Treating Diarrhea with DietDiarrhoea refers to the frequent passage of loose or watery unformed stools. It may be acute or chronic. Commonly known as "loose motions", it is perhaps the most common disease in India.
The intestines normally get more than 10 litres of liquid per day, which comes from the regular food intake and from the secretions of the stomach, liver, pancreas and intestines. In the case of Diarrhoea, water is either not absorbed or is secreted in excess by the organs of the body.
What happens is, in the course of normal digestion, food is kept liquid by the secretion of large amounts of water by the stomach, upper small intestine, pancreas, and gallbladder.
Food that is not digested reaches the lower small intestine and colon in liquid form. The lower small intestine and particularly the colon absorb the water, turning the undigested food into a more-or-less solid stool with form. Increased amounts of water in stool can occur if the stomach and/or small intestine secretes too much fluid, the small intestine and colon do not absorb enough water, or the undigested, liquid food passes too quickly through the small intestine and colon for them to remove enough water.
Of course, more than one of these abnormal processes may occur at the same time.
In many cases, the root cause can be traced to the existence of some viruses, bacteria and parasites which cause increased secretion of fluid, either by entering and causing inflammation to the lining of the small intestine leading to excess secretion of fluid or by producing toxins that stimulate the lining to secrete fluid but without causing inflammation.
Types of Diarrhoea:
Diarrhoea generally is divided into two types, acute and chronic. Acute diarrhoea lasts a few days or up to a week while chronic diarrhoea can be defined in several ways but almost always lasts more than three weeks.
It is necessary to distinguish between acute and chronic diarrhoea because their causes differ and usually require different diagnostic tests and treatment.
Causes of DiarrhoeaDiarrhoea can be caused by a variety of reasons. The most common causes are: Overeating or eating of wrong foods. Putrefaction in the intestine tract. Fermentation caused by incomplete carbohydrate digestion. Nervous irritability and Excessive intake of laxatives.
Other causes include: Infection caused by parasites, germs, virus, bacteria or a poison, which has entered into the body through food, water or air. Allergies to common foods such as milk, wheat, eggs and sea- foods may contribute to diarrhoea. Emotional strain or stress in adults and fright in children could also cause diarrhoea . Use of antibiotic drugs.
This is due to the destruction of the beneficial bacteria in intestines along with pathogenic bacteria at which the antibiotic treatment was aimed. Diarrhoea may be a prominent feature of organic diseases affecting the small or large intestine such as the sprue syndrome, malignant disease and ulcerative colitis. It may also result from operations on the gastro-intestinal tract. Diarrhoea may alternate with constipation. This may be a result of the irritation of the mucous membrane by impacted hard faces.
Apart from the common causes, the causes of acute and chronic diarrhoea may differ. An acute diarrhoea condition could be caused by: Viral gastroenteritis- is the most common cause of acute diarrhoea worldwide. Symptoms of viral gastroenteritis include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and diarrhoea. It typically last only 48-72 hrs. Food poisoning- Food poisoning is a brief illness that is caused by toxins produced by bacteria. It also causes the small intestine to secrete large amounts of water that leads to diarrhoea. Traveler's Diarrhoea- Tourists visiting foreign countries with warm climates and poor sanitation can acquire ETEC (Enterotoxigenic E. coli or ETEC) by eating contaminated foods such as fruits, vegetables, seafood, raw meat, water, and ice cubes. Toxins produced by ETEC cause the sudden onset of diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, nausea, and sometimes vomiting. Bacterial enterocolitis- Disease-causing bacteria usually invade the small intestines and colon and cause enterocolitis (inflammation of the small intestine and colon). Bacterial enterocolitis is characterized by signs of inflammation (blood or pus in the stool, fever) and abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Parasites- Cryptosporidium is a diarrhoea-producing parasite that is spread by contaminated water because it can survive chlorination. Cyclospora is a diarrhoea-producing parasite that has been associated with contaminated raspberries from Guatemala. Drugs- Drug-induced diarrhoea is very common because many drugs cause diarrhoea. The clue to drug-induced diarrhoea is that the diarrhoea begins soon after treatment with the drug is begun. The medications that most frequently cause diarrhoea are antacids and nutritional supplements that contain magnesium.
A chronic diarrhoea condition is characterized by: Irritable bowel syndrome: The irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional cause of diarrhoea or constipation. Infectious diseases: There are a few infectious diseases that can cause chronic diarrhoea, for example, Giardia lamblia . Patients with AIDS often have chronic infections of their intestines that cause diarrhoea. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, diseases causing inflammation of the small intestine and/or colon, commonly cause chronic diarrhoea. Colon Cancer: Colon cancer can cause either diarrhoea or constipation. If the cancer blocks the passage of stool, it usually causes constipation. Sometimes, however, a blockage causes the secretion of water behind the blockage, and liquid stool from behind the blockage leaks around the cancer and results in diarrhoea. Severe constipation: By blocking the colon, hardened stool can lead to the same problems as colon cancer, as discussed previously. Endocrine diseases: Several endocrine diseases (imbalances of hormones) may cause diarrhoea, for example, an over-active thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) and an under-active pituitary or adrenal gland. Laxative abuse: The abuse of laxatives by individuals who want to lose weight is an occasional cause of diarrhoea.
