What is Diarrhea?
Diarrhea is also known as stomach flu, loose motions, diarrhoea, Dasta (Hindi/Urdu), Atisara (Marathi), Vayiṟṟuppokku (Tamil), diarrea (Spanish), Atisāra (Bengali), diareya (Russian). Diarrhoea refers to the frequent passage of loose or watery unformed stools. As a rough guide it can be said that three or four loose or watery stools a day can be considered as diarrhea. The disease may be acute or chronic. Commonly known as “loose motion”. There are many and varied causes of diarrhoea. The chief causes are overeating or eating of wrong foods, putrefaction in intestinal tract, fermentation caused by incomplete carbohydrate digestion, nervous irritability, use of antibiotic drugs and excessive intake of laxatives. Other diarrhea causes include parasites, germs, virus, bacteria or a poison which has entered into the body through food, water or air; allergies to certain substances or even common foods such as milk, wheat, eggs and sea foods and emotional strain or stress in adults and fright in children.
Diarrhea Home Remedies
Natural treatments to stop diarrhea fast in toddlers, children, adults, babies. How to treat diarrhea at home? Home treatment can help you treat your diarrhea and avoid other related problems, such as dehydration. New home remedies for diarrhea can help you recover faster and stay healthy. 18 ways to get rid of diarrhea.
- Buttermilk: An effective remedy for diarrhea is the use of buttermilk. It is the residual milk left after the fat has been removed from yogurt by churning. It helps overcome harmful intestinal flora and re-establish the benign or friendly flora. The acid in the buttermilk also fights germs and bacteria. It may be taken and mixed with a pinch of salt three or four times a day controlling diarrhoea.
- Moringa Leaves: Mix 1 tablespoon juice of drumstick leaves (horseradish / moringa), 1 tablespoon honey and 1 cup of coconut water. Keep this mixture ready and give little quantity of this to patient thrice a day.
- Barley Water: Starchy liquids such as arrowroot water, barley water, rice gruel and coconut water are highly beneficial in the treatment of diarrhea. They not only replace the fluid lost but also bind the stools.
- Honey + Nutmeg: Another simple domestic remedy is to mix 1 teaspoon honey, ½ teaspoon ghee, a pinch of nutmeg, and a pinch of saffron.
- Carrot Soup: Carrot soup is another effective home remedy for diarrhea. It supplies water to combat dehydration, replenishes sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sulphur and magnesium, supplies pectin and coats the intestine to allay inflammation. It checks the growth of harmful intestinal bacteria and prevents vomiting. One pound of carrot may be cooked in five ounces of water until it is soft. The pulp should be strained and boiled water added to make a quart. Three-quarter tablespoon of salt may be mixed. This soup should be given in small amounts to the patient every half an hour.
- Curd: Another remedy using yogurt is to blend together equal parts of yogurt and water (about half cup each), add about 1/8 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger, and drink.
- Applesauce: Cook one or two apples until they are mushy, then add 1 teaspoon ghee, a pinch of cardamom, and a pinch of nutmeg. Eat slowly. This mixture is not only delicious, it will also help stop diarrhea right away. A baby’s diarrhea can usually be corrected simply by feeding the child some cooked apple. Remove the skin and seeds, cook the apple, and add ½ teaspoon ghee, a pinch of cardamom, and a small pinch of ginger. Stir it up well, and cool to room temperature.
- Banana: If you don’t have apples, you can use bananas, only you don’t have to cook them. Chop 1 or 2 ripe bananas into pieces, and as with the apples, add 1 teaspoon of warm ghee and a pinch each of cardamom and nutmeg. Bananas are high in potassium, which helps to bind the stool.
- Whey: Treat baby or toddlers diarrhea with whey. Whey is a natural source of lactobacillus. Since a baby’s diarrhea is often due to altered ora in the gastrointestinal tract, the whey should help restore the normal flora. It is also a good source of potassium and of calcium, which binds the stool. Bring 1 cup of milk to a boil; when it just begins to boil, squeeze a little lime juice (about half teaspoon) into the pot. The milk will curdle. Then strain the thick part out by pouring the mixture through cheesecloth or a sieve. The remaining watery part is the whey. Giving 4 to 5 teaspoons of the whey to the child every 10 to 15 minutes should stop the diarrhea.
- Mint + Lemon: To stop loose motions immediately, mix 1 tablespoon of mint juice, honey and lemon juice. Take this mixture in little quantity thrice a week.
- Sesame Seeds: Take 2 big tablespoon of sesame seeds. Dry roast and blend. Add 1 tablespoon of cow milk ghee in it. Make 3 equal parts of this mixture. Each time take one of mixture with half cup of boiled goat milk. Repeat this for 6 days.
- Pomegranate: The pomegranate has proved beneficial in the treatment of diarrhea on account of its astringent properties. If the patient develops weakness due to profuse and continuous purging, he should be given repeatedly about 50 ml. of pomegranate juice to drink. This will control the diarrhea.
- Ginger Powder: Try ginger powder (about ½ teaspoon) with 1 teaspoon raw natural sugar. Mix together, and chew the mixture with some warm water. Take 2 or 3 times a day for 2 to 3 days. It will bring quick relief as ginger, being carminative, aids digestion by stimulating the gastrointestinal tract. OR Mix 1 teaspoon ghee, quarter teaspoon nutmeg, quarter teaspoon ginger powder and 1 teaspoon natural sugar together and eat. Take this formula 2 or 3 times a day for 2 to 3 days.
- Mango Seeds: This is a folk remedy. Mango seeds are also valuable in diarrhoea. The seeds should be collected during the mango season, dried in the shade and powdered and kept stored for use as medicine when required. It should be given in doses of about one and a half gram to two grams with or without honey.
- Fenugreek Seeds + Buttermilk: Boil a spoonful of fenugreek seeds in water and then fry in butter. Eat these seeds with a cup of buttermilk.
- Black Coffee / Tea + Lemon: Try drinking a cup of hot black coffee with a little lime juice (about 10 drops) and a pinch of cardamom or nutmeg. You may try same remedy with black tea instead of coffee.
- Fennel: For acute diarrhea, mix 1/2 teaspoon fennel powder with 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder, and chew this mixture 2 or 3 times a day.
- Rice + Curd: Another effective remedy for kids diarrhea is cooked rice with yogurt. Take about a cupful of cooked basmati rice, add 1 tablespoon of ghee and 3 or 4 tablespoons of plain fresh yogurt, stir together, and eat.
Diarrhea Diet Tips
- Due to water loss during diarrhea a person may feel thirsty all time. Bottle gourd is very effective in such cases. Drink 1 cup of bottle gourd juice with a pinch of salt.
- Use two to three teaspoons of Agrimony (high tannin content) leaves to make a tea. Apple pulp is rich in pectin.
- Try eating applesauce. Use cooked carrots to treat diarrhea in infants. Will soothe the digestive tract while providing nutrients that are lost during the attack.
- In all cases, drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration.