Diarrhea is a gastrointestinal infection which causes excess discharge in the form of loose watery stools accompanied by a stomach ache. The situation is very unpleasant and uncomfortable. Acute Diarrhea is a situation which lasts for 1 or 2 weeks where you are temporarily sick. Chronic Diarrhea is a situation where you have symptoms of diarrhea for more than several weeks. If you have loose and watery stools and have been discharging it for more than 3 to 4 times a day, you must be affected with diarrhea.
Diarrhea is a common condition seen in most of the people. Diarrhea is generally associated with a wide variety of diseases. Diarrhea is one of the common ailments caused by bacterial and viral infections. Diarrhea generally refers to the loss of water from your body along with essential salts and minerals that are essential for your body. An effectual cure for diarrhea is possible with simple home remedies.
- Home Remedies
- Foods and Diet
- Natural Remedies
- Herbs
- Essential Oils
- How To Prevent
Table of Contents
Fact
Diarrhea – One of the body’s best mechanisms of defense against temporary viruses and infections. Short term diarrhea is a way to expel harmful substances out of the body before they create further complications.
CURE 1: Home Remedies for Diarrhea
1. Apple Cider Vinegar For Diarrhea Treatment
Apple Cider Vinegar is rich in minerals like potassium, magnesium, calcium, chlorine, phosphorous, sodium, copper, sulfur, fluorine, iron and silicon which are essential for a healthy body. It is an effective remedy against diarrhea. Let’s know how to use it for treating the ailment.
How to Use
Ingredients
- Distilled Water – 1 glass
- Apple Cider Vinegar – 2 Teaspoons
- Honey
Procedure
- Take a glass of distilled water
- Add 2 teaspoons of Apple cider vinegar to it
- Add 1 tablespoon of honey to it
- Stir well till the honey dissolves in it
- Drink this solution 3 times a day until you get rid of the symptoms of diarrhea.
Benefits: The antimicrobial properties of Apple cider vinegar fight against the microbes causing diarrhea(1) and the anti-inflammatory property provides a soothing effect to the inflamed intestines.
2. Tea For Diarrhea Treatment
Many kinds of tea soothe the symptoms of diarrhea, acid reflux, and gastric problems.
a. Ginger Tea
How to use
Ingredients
- Ginger – 2 inches (sliced)
- Distilled Water – 1 cup
Procedure
- Take a cup of distilled water in a boiling pot
- Add the sliced ginger to the water
- Bring the mixture to a boil
- Simmer and then strain
- Drink this solution while it is still warm. And drink this ginger tea 3 times a day.
Benefits: The acetone present in the ginger(2) helps in curing diarrhea.
b. Green Tea
How to use
- Dried Green Tea leaves – 1 Teaspoon
- Distilled Water – 1 Cup
Procedure
- Add 1 cup of distilled water to a boiling pot
- Let the water boil
- Turn the heat off
- Add 1 teaspoon of green tea to it
- Let it steep for about 7 minutes
- Strain the solution and sip the tea
Do this 2 times a day.
Benefits:
Green Tea is a rich source of antioxidants that help in relieving bowel inflammation and also provides relief from stomach cramps
c. Chamomile Tea
Chamomile is a commonly found herb used as a cure for diarrhea. Chamomile herb has the antispasmodic property that helps in relieving abdominal pains and stomach disorders. Chamomile also plays an important role in reducing intestinal inflammation.
How to prepare
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon chamomile flowers
- 1 teaspoon peppermint leaves
- 1 cup distilled water
- A small bowl to boil the water
Procedure
- Add one cup of distilled water to a bowl
- Heat the water till it boils
- Add the chamomile flowers to it
- Add the peppermint leaves to this
- Let it boil for another 1 minute
- Turn off the heat
- Let it steep for about 5 minutes
- Strain the extra leaves and drink this tea.
How many times:
You can have this tea 2 to 3 times a day.
Benefits:
Drinking chamomile tea improves the digestion process and it can be consumed daily till diarrhea cures completely.
3. Bananas for Diarrhea Treatment
Bananas are considered an ideal food when you have diarrhea. They have no fat, no cholesterol or sodium but are a rich source of Vitamin C, fiber. Vitamin B6, folate, complex carbohydrates, and potassium. It is easily digestible and this makes it an ideal food when you or your child has diarrhea. It is also very effective in treating indigestion and heartburn.
Doctors usually suggest BRAT diet for people who suffer from diarrhea. BRAT means “Banana, Rice, Apples & Toast”. BRAT diet is a combination of foods like Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast as they are very rich in nutrition and fiber which pass gently through a weakened digestive system. The loss of electrolytes during diarrhea is replaced by consuming bananas.
How to eat
Bananas are best when they are eaten plain. Don’t go for unripe bananas as they take more time to digest. Have ripe ones by blending them into smoothies, freeze them or mash them on to a dry toast.
CURE 2: How to Cure Diarrhea with Foods & Diet
Foods play an important part in treating various body ailments. Nutrients supply to the body is very important for you to keep going. These nutrients supply enough energy to your body to withstand and overcome any health issue. Below-Given foods help in treating diarrhea very effectively.
Diet for Diarrhea
Foods to eat when you have diarrhea
Diet plays a vital role in the process of recovery when you have diarrhea. So, usually, doctors recommend that you go for a BRAT diet as they have a soothing effect on the digestive tract. They also normalize stools.
BRAT Diet includes other foods like
- Cooked cereals like Cream of Wheat or Farina
- Soda crackers
- Apple juice and applesauce
Drinking plenty of fluids not only keeps you hydrated but also replaces the lost fluid of the body. Drink a good amount of water. You can also include other liquids like
- Chicken or beef broth
- Vegetable soups
- Coconut water and electrolyte drinks
- Tea free of caffeine
- During the later stages of recovery, you can also include scrambled eggs
Foods to avoid when you have Diarrhea
Avoiding some foods speeds up your recovery process when you have diarrhea. The below foods trigger inflammation and irritation in the digestive system and prolong the situation.
a. Yogurt for Diarrhea treatment
Yogurt is known to be an effective treatment for diarrhea. It has the power to kill the intestinal bacteria and provide relief. The anti-inflammatory and anti-pathogen properties of yogurt help in combating bacteria and stimulate better digestion.
Method – 1
Eat one cup of plain, unsweetened yogurt every day after meals. It will help in maintaining a proper balance of bacteria in the intestines.
Method – 2
- Cut a ripe banana into small chunks
- Add these chunks to enough quantity of yogurt
- Mix them well and have it
How many times:
Eat this mixture once a day after meals, before going to bed.
Benefits:
Regular consumption of this mixture not only brings down diarrhea but is also very good for digestion.
Method -3
- Take ½ teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
- Add this to 1 cup yogurt
- Mix well and have it
How many times:
Eat this mixture once a day.
Benefits:
This will help in getting rid of diarrhea and give you relief very quickly and effectively.
b. Ginger
Ginger helps in relieving your abdominal pain caused due to diarrhea.
How to use
Ingredients
- Ginger – 1 inch grated
- Honey – 1 teaspoon
Procedure
- Take a small piece of ginger
- Grate it
- Add one teaspoon of honey to it
Eating this mixture regularly helps in promoting the release of gastric juices and thus improves the digestion process. You need to avoid drinking water after eating this mixture for better results.
Ginger tea also shows good results in curing diarrhea. Drinking ginger tea 2-3 times a day is good for patients suffering from diarrhea. Ginger powder can also be used for making tea when the fresh ginger is not available.
CURE 3: Natural Remedies for Diarrhea
1. Pumpkin for Diarrhea treatment
Pumpkin is another wonderful food remedy to treat diarrhea. You can use fresh pumpkin or go for canned pumpkin. Below are the reasons why pumpkin is good to treat diarrhea.
Dietary Fiber
Pumpkin has soluble fiber which absorbs water from the digestive tract. It forms a gel-like substance in the intestines and slows down the process of digestion. This makes harder and lesser stools.
Potassium
Your blood should contain enough levels of potassium to save you from falling prey to weakness, fatigue, cramps, and even death. Loss of excess potassium from the blood is called Hypokalemia which might happen when you have diarrhea. As pumpkin is a rich source of potassium, having one cup of pumpkin provides about 500 milligrams of potassium to the blood.
Sodium
Sodium is another compound which helps in maintaining a proper water balance in the body. It is an electrolyte. As diarrhea expels sodium out of your body, this loss can be filled by eating pumpkin broth.
How to use:
Just boil a cup of pumpkin. Mash it to an even consistency. Add some warm water to make it a brothy texture. Add some salt and eat it.
2. Rice for Diarrhea treatment
Eating cooked rice is considered to be one of the effective remedies to treat diarrhea. Rice mixed with cooked green bananas gives your body the energy to fight against diarrhea. Let’s see what are the benefits of eating rice.
Stops Diarrhea
Rice acts as a binding food and makes your stools a little more solid. It is good to eat refined grains than going for whole grains when you have diarrhea. Rice reduces the number of stools and improves rehydration. You can eat cooked rice along with cooked green bananas rather than going for rice alone to stop diarrhea faster.
Restores Nutrients
Cooked rice along with cooked green bananas provide carbohydrates and energy. Eating bananas helps in restoring the loss of potassium, B6 and Vitamin C. Rice provides you with Manganese, Iron, Folate, Selenium, Thiamine, and niacin.
3. Lemon for Diarrhea Treatment
How to Use
Ingredients
- Distilled Water – 1 glass
- Lemon – ½ wedge
- Sugar – 2 teaspoons
- Salt – 1 Pinch
Procedure
- Take a glass of distilled water
- Squeeze half a lemon into it
- Add 2 teaspoons of sugar to it
- Add a pinch of salt
- Stir well till the sugar and salt dissolves completely
How many times:
Drink this mixture every half an hour when you have diarrhea.
Benefits:
This solution is popularly called Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) which is used most prevalently when people have diarrhea because it replaces the fluid loss of the body.
Other Foods To Treat Diarrhea
It is good to avoid foods that are high in sugar & fats and drinks that have alcohol, caffeine or carbon in them. Also, avoid foods that give you gas. Avoid dairy products.if they are worsening your situation. Potatoes can be eaten as they are bland foods and provide you with potassium. Consuming salty foods like soups and broths help in replacing the electrolytes.
Go for cooked vegetables like zucchini, carrots, asparagus, green beans, and acorn squash as they digest easily. Crackers, Oatmeal, Skinless Chicken breast, and pancakes are also good for diarrhea.
Foods to avoid when you have Diarrhea :
- Spicy foods
- Milk and dairy products
- Pork
- Fatty, fried and greasy foods
- Processed foods
- Coffee and other caffeinated drinks
- Soda and other carbonated drinks
- Onions
- Sardines
- Corn
- Raw vegetables
- Alcohol
- Fruits, like pineapples, cherries, and grapes
- All citrus fruits
CURE 4: Herbs to Cure Diarrhea
1. Ginger, Cinnamon, and Cumin
How to use
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
- 1 teaspoon of ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon of cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon of Honey
- A small container to mix all the above
Procedure
- Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder into a small bowl
- Add 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- Add 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- Add 1 tablespoon of Honey and mix well
- Bring it to an even paste-like consistency
- Eat this paste
How many times:
Eat 1 teaspoon of this mixture three times a day.
Benefits:
The anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant properties of the mixture reduce inflammation and soothe the stomach.
2. Isabgol
How to use
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Isabgol
- 1 cup yogurt
Procedure
- Take 1 cup of yogurt
- Add 1 teaspoon of Isabgol to it
- Mix well
- Eat this mixture
How many times:
Eat this mixture once in a day
Benefits:
This mixture is an effective remedy in relieving the symptoms of loose stools and an upset stomach. Consuming yogurt gives your stomach the right amount of probiotics to heal the infection and isabgol helps harden runny stools.
3. Cumin
How to use
Ingredients
- 3 teaspoons of cumin
- 1 pinch ginger powder
- 1 pinch cinnamon powder
- 1 pinch black pepper powder
- 1 cup yogurt
- A small bowl to roast
Procedure
- Add 3 teaspoons of cumin into a bowl
- Roast them and then powder them
- Add 1 pinch of ginger powder to it
- Add 1 pinch of cinnamon powder
- Add 1 pinch of black pepper powder
- Mix well
- Add this mixture to 1 cup of yogurt
Eat this mixture
How many times:
Eat this mixture 2 times a day
Benefits:
This mixture is very effective to treat inflammation and loose stools which are the common symptoms of diarrhea.
CURE 5: Essential Oils for Diarrhea Treatment
1. Peppermint Oil for Diarrhea Treatment
The oil that tops the list of essential oils for treating diarrhea is Peppermint essential oil. It is an excellent remedy for relieving diarrhea and stomach cramps.
The menthol that is present in Peppermint oil offers an invigorating, pain relief and a cooling effect on the stomach and intestines.
Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, Peppermint oil brings down the inflammation of the bowel, thus providing a soothing effect to the digestive tract. Peppermint oil also offers relief for irritable bowel syndrome.
It also treats flatulence and gas because of its carminative properties. Peppermint oil is good for fighting cramps and contractions because it blocks the calcium channels in the intestines.
How to Use Peppermint Oil for Diarrhea?
Add 2 drops of Peppermint oil to a glass of lukewarm water. Mix well and drink this solution slowly. This will give you considerable relief from stomach pain and diarrhea.
How many times?
Drink this solution once a day before going to bed.
2. Cinnamon essential oil
Cinnamon oil is considered as one of the most effective essential oils that can cure diarrhea. It helps in getting rid of parasites and bacteria living inside the intestine and stomach. It is a spice that has antibiotic properties. Cinnamon also treats muscle contractions and intestinal cramps very effectively, which are the common symptoms of diarrhea.
How to Use
Ingredients
- A bowl
- Half a liter of distilled water
- Cinnamon Oil
Procedure
- Pour half a cup of distilled water in a bowl
- Boil the water on high flame
- Bring down the flame and add 4 drops of Cinnamon oil to the water
- Let the solution cool
- Have this sip by sip very slowly
Benefits:
Cinnamon Oil has a soothing effect on the lining of the gastrointestinal system and the colon. Other symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, stomach flu or food poisoning are also cured by cinnamon oil.
3. Ginger Essential Oil
Ginger is one of the best essential oils for diarrhea. The analgesic properties of ginger reduce stomach pain caused due to diarrhea.
How to Use
Ingredients
- 1 cup distilled water
- 4 drops of Ginger essential oil
- A small bowl to warm the water
Procedure
- Add 1 cup of distilled water to a bowl
- Heat the water till it boils
- Turn off the heat
- Let the water cool till it is lukewarm
- Add 4 drops of ginger essential oil to it
- Mix well
Sip this mixture like tea.
How many times:
You can have this mixture 2 times a day.
Benefits:
Ginger essential oil has anti-inflammatory properties which also offer a soothing effect to your stomach.
How To Prevent Diarrhea
- Wash your hands every time you use the washroom and just before you eat. Use an anti-germ hand wash or a sanitizer.
- If you touch animals or pets, make sure that you wash your hands thoroughly.
- When you visit new places, make sure that the food and drinks you are consuming are clean and safe.
- Before cooking, wash the vegetables.
- If you are cooking meat, cook them properly.
- Don’t eat uncooked or undercooked food, eggs or meat.
- Do not handle food if you have diarrhea.
- Laxatives like alcohol and caffeine should be limited.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is Oatmeal Good for Diarrhea?
Although you don’t have a proper appetite, or no appetite during diarrhea, having a bowl of oatmeal helps you in binding the stools and decreasing the frequency of your visits to the washroom and adds to a faster recovery. Oatmeal is rich in soluble fiber.
2. How Long does Diarrhea Last?
Diarrhea does not go beyond 3 to 5 days, but if the symptoms go for more than 4 to 6 weeks, you must be suffering from an underlying gastrointestinal condition.
3. How do You know If Your Child has Diarrhea?
If your child has more than 6 bowel movements which are watery and loose within 24 hours, there is a high chance that they have diarrhea. You should take your child immediately to the doctor.
4. What is a Traveler’s Diarrhea and How to Prevent It?
Traveler’s diarrhea is diarrhea when you have while traveling long distances. Below are the tips to prevent it.
- Have clean and boiled water
- Use bottled and sealed water for brushing your teeth.
- Avoid consuming ice made with tap water.
- Do not eat raw vegetables. Eat only properly cooked food.
- Make sure that whatever you eat is correctly and thoroughly cooked.