Home remedies for diarrhea

Most of us have experienced the pain and distress caused by diarrhea. That overwhelming desperation to get a toilet accompanied by the horrendous dread of not being able to make it in time. If that wasn’t bad enough there’s also the painful stomach cramps to contend with. Fortunately there are ways to cure both acute and chronic diarrhea naturally with home remedies.
Even though it is a common problem, it’s not one that many people are comfortable discussing. However, it is important to know what bowel movements are considered normal and when you should see your doctor, as repeat or prolonged episodes of diarrhea could be masking a more serious problem.
People's bowel movements vary a great deal while going three times a day is perfectly normal for some, others may average just three times a week. The important thing isn’t how often you’re going but that your stools are solid yet easy to pass when you do.
In the case of diarrhea bowel movements become more frequent than usual and are either loose or liquid. They may also be accompanied by painful stomach cramps, dizziness, nausea and/or vomiting. An episode can either last for a short period, in which case it is labeled acute, or if it goes on two or more weeks it is defined as chronic.
You should see your doctor after a few days if acute diarrhea is severe and doesn’t settle, especially if you are dehydrated(symptoms of dehydration include excreting small amounts of dark urine, drowsiness and excessive thirst). The elderly and very young (under two years) are particularly at risk of dehydration resulting from diarrhea and should see their doctor at the earliest opportunity.
You should also seek immediate medical help if your stools contain blood and/or you are losing weight. These symptoms, in addition to prolonged or repeated bouts of diarrhea, can in some cases signal an underlying condition like ulcerative colitis or bowel cancer (for more examples please see the box below) which obviously needs specific treatment.
In cases where an underlying condition isn’t present, doctors routinely recommend drugs like diocalm, immodium and lomotil for diarrhea. However, they can cause nausea constipation and bloating and their long term use can be dangerous, since they can delay the expulsion of toxis substances from your bowel.

How to successfully overcome acute cases of diarrhea without drugs

In cases of acute diarrhea you should drink more fluid (3-4 litres a day). In order to avoid dehydration, take ready-mixed rehydration sachets, which can be easily obtained over the counter from most chemists.
A cheaper and equally as effective alternative to these to these rehydration preparations is to boil some rice in plenty of water, and theb drink the water containing the juices of the rice water contains maltodeztrins and L-histidine, which act on the inside linning of the bowel and reduce the inflammatory processes that cause diarrhea.
Herbs rich in dietary fibre, such as slippery elm and ispaghula (psyllium), have also been found to be effective in the treatment of diarrhea, as they absorb any excess fluid in the bowel and help give consistency to stools.