Healthy home remedies for diarrhea will enable you to relieve the discomfort of diarrhea without interfering with the body's need to expel the harmful substances that are causing it. Many of these natural diarrhea home remedies are found in the kitchen cupboard.
Diarrhea is watery and frequent bowel movements often accompanied by stomach pain, gas, bloating, and sometimes vomiting. It can be acute or chronic. Acute diarrhea is the kind that lasts only a day or so. Acute diarrhea is usually caused by food poisoning or a viral infection. Chronic diarrhea is more serious and lasts over a period of weeks or more. Chronic diarrhea can be caused by irritable bowel syndrome, food allergies, and sometimes medication.
There is a good side and a bad side to diarrhea. The good side is that diarrhea is the way the body gets rid of the organisms that are causing it. This is a good thing. The bad side is that people can become dehydrated when they have it. Dehydration is especially dangerous to babies, young children and the elderly and it can happen quite suddenly. Babies under the age of 18 months and the elderly need to see a doctor when the diarrhea first begins. Children over the age of 18 months need to see a doctor if the diarrhea lasts more than a day or so.
For most of us, diarrhea only lasts a few hours to a day or two. It is unpleasant and uncomfortable and we want it to go away. There are several home remedies for diarrhea that will help speed our recovery.
Headline: The following home remedies for diarrhea are easy and inexpensive:
Drink as much liquid as you can to rehydrate your body but stay away from coffee.
My family's favorite cure for diarrhea is drinking apple cider vinegar and water. It may not sound very appealing when you have stomach cramps and gas, but believe me it works. Put two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in an 8 ounce glass of warm or room temperature water. It is less likely to irritate the stomach at this temperature than if it were ice cold or very hot. Sip on it. Do not try to just drink it down because if you do, it will probably just come right back up. Take small sips until it is gone. Do this three times a day. Read more about the health benefits of apple cider vinegar.
Blackberry root tea is a good herbal remedy for diarrhea. The tannins in the blackberry root are what do the job. Make the tea with the root bark by boiling it in water for half an hour. Then strain it and let it cool down. Drink it warm or at room temperature. Blackberry root is available at health food stores.
If your diarrhea is caused by bacteria, eating a live culture yogurt will help kill the bacteria. It cannot be just any grocery store yogurt but you may be able to find live culture yogurt at the grocery store if you read the labels. A true Greek yogurt is usually live culture and it really tastes good too. Do not buy "Greek Style Yogurt" for this purpose though. Most health food stores carry live culture yogurt. Yogurt is the only dairy product you should eat while you have diarrhea. Stay away from milk, cream, and cheese.
The berberine in goldenseal will kill any bacteria that is causing the diarrhea. Use a few drops of liquid goldenseal extract in a cup of tea three times a day. Do not exceed a total of 1/4 teaspoon a day. Read more about this amazing herb at Benefits of Goldenseal.
Eating plain cooked rice is very settling to the stomach. Plain cooked potatoes are also good as are bananas. Just eat small bits at a time until your stomach settles.
The anti-spasmodic properties of chamomile tea make it a good choice for relieving diarrhea stomach pains. You can either brew the leaves or use the tea bags that are readily available at the grocery store. Again, let the tea cool down to the point where it is just warm before you drink it. Drink a cup three or four times a day until you are feeling better.
Call the doctor if:
There is blood in the stool.
You have a fever
You have the chills.
You feel dizzy when you stand up.
These home remedies for diarrhea have not improved the condition within two or three days.
There is little urine being passed.
Or, as mentioned before, the sufferor is very young or elderly.
Disclaimer: Always consult your medical professional before trying any homemade treatment. This site is designed for informational purposes only and is not rendering medical advice or professional services.
Diarrhea is watery and frequent bowel movements often accompanied by stomach pain, gas, bloating, and sometimes vomiting. It can be acute or chronic. Acute diarrhea is the kind that lasts only a day or so. Acute diarrhea is usually caused by food poisoning or a viral infection. Chronic diarrhea is more serious and lasts over a period of weeks or more. Chronic diarrhea can be caused by irritable bowel syndrome, food allergies, and sometimes medication.