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Thursday, August 14, 2014

Food to Stop Diarrhea

Food to Stop Diarrhea

When you suffer from diarrhea, you need to consume certain foods that help to alleviate the condition. The following write up tells you about the foods that help ease an upset stomach along with the foods that should be avoided during the same.
                                                                    
Diarrhea is a very common health ailment which most of us experience for at least two to three times in a year. It is a symptom of an underlying illness and it can be recognized by loose, frequent, watery stools, accompanied by abdominal pain. The causes of diarrhea include viral infection, food poisoning, intolerance to certain foods, etc. Keeping a watch on what you eat is one of the major factors of consideration while suffering from diarrhea. Certain food items can trigger the problem, while some foods may help to alleviate diarrhea. Thus, it is necessary that you are aware of the foods that provide relief from diarrhea and consume only those, till you recover.

There is a huge loss of nutrients and minerals while you are suffering from diarrhea and to recover this loss, it is essential to eat foods that will provide the lost nutrients and minerals to the body in sufficient amounts. Digestive system is also affected during this condition. Hence to aid digestion and relieve yourself from diarrhea at the earliest, consider consuming foods suggested below.

BRAT Diet

Actually, there is no food that will help to stop diarrhea instantly. But there are certain food items that may help to reduce its symptoms. BRAT diet is one of the most commonly recommended diet plans for patients suffering from diarrhea, specially for children. BRAT stands for Banana, Rice, Applesauce and Toast, and they make some of the best foods to prevent diarrhea. These foods help to make the stool firmer.

Bananas are beneficial for treating diarrhea, since they contain a balanced amount of nutrients required for firming the loose bowel movements.
Applesauce contains pectin, and thus is a natural bulking agent.
Rice will work as a filler and slow down the production of loose stools.
Toast will absorb any extra amount of stomach acid, that will minimize the tendency of the stomach to overproduce acid.

Thus, the BRAT diet is a combination of bland foods, which are low in dietary fibers and they provide energy to the body without troubling the digestive system.

Other Foods

Plain, boiled and mashed potatoes
Strained carrots
Strained squash
Saltine crackers
Small portions of plain noodles
White pasta

Fluids


It is a misconception that drinking fluids during diarrhea can worsen the condition. In fact, drinking fluids is a must to recover the lost electrolytes. Only drinking water will not help, you need to consume other fluids like:

Broth
Soups
Fruit or vegetable juices
Rice or soy milk

If you make a proper choice of fluids, the electrolyte level can be easily recovered. Some methods for recovering dehydration are drinking rice water or mixture of sugar and salt in water. Herbal teas make some of the best fluids for the intestine. Drinking 8 - 10 glasses of any of the above fluids is recommended for the person having diarrhea.

Foods to Avoid


There are certain foods that should be completely avoided during diarrhea. These foods are:

High-fiber vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, onions, etc.
High-fiber fruits like guava, avocado, kiwi, etc.
Citrus fruits like orange, lime, lemon, grapefruit, clementine, etc.
Milk and milk products like cheese, ice cream, pudding, etc.
Fatty foods like cheese, fat meat, sour cream, butter, fried foods, desserts, etc.
Juices made of apple, pear, cherry, etc.
Foods or beverages with caffeine content like tea, coffee, etc.
Nuts like peanuts, cashew nuts, almonds, brazil nuts and walnuts
Carbonated soft drinks

Alcohol may also worsen the condition, hence avoid its consumption while suffering from diarrhea.

Effectiveness of the above diet guidelines may differ from person to person. Thus, if diarrhea do not subside even after trying these home remedies, then you should consult a physician, since it may be a case of chronic diarrhea.

Disclaimer: This Buzzle article is for informative purposes only and does not, in any way, intend to replace the advice of a medical professional.

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