Many people often think that diarrhea is caused by unclean food. However, everyone has diarrhea at least once or twice in their lifetime. So, how to stop diarrhea? Diarrhea is often accompanied by symptoms of nausea, vomiting, or stomach cramps.
This situation makes us feel uncomfortable and trouble, but if you are healthy, you will not encounter significant problems. However, diarrhea can become chronic, seriously affecting the health and life of patients. If left untreated, it can become life-threatening. Diarrhea has two types: acute or chronic diarrhea. Severe diarrhea keeps you going to the toilet continuously for a few days. A different kind of chronic diarrhea includes symptoms like frequent bowel movements, watery eyes, nausea, upset stomach, and stomach cramps.
Causes and symptoms of diarrhea
When you have diarrhea, your stools will be loose or gelatinous. Diarrhea is a common disease and does not cause any severe problems. The illness usually lasts a few days and can be treated with medication prescribed for diarrhea.
Symptoms of the illness include bloating, abdominal pain, frequent and frequent bowel movements, and you may want to go to the toilet urgently, even nausea and vomiting. When diarrhea becomes severe, the stool will have mucus, foods that are not fully digested, even bloody, lose weight, and have a fever.
If you sweat more than three times a day and do not drink enough water, you will become dehydrated, leading to severe complications.
A virus usually causes diarrhea. The leading causes are food allergies, alcohol abuse, diabetes, bacterial infections, laxative abuse, drug side effects, hyperthyroidism, radiation therapy, cancer, and digestive system surgery — chemistry, or nutrient absorption disorders.
Diarrhea may disappear after a few days. However, if you see signs and symptoms such as bleeding, black stools, high fever lasting more than 24 hours, frequent vomiting, nausea, severe abdominal pain, dark urine, headache, heart pounding fast, dry skin, irritability or more severe disorders, you should see a doctor immediately.
If you have mild diarrhea, you do not need to do anything. However, the discomfort of the disease will disappear faster when taking diarrhea medicine or having home remedies for diarrhea in a natural way.
Here are the effective home remedies for diarrhea with straightforward and easy folk remedies.
Supplement the body with water
You will lose not only water but also electrolytes, minerals like potassium and sodium due to diarrhea. Those are essential factors in the functioning of the body. Therefore, you need to offset what is lost. The first thing is that you must drink a lot of water.
Drinking eight glasses of water a day is the most effective way to prevent dehydration when diarrhea. Although normal filtered water has no electrolytes, it is still an effective way for patients with diarrhea. The alternative of changing water to help you stop diarrhea faster is to drink tea with a little sugar, fruit juice like apples or prune juice. When you add water, you should keep your drinks fresh and take small sips.
Yogurt
Yogurt is an excellent choice for people with diarrhea because yogurt creates lactic acid in the gut. Lactic acid will kill harmful bacteria and help you heal faster.
We know that prolonged antibiotics can cause diarrhea by killing good bacteria in the gut but eating yogurt will produce more beneficial bacteria in your stomach. To stop diarrhea, you should eat yogurt before taking diarrhea medication.
Rest
When you have diarrhea, there is nothing better than getting enough rest to stop diarrhea quickly and effectively. If your body feels relaxed and relaxed, diarrhea will also be relieved significantly.
Therefore, to stop diarrhea, you should rest for a few days. Try to rest on the bed comfortably and put a towel or a bottle of warm water on the abdomen to reduce abdominal cramps.
Stay away from certain foods
When you have diarrhea, stay away from certain foods that make you feel worse, like cheese, milk, and other dairy products. If you drink milk, your gut will perform worse. Moreover, you need to avoid drinking coffee because the nervous system will be more easily stimulated.
Consuming sugary products makes diarrhea symptoms worse. Therefore, drinking apple and prune juice without added sugar is considered a smart choice for patients with diarrhea.
Chrysanthemum tea
One of the natural and effective ways to handle diarrhea that you should not ignore is chamomile tea because it is outstanding in treating intestinal inflammation. Moreover, chamomile tea also has antispasmodic properties. You can buy packaged tea and sip a cup of chamomile tea every day.
Alternatively, you can also soak a teaspoon of chamomile and peppermint leaves in boiling water for about 15 minutes. Drinking three cups of chamomile tea will help reduce diarrhea significantly. It is said that the tannins in chamomile tea have a perfect anti-diarrhea effect.
Starch-rich foods
Starchy foods are considered the perfect diet to treat diarrhea because they will make your stomach lessen. Starchy foods include cereals, cassava flour, or cooked rice. It is essential to make sure that you do not add too much sugar or salt to these foods. Because they can make matters worse and make diarrhea challenging to treat.
Starchy foods like rice, cereal or potatoes are good for diarrhea
When you have diarrhea, stay away from oatmeal because it is hard for your gut to consume a large number of nutrients it has. Potatoes are also high in starchy foods that help alleviate stomach aches and replenish necessary nutrients that you are losing. However, eating chips will make diarrhea worse and cause stomach pain.
Vegetables like carrots help you digest easily and treat stomach upset quickly. Moreover, they are all rich in nutrients. White rice cooked like white rice or white rice porridge is a smart choice for those who want to get rid of diarrhea.
Blueberries
Blueberries are considered a panacea for many diseases. Not surprisingly, blueberries can effectively treat diarrhea at home. Blueberries contain anthocyanin, which have antibacterial and antioxidant properties that help fight diarrhea very well.
Orange peel tea
Orange peel tea is a quick remedy for diarrhea. Put the orange peel tea in a pot and pour some hot water. Let cool for a few minutes before enjoying this delicious cup of tea.
When to Seek Medical Help
Diarrhea must never be ignored. If you have tried the above-listed home remedies and have loose stools, call your doctor or tell with your pharmacist about over-the-counter medications that may help.
On the other hand, you need see a doctor immediately if you or your child experience persistent or critical diarrhea and develop signs of dehydration, as follows:
Adults
- Diarrhea 3 days or more
- Severe abdominal pain
- Bloody or black stools
- Fever over 102 F (39 C)
- Little or no urination
- Extreme weakness
- Dry skin and mouth
- Excessive thirst
- Dark urine
Children
- Diarrhea for more than 24 hours
- No wet diapers in 3 hours
- Fever over 102 F (39 C)
- Dry mouth or tongue
- Crying without tears
- Unusual sleepiness
- Black or bloody stools
- Sunken cheeks or eyes
- Skin that does not retract when pinched
Without reservation, babies under three months with diarrhea must be taken to a doctor or emergency room immediately. Don’t wait or try to treat the condition at home.
Hopefully, you will find useful tips and quick and effective healing!
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