5 Home Remedies Helpful To Treat Diarrhea

Diarrhea is an ailment where the person will have at least 3-4 water, liquid, or loose bowel movements every day. We also refer it to as loose motions. As per the Bristol Stool Chart, type 6 and type 7 stools are considered to be mild and severe diarrhea, respectively. Usually, this diarrhea lasts for some hours to even days and months. If the loose motions occur for 2-5 times a day, then it is mild diarrhea, and if it is 6-9 per day, then it is moderate diarrhea, and if the motions are more than 10 per day, then it is severe diarrhea.

* Re-hydration

Hydrating the body during diarrhea is one of the essential things to do. Because of frequent watery stools, the body loses vital fluids, nutrients, and electrolytes such as chloride and sodium that may cause fatigue. Hence drink plenty of water and pot for ‘Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS),’ which is available in pharmacies. This ORS can also be prepared at home with sugar and salt. Drinking water with sugar and salt helps the intestines to absorb fluids more effectively.

One liter of water, six teaspoons of sugar, and half teaspoon of salt.

- Take a bowl and pour 1 liter of drinking water in it. Add six teaspoons of sugar and half teaspoon of salt in it and mix it properly.
- Drink this solution for every 2-3 hours to regenerate the lost fluids in the body.

* Green Banana

studies said that eating a green, unripe banana during diarrhea has shown positive results and often described as an ideal food. These bananas are rich in fiber, potassium, complex carbohydrates, and Vitamin C and B6. The pectin fiber in banana helps in absorbing excess water in the intestines and firms up the stool, and oligofructose helps in nourishing the good gut bacteria that aids in nutrient absorption. This pectin also stimulates the production of mucus in the colon and small bowel and acts as a barrier for the stools to drop.

- Boil the unripe bananas with the skin in water for about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the skin mash them and add a pinch of salt and oil.
- Eat this mashed banana with soft cooked rice.

* BRAT Diet

BART means Banana, Rice, Apple Sauce, Toast. It is said that these are bland, gentle, and easy-to-digest foods for the intestines and can reduce the symptoms of stomach illness and diarrhea. These foods are rich in starch and low in fiber that may help produce solid stools. Banana with rice is the right combination for reducing diarrhea when included with applesauce and toast; it can suffice diarrhea. However, some doctors do not suggest the BRAT diet because the nutritional profile is limited in this diet.

- Boil the unripe bananas with the skin in water for about 7 to 10 minutes, then remove the skin mash them and add a pinch of salt and oil. Eat this mashed banana with soft cooked rice.
- Make a bread toast and spread applesauce on it and consume it in between the banana and rice meal.

* Probiotics

Not all bacterias are harmful. Some bacterias help in treating some stomach ailments. They are called probiotics. These friendly bacteria live in the intestine that helps you indigestion. Due to diarrhea, many of these good bacteria are flushed out from the intestines, and probiotics help in getting them back, thus maintains the gut environment. Probiotics are usually found in yogurt, and also come in the form of some supplements. Consuming probiotics is generally safe and has no side effects. Hence most of the doctors recommend taking Probiotics to fight diarrhea.

- There is no specific procedure in preparing this. Eat one small bowl of fresh yogurt in a day.
- Take one probiotic supplement per day or one small bowl of fresh yogurt per day.

* Peppermint Oils

Recent studies have shown that using Peppermint oil for patients suffering from diarrhea or Irritaional Bowel Syndrome (IBS) has reduced the frequent watery stools. The peppermint oil is a volatile oil consisting of menthol based cyclic monoterpene that is anti-spasmodic. This oil is also considered as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating that are relevant to treat diarrhea. This oil also increases the production of digestive fluids while increasing circulation. For diarrhea, peppermint can be consumed as an oil or as a tea.

- Take one cup of boiling water and add one tablespoon of dried peppermint leaves and leave for 10 minutes. After it gets cooled, strain the tea and drink it.