By Narmeen Shah
This is probably one of the most common illnesses that you may have in summers. It can happen to anyone. And the thing is it can get complicated if you do not get treatment soon enough. When you have diarrhea, your bowel movements (or stools) are loose and watery. It’s common though. And you can control it to some major extent. The thing is we’ve all experienced bouts of diarrhea at some point in our lives. Common symptoms of diarrhea include frequent, watery stools, abdominal cramping, and bloating. This is often your body’s way of dealing with disruptions in your gastrointestinal system. Acute diarrhea lasts less than 2 weeks and can come from many sources, such as a viral infection, a bacterial infection, food poisoning, recent antibiotic use
water contaminated with an infectious agent. There is also the infectious diarrhea which is common in young children and is often caused by a virus. There is also bacteria from improperly stored or cooked food which are typical causes of food poisoning. Many don’t know this but what you are consuming can make you suffer quite a lot. So it is essential that you get a complete understanding on why this is even happening to get a good handle on it.
You see when you lose more water than you take in, as is the case when you have diarrhea, you lose essential electrolytes — important minerals that are found in blood, urine, tissues, and other body fluids. Electrolytes help balance the amount of water in your body as well as the pH level, and move nutrients and waste into and out of cells. So lets now analyze and talk of ways in which you can look at how you can combat the effects of diarrhea with really good home remedies that will be giving complete results. Staying hydrated is probably the most important one. Dehydration from diarrhea can be fatal in young children and older adults. Continue breastfeeding or formula feeding infants who are experiencing diarrhea. Over-the-counter oral pediatric hydration solutions, like Pedialyte, are the recommended fluids of choice for children with diarrhea. Small amounts of hydration solutions should be given frequently. These formulas also come in popsicle preparations.For adults with mild symptoms of diarrhea, sports drinks and over-the-counter rehydration solutions are equally effective. Milk and soda, as well as other carbonated or caffeinated drinks should not be used for hydration, as they may make your symptoms worse.
Probiotics are sources of “good” bacteria that work in your intestinal tract to create a healthy gut environment. They’re essentially living microorganisms that exist in certain foods. I want to share some of the top probiotic choices you can make use of. This includes soft cheeses, dark chocolate, green olives, sauerkraut, pickles, sourdough bread, and especially yogurt.The good bacteria that live in your intestinal tract are necessary for the normal functioning of your gastrointestinal system. They play an important role in protecting your intestines against infection. When your system is changed by antibiotics or overwhelmed by unhealthy bacteria or viruses, you can get diarrhea. Probiotics can help with diarrhea by restoring the balance of bacteria in your gut. So there are some definite food choices which work in your favor. That means you should be having them so as to combat and have a solid control on your condition. While it might sound counterintuitive to eat if you have diarrhea, eating certain foods can help alleviate your diarrhea symptoms and ensure your health doesn’t worsen from not eating. What you need to do is stick to low-fiber “BRAT” foods that will help firm up your stool. These include bananas, rice (white), applesauce and toast. Other foods that are usually well-tolerated when experiencing diarrhea include oatmeal, boiled or baked potatoes (with skins peeled), baked chicken with skin removed and chicken soup (which also aids in rehydration).
While I can point at a range of things you should be ‘doing’. There are also certain foods which you should ‘not’ be consuming. As they will be making matters even worse. So it is important to get a good handle on that.
Fried and greasy foods are usually not well-tolerated in people who have diarrhea. You should also consider limiting high-fiber foods like bran as well as fruits and vegetables that can increase bloating. Some of the common foods to avoid include artificial sweeteners, beans, berries, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chickpeas, coffee, corn and yes, surprise surprise -even milk and ice cream. But remember- everyone has their own kind of experience with diarrhea. So you need to see and understand what works for you. In some cases, things can get far more complicated and this is why its important that you receive proper medical care in cases of acute diarrhea. Talk with your health care provider before taking probiotic supplements to treat your diarrhea.
