Diarrhoea can be a very unpleasant affair that can ruin not only an ordinary day, but also a dream holiday. So we’ve put together some tips on how you can stop diarrhoea at home and when you should see a doctor.
Causes of diarrhea
Diarrhea, like the flu or Covid-19, is among the viral diseases and in many cases is related to other diseases. It serves as a warning that something is wrong with your body. Diarrhoea is manifested by loose stools, frequent trips to the toilet or unpleasant cramps in the abdomen.
It is caused by impaired absorption of water and other substances from the intestine into the bloodstream. It can be a defensive reaction, trying to quickly get rid of unwanted substances in the body, or to food that the stomach is not used to. Similarly, diarrhoea can be caused by medicines containing magnesium ions or milk allergy.
Diarrhoea comes in two forms – acute and chronic. Acute diarrhea occurs suddenly and has a shorter course (usually no longer than a week). Chronic diarrhoea can last for several weeks and occurs repeatedly.
What works for diarrhoea
The first point of tips to stop diarrhea is to follow a drinking regime. Dehydration can make diarrhea worse, so you should try to drink plenty of water, even though you may not be able to do so much. In addition to water, you can drink juice (juice is not recommended for smaller children) or non-salty mineral waters or dehydration solutions. You can make your own rehydration solution at home:
- Prepare a cup of orange juice without the pulp.
- Add four tablespoons of sugar or honey.
- Add ¾ tablespoon of salt.
- Add a teaspoon of baking powder.
- Pour in a liter of boiled water.
The second point is to rest. Make yourself comfortable, eliminate stress and try to give your body enough sleep to aid physical recovery. You should also reduce your diet. Definitely avoid spicy and very spicy food. Ideally, follow the diet described below.
How to stop diarrhoea or which foods to avoid
All fatty and greasy foods should disappear from your diet, as well as dairy products. Also, take a break from alcohol and do not consume fructose or artificial sweeteners – their chemical component makes diarrhea worse.
Other foods you should try to avoid include sausages, pates and legumes. Especially peas, beans, lentils or soya. You should also avoid fresh bread and sweet or yeasted pastries.
Diet for diarrhoea
What works for diarrhea, on the other hand, is lean pork or beef (leg, chop) and chicken, turkey or rabbit. In the first few days, however, you should avoid fatty food altogether. Start with a lightly salted broth of rice or carrots. Alternatives are rice and cereal soup or rice porridge without milk.
Supplement with steamed carrots, banana and grated apple. You can gradually add other foods, including dairy-free mashed potatoes, older rolls and baby biscuits. However, the key to stopping diarrhoea is to take your time.
As soon as you start to feel up to it, start slowly transitioning to a regular diet. First, add the aforementioned chicken and lean meats to your diet. Later, boiled or steamed vegetables. Sour dairy products are also suitable.
What works for diarrhea? Liquid diet
In the beginning, it is more than advisable to follow a so-called liquid diet, which aims to relieve the digestive system. During this diet you should drink only clear liquids (water, fruit juices without pulp, sparkling drinks without sugar and caffeine) and consume 5-6 small meals a day.
You can treat children to fruit popsicles and suck on hard candies, such as mints, yourself when they have diarrhea. Other suitable foods are gelatine, tea or broth. Gradually add solid food. Depending on your current condition, this may be the second to third day.
Diet for diarrhea – recipes
The basic answer to the question of how to stop diarrhea is therefore diet. There are many variations and recipes that you can prepare using the above ingredients. One of them is rice with carrots and stew:
- Rinse the rice in warm water.
- Put it to boil. Do not add any seasoning except a minimum of salt.
- Clean the meat and cut it into cubes.
- Wash and chop the carrots.
- Simmer the meat with the carrots for a while.
Another example would be mashed potatoes:
- Prepare the potatoes and baby carrots.
- Wash the potatoes and carrots and remove the skins
- Cut the potatoes into smaller pieces and cook.
- Place the baby carrots in a pan.
- Slightly salt it.
- Add a little olive oil and plenty of water.
- Let it simmer.
- Once everything is cooked, mash the potatoes.
You can mix the baby carrots with the potatoes or add them separately, depending on your preference.
How to stop diarrhea the natural way
Besides the above mentioned, there are many other foods that can help you stop diarrhea the natural way:
- Beans– they are a source of antioxidants and have disinfectant effects. You can consume them both fresh, preserved and dried, or make an anti-diarrheal tea from them.
- Bananas – they contain a lot of fiber and magnesium and help in getting rid of diarrhea for adults and children. It is generally recommended to eat a banana up to five times a day.
- Peppercorns – for the hardened, whole peppercorns can help. Chewing three of them should be enough.
- Black tea – among the most recommended ways to stop diarrhea is unsweetened black tea. You should drink it throughout the day. However, it has dehydrating effects, so it is advisable to supplement it with other fluids.
- Saline – a saline solution can be an effective way to get rid of diarrhea. Mix warm water and two tablespoons of salt. Then sip the solution slowly.
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- Apple and Apple Bridge – Apples have similar effects to bananas. It is recommended to consume them up to three times a day, or sip apple cider diluted with water.
- Raspberry – to spice up your diet, you can use a decoction of raspberries. You will need dried raspberry leaves. Three of them are poured over water and left to infuse.
- Blackcurrants – you can consume currants in various forms – juices, syrups or straight balls.
- Wort – you can also prepare a drink from wormwood. Boil a teaspoon of dried flowering wormwood blossom with a quart of water and allow to infuse for two minutes. Drink this “potion” three times a day.
- Chamomile – another way to get rid of diarrhea in a natural way is chamomile. Chamomile, like many of the previous examples, has disinfectant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also relieves bloating and pain. Consume lukewarm, unsweetened chamomile tea for two days.
How to stop diarrhoea or which remedies to choose
Unfortunately, the natural way to stop diarrhea may not always work as it should. Nor does this solution lend itself well to travelling. So, if you’re traveling to countries that are typical of intestinal problems, or simply prefer to trust medications, you may want to reach for a variety of medications.
Intestinal antiseptics, such as Endiaron, can help with diarrhea. Intestinal antiseptics are effective just for the aforementioned traveler’s diarrhea and diarrhea with presumed infectious origin. There are also so-called adsorbents, for example, charcoal or Smecta. These have the ability to bind various substances, including bacteria, to their surface. You should reach for them especially in case of diarrhea caused by dietary error or food poisoning.
Another group of drugs that work for diarrhea are intestinal mobility inhibitors, such as Imodium or Loperon. They slow down the work of the intestines and address both acute diarrhea and chronic diarrhea. Analgesics such as Ibuprofen also have anti-inflammatory effects. S However, you should be careful with their application. In many cases, they can cause harm.
In all cases, you should follow the information on the package leaflet and only use medicines in children after consulting a doctor.
When to see a doctor?
If the above mentioned procedures to stop diarrhea do not help and the problems persist for more than three days, it is advisable to see a doctor. For children over one year of age, a doctor’s visit is recommended after two days. For children under one year of age, you should see a doctor after one day.
You should also contact a doctor if diarrhoea is associated with unpleasant abdominal pain, repeated vomiting or if blood appears in the stool. Also at risk may be fever above 39°C and weight loss above 5% of total weight.
