Cure Your Diarrhea - Click Here

Food Poisoning. Overeating. Antibiotics, stimulant laxatives, and other drugs. Viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Megadoses of vitamin C. An attack of nerves. Any one of these things can send you running for the nearest toilet. The good news it, many types of diarrhea go away on their own. Regardless of the cause, the best way to manage diarrhea is to drink plenty of fluids. If you don’t, you’ll become dehydrated, which will make you feel much worse.

Herbal Remedies

Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria)

Agrimony contains astringents, which have a drying action in the bowel. Typical dosage: 1 to 3 cups of tea per day (steep 1 teaspoon of dried leaves in 1 cup of hot water for 10 minutes).

Apples (Malus domestica)

Pectin, which apple peels are packed with, is a common anti-diarrhea remedy and a prime ingredient in over-the-counter medications such as Kaopectate. Pectin is a soluble fiber that adds bulk to watery stools. Just make applesauce or bake an apple with the peel on (preferably using organic apples). Stay away from apple juice, however; it tends to further loosen stools.

Blackberry and Raspberry (Rubus spp.)

The roots and leaves of both berry plants act as astringents to relieve diarrhea. Typical dosage: about 3 cups of tea per day(steep 2 teaspoons of dried leaves in 1 cup of hot water for 10 minutes).

Cure Your Diarrhea - Click Here

Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)

This shrub’s fruits contain both tannins and pectin. Typical dosage: 2 or 3 capsules or tablets, standardized to 25 percent anthocyanosides, per day.

Carob (Ceratonia siliqua)

This chocolate substitute also contains tannins and provides a safe approach to treating diarrhea for all ages. Simply add carob powder to applesauce or other easy-on-the-bowels foods.

Carrots (Daucus carota)

In school form, these veggies are an age-old remedy for diarrhea. One study found that carrot soup actually prevented bacteria, including E. coli, from sticking to the small intestines of patients with severe diarrhea. Carrots are also rich in carotenes, an essential ingredients for immune function. All you need do is steam sliced carrots until soft and blend into a soup.

Tea (Camellia sinensis)

No matter where you are, you can usually find a tea bag. Simply dunk it in hot water, wait five minutes, and drink.

Oregon Graperoot (Mahonia aquifolium)

This herb and its berberine-containing cousins, goldenseal (Hydrastiscanadensis), gold thread (Coptis chinensis), and barberry (Berberis vulgaris), fight a broad range of microbes. Studies have found berberine effective in diarrhea caused by bacteria such as shigella, salmonella, E. coli, and V. cholerae, and by parasites giardia. Typical dosage: 60 drops (about 2 dropperfuls) of tincture three times per day. or up to six 500- to 600 milligrams capsules per day. Caution: Do not use herbs containing berberine during pregnancy.

Garlic (Allium sativum)

The “stinking rose” kills a variety of viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Typical dosage: one to two raw, minced cloves of garlic a day; or up to three 500-to 600- milligrams capsules per day (look for a product that delivers 4,000 to 5,000 micrograms of allicin per day).

Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) and Catnip (Nepeta cataria)

These two mint family herbs have antispasmodic action, a quality you’ll appreciate if you have intestinal cramping. Typical dosage: 3 cups of tea per day (steep 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried leaf in 1 cup of hot water for 10 minutes). Caution: Do not use catnip if pregnant; do not use peppermint if you have heartburn or esophagal reflux.

Grapefruit Seed Extract

Made from the seed, pulp, and inner rind of grapefruit, these products can be helpful in fighting both bacterial parasitic infections. Studies show they can kill salmonella, shigella, V.cholerae, and candida. They can also inhibit the growth of giaridia. Some people take grapefruit seed extract as a preventive when they travel to areas where the water is questionable. It comes in liquid or tablet form; follow manufacturer’s directions on dosage.

Reasons to Call Your Doctor

Make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as possible if you develop the following symptoms. If none of these apply to you, you can probably manage your diarrhea at home.

* Your diarrhea lasts longer than a week or becomes recurrent.

* You have fever, bad abdominal cramps, or blood , mucus, or pus in your stools.

* You think you’ve become dehydrated as evidenced by dry lips and mouth and a failure to urinate

for eight hours.

* Your recently traveled to a foreign country or were in close contact with someone who did.

* You recently drank water directly from a stream, river, or lake.

What to do When the Runs are Running

Here’s how to care for a mild or brief case of diarrhea at home.

* Hold off on solid foods for 12 to 24 hours. Or if the diarrhea isn’t severe, avoid only whole

grain cereals, raw fruits, and vegetables.

* Drink lots of clear liquids. Diarrhea can quickly lead to dehydration. Good beverage choices

include water, herbal teas, sports drinks (Recharge, Gatorade, and others), and diluted vegetable

and fruit juices. Full-strength fruit juice can aggravate diarrhea. And milk is best avoided because

you’ll likely have trouble digesting it.

* Eat cooked fruits and vegetables, particularly cooked carrots and applesauce. Bananas,

active-culture yogurt, and low-fiber grains such as white rice and flour are also good choices.

Putting “Good” Bacteria to Work

Lactobacilli are a type of bacteria normally found in the intestines. Studies show that taking various strains of lactobacilli can help prevent cases of , and improve recovery from, diarrhea caused by a virus called rotavirus. They work in several ways: by out-competing undesirable bacteria and preventing “bad” bacteria from clinging to the intestinal lining, by strengthening local immune response in the gut, and by stimulating white blood cells.

You can ingest these bacteria when you eat active-culture yogurt or kefir (a yogurt drink). Just make sure the fine print on the label says the product contains live cultures. You can also take a supplement, usually in the form of Lactobacilli acidophilus.

Cure Your Diarrhea - Click Here