Our body has a few ways to respond to a wide variety of irritants and irritants. Coughing throws out the intruders from the nose and throat, sneezing from the nose, diarrhea from the stomach and vomiting from the stomach. When it comes to the most common illnesses in all age groups, diarrhea takes the second place, after common cold. Diarrhea is defined as the condition in which loose, watery stools occur more than three times in a day. Studies have shown that an average adult suffers from an episode of acute diarrhea approximately four times a year. Sometimes, it is accompanied with nausea as well i.e. the sensation of having an urge to vomit. Mostly, nausea and vomiting don’t require immediate medical attention. However, if vomiting is accompanied with diarrhea, dehydration becomes a concern. It becomes important to get an effective treatment before dehydration becomes threat to your life. Here, you can learn more about diarrhea, its causes and remedies.
Causes Of Diarrhea
- The most common cause of diarrhea is infection with virus. This is known as viral gastroenteritis or more commonly, ‘stomach flu’. The most common virus that causes this infection is Rota Virus. The infection is characterized by high fever, diarrhea and nausea.
- Food poisoning is another common cause of diarrhea. It occurs as a result of eating or drinking contaminated food or water.
- Sometimes, medicines like antibiotics and laxatives can also cause diarrhea.
- Medical conditions like inflammatory bowel diseases, irritable bowel syndrome, and celiac disease can also lead to diarrhea.
Diarrhea & Diet
Diet plays an important role in treatment of diarrhea. Such a diet should focus on the following aspects.
- Replace the lost fluids and electrolytes. Drinking fluids during diarrhea is essential to prevent dehydration. They make up for the loss of vital fluids and electrolytes. Although water is the first choice, it doesn’t contain electrolytes. For maintaining electrolyte level, include soups and juices in your diet. Best option is to mix some salt and sugar in water and have it at regular intervals.
- There is a need to avoid certain foods during diarrhea. This includes milk and milk products, except yogurt. Intake of fried food and very sweet items like cakes and cookies is a strict no-no! Avoid food that contains lot of fibers and also steer clear of cherry and pear juices. Avoid drinks with caffeine, like coffee.
- Include those foods in your diet that are easy to digest, like bananas, potatoes, plain rice, and yogurt.
Home Remedies For Diarrhea
- Drink a glass of buttermilk, along with a little salt, three or four times a day. The acidic content of buttermilk fights the bacteria associated with diarrhea.
- Boil one teaspoon of fenugreek seeds and fry in a teaspoon of butter. Add a cup of buttermilk to the roasted seeds. Drink this solution twice a day.
- Fry two tablespoons of sesame seeds in oil, till golden brown. Grind the seeds to make a powder. Mix one tablespoon of ghee to this. Divide this mixture into three parts. Take each part with half a cup of boiled goat’s milk, thrice a day.
When To Call For Medical Help
- If you have pus or blood in your stools
- If you have an abdominal pain, which is relieved by bowel movement
- If you have foul-smelling or oily-looking stools
- If you have been vomiting for more than 12 hours