic glasses are difficult to clean properly and can contain infectious agents. Keep hand-sanitizers and anti-bacterial soap always with you. These steps are effective prevention for diarrhoea.
You may like reading:
Ayurvedic Medicines to Improve Digestion
Ayurvedic Treatment for Constipation