Consequences of Diarrhoea:
Diarrhoea for prolonged periods can lead to certain complications. These may include:
General weakening of health: due to loss of vitamins like vitamin A, E and K and other nutrients as food is rushed through the body without giving the nutrients a chance of being absorbed, dehydration due to loss of body fluids and flushing out of minerals from the body and nervous conditions. Dehydration: also poses a serious problem, especially when diarrhoea is accompanied by vomiting. It can even be fatal if unchecked. Dehydration is characterized by hot, dry skin over the abdomen, sunken eyes, dry mouth, intense thirst and reduced flow of urine. This can usually be prevented by regular and continuous intake of liquid. It is advisable to have about 150 to 200 ml. of fluid every hour.
DiarrhoeaDiarrhea or bacterial enterocolitis is basically defined as the passing of loose stools more than the standard amount within 24 hours. One of the liquid stool causes is a bacterial infection or even a viral infection which may be short term– acute or even long term– chronic. Loose stools caused by bacteria or a virus infection is considered to be chronic when it lasts for more than two or three weeks. Most people have been affected by diarrhea at some point of their life. Sometimes diarrhea may also be accompanied by vomiting, stomach pains, and an overall feeling of malaise and lethargy. Some of the causes of diarrhea and vomiting could be inadequate kitchen hygiene, consuming food that is undercooked especially meat and eggs or even drinking water that is contaminated with bacteria or food poisoning. One of the causes of diarrhea in children may be lactose intolerance, improper diet, ulcerative colitis or even an irritable bowel syndrome. Similarly the causes of diarrhea in babies could also be a change in the diet of the baby or even intolerance to gluten or wheat protein. Causes of diarrhea in adults could also be on account of not maintaining proper hygiene after using the toilet, consuming food that is contaminated or left uncovered for long periods of time or even because of certain metabolic disorders such as thyrotoxicosis and Diabetes. Causes of diarrhea or diarrheal diseases result in the irritation of the mucous membrane of the large or small intestine. This irritation, in turn, results in an excessively large amount of water in the stools of the individual resulting in liquid feces or liquid stools. This is because the gut that is now irritated tends to become very active and contracts excessively and in an irregular manner. This may also be accompanied by cold sweats, vomiting, nausea and in some extreme cases blood in the stools. Regular diarrhea and stomach cramps may also be observed in those individuals who consume antibiotics. And the diarrhea or the bacterial enterocolitis may also continue after the course has been completed. In such cases, diarrhea is caused because the antibiotic medication tends to alter the environment of the intestinal bacteria. This is not considered to be an allergic reaction and in some extremely rare cases it may also require medical attention. Some of the diarrhea symptoms or bacterial enterocolitis symptoms include loss of appetite, frequent watery motions, dehydration, stomach pains, nausea, vomiting and so on. Some of the warning signs that may require immediate treatment for diarrhea include pus or blood in the stools, inability to consume any liquids because of constant vomiting, excessive drowsiness which may be because of dehydration or even intoxication as well as excreting small amounts of dark urine. A bacterial enterocolitis treatment that can be administered at home is to ensure that the individual consumes plenty of fluids during the day. In fact it is advisable that the person consume fluids that contain salts and sugar which may be available as readymade sachets from the pharmacist. One can ascertain if the amount of liquids consumed is sufficient if the urine turns light yellow in color. The diet for diarrhea patient should also include plenty of liquids in the form of soups or foods that are easily digestible and have a high salt content. One should avoid consuming milk for a few days and maintain very good standards of hygiene. One of the most effective home remedies that may be used as a diarrhea treatment is to prepare some carrot soup and consume it often during the day. The carrot soup supplies the diarrhea patient with water to fight against dehydration and also coats the intestine of the individual to prevent any further inflammation. Additionally carrot soup is also helpful in restricting the growth of bacteria and in preventing vomiting as well. Another one of the commonly used home remedies for diarrhea is consuming some ginger as ginger being a carminative tends to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract and thereby promotes good digestion. Rice is an excellent home remedy that is used to treat diarrhea in children. In most cases, diarrhea treatment can be administered at home itself and the diarrhea will clear itself out within a week. In severe cases of diarrhea, one may be required to go on a complete liquid fast for the first 48 hours and then gradually move to fruits juices and cooked vegetable over a period of time. The increase in the hormonal activity during pregnancy is also one of the causes of diarrhea during pregnancy. However diarrhea during pregnancy must be closely monitored as it could lead to dehydration which could result in serious complications for both the mother and the baby. Children, infants, and aged people suffering from diarrhea should be especially careful as they are more prone to get dehydrated very quickly which is a cause for concern. In most cases of chronic diarrhea, diarrhea medicine prescribed by the doctor is usually antibiotics as they help in killing the bacteria or the virus and restricting the growth of further bacterial infections. Diarrhea is mostly observed in individuals where the water that is received by the small intestine from the secretions of the stomach, intestines, pancreas and liver or from the diet is either in excess or is not absorbed completely. Hence the urge to defecate increases, thereby resulting in watery or liquid stools. Some of the causes of diarrhea in adults are fermentation which is caused because of incomplete digestion of carbohydrates, the excessive intake of laxatives, putrefaction of foods in the intestinal tract or even nervous irritability. Many a times, diarrhea may also be caused in children and adults because of emotional stress or strain. In some cases diarrhea has also been observed in individuals after they have undergone a surgery for the removal of the gallbladder or any abdominal surgery. This occurs because of the changes in the digestion pattern or the increase in the levels of bile in the individual’s colon. Dysentery Dysentery is an inflammation of the intestine and more so of the colon which results in diarrhea with blood and mