Diarrhea is not a pleasant topic of conversation but most people have or will experience it at some point in their life. If you don’t know what diarrhea is, it is a condition when your bowel movements are loose and watery and you feel the urge to empty your bowels several times a day. Sometimes you will experience some mild abdominal cramps or pain as well.
Other diarrhea symptoms may include vomiting, fever, nausea, thirst and dehydration. Diarrhea and vomiting can cause excessive fluid to be loss from the body and can lead quickly to dehydration if the liquid is not replaced. Infants, small children, and the elderly are most at risk to be harmed from dehydration. In addition to the fluid, you body can also loss electrolytes essential for the proper function of the body. Chronic diarrhea should be looked at by your doctor.
There can be many causes of diarrhea including contaminated food or water, food allergies, virus, excessive intake of alcohol, laxatives, and caffeine. Taking some medications such as tetracycline and penicillin can also cause diarrhea.
Diarrhea is your body’s way of purging itself of toxic substances. In most cases, the condition last only a few days and will go away as it runs its course, without having to resort to any kind of anti-diarrheal medications. Instead of trying to stop the course of diarrhea and risk prolonging the condition, you can try some home remedies that can help ease the symptoms and discomforts and make recovery faster.
The first thing to do is switch to a “clear liquid diet” to include foods and fluids that are clear, and avoid foods high in carbohydrates such as pasta, bread, apples, corn, etc. The switch in diet will give your system time to rest and heal during the diarrhea. This diet should be followed for a few days and then a diet containing foods that will add bulk to the stools should be introduced.
One of the more effective cures for diarrhea uses is a mixture of a teaspoon of honey and a teaspoon of vinegar in a glass of water. Drink this mixture half an hour before eating a meal.
The juices from pomegranates can be effective for curing diarrhea. A drink can be made from boiling pomegranate peel and drinking the juice twice daily. If the juice is too bitter for your taste, add a little honey to sweeten it. A fresh pomegranate can also be squeezed and the juice used as a drink twice a day.
A mashed mixture of corn, potatoes, and garlic together is said to cure diarrhea. You may also want to boil sweet potatoes and eat those, or make homemade carrot soup. All are recommended as effective homemade diarrhea cures.
Some herbs are known to be effective cures for diarrhea. Drinking chamomile or peppermint tea, or brew a tea using coriander leaves. Two teaspoons of oregano steeped in hot water for 10 minutes makes a drink that is a great home remedy for diarrhea. You can do the same with mango and guava leaves.
Drinking blackberry tea can be helpful in cases of mild diarrhea. Squeeze out the juice of one lemon. Put it in a glass and add one tablespoon of milk. Drinking that mixture will help the symptoms of diarrhea. Ginger tea will stop the cramping often associated with diarrhea.
If you are unsure of the cause of your diarrhea, it is a sensible thing to take wild oregano oil because it has antibacterial, anti-parasitic and anti-viral properties that can help diarrhea caused by bacteria, parasites or viruses. Charcoal is also effective in helping to relieve ailments such as indigestion, intestinal bloating, diarrhea, vomiting and nausea. Charcoal helps to detoxify both the liver and the kidney to help the function optimally.
Although some home remedies for diarrhea may not work for you, there are enough for you to try and you are sure to find out that will work for you. Whichever remedy you use to help relief your diarrhea symptoms, you want to drink plenty of fluids in order to avoid dehydration. Keep the fluids replenished even though it seems like it is not staying in your system. If you suspect dehydration, it is time to consult your doctor.