How To Treat Diarrhea
Diarrhea is loose, watery stools and is usually not harmful but very annoying and uncomfortable. Diarrhea is the body’s natural way of eliminating sickness through toxic waste. Diarrhea can be caused by many things such as bacteria, viral or parasitic infections or by disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome. Some of the symptoms associated with diarrhea can be: bloating, fever, belly pain, headache, vomiting, cramps and fever.
There are some things that you can do to help your body while it is suffering from diarrhea.
- REST YOUR BODY – Diarrhea can be a sign of other things going on in your body and your body needs rest to eliminate what is going on in your digestive system. Try to watch your diet during this time so that your body can rest.
- DRINKS LOTS OF LIQUIDS – Diarrhea can cause dehydration so it is important to keep your body hydrated while you have diarrhea. Be sure to drink plenty of liquids like water and teas which are great for your system and drinking products that help to restore electrolytes to the body is also helpful.
- EAT LIQUID FOODS – While having diarrhea it is good to give your body a rest which means taking time off from solid foods which can increase the irritability of your stomach. Try eating liquids like soups, Jello and other light and clear foods. This will help your body to quickly eliminate the irritant.
- DECREASE DAIRY PRODUCTS – Dairy products can aggravate the diarrhea even more so its best to stay away from them until you are feeling better. This is also true of carbonated beverages and eggs which can also aggravate the diarrhea.
- TRY THE BRAT DIET – The BRAT diet is a great way to help treat diarrhea. BRAT stands for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast. These foods are not so harsh on your digestion and can help to bulk up your stools. These foods should be used in moderation until you feel better.
- ANTIDIARREAL MEDICATIONS – Antidiarreal medications should only be used if absolutely needed. Otherwise you should let the diarrhea run its course because it is the body’s natural way of getting rid of toxins in the body. If necessary talk to your pharmacist to make sure that there are no interactions with other medications you might be taking.
- APPLE CIDER VINEGAR – Mixing 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with water or juice can help to settle the digestion system and settle the diarrhea. This can be taken daily until the diarrhea subsides.
- TURMERIC SPICE – Mixing 1 teaspoon of turmeric spice with warm waterwill help to settle the stomach and balance the digestive system. You can do this daily until your symptoms go away.
- CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR – You should consult your doctor if your diarrhea continues more than 3 days, you have severe pain, you have a fever higher than 102, if there is blood in your stool or if your stool is black or tarry. These symptoms can mean that there is something else going on and you should be looked at immediately.
- ANTIBIOTICS – Antibiotics are sometimes necessary for bacterial infections with diarrhea as the symptom.If you have prolonged diarrhea you should consult the doctor to make sure that it is not a bacteria, viral infection or other problem that is causing the diarrhea.
When suffering from diarrhea it is best to let your body cure itself without using the antidiarreal products if possible. Drink lots of liquids and eat foods that are light on the stomach. Diarrhea is a way for your body to work out the irritants however if the symptoms last too long or get increasingly worse it might be necessary to consult a doctor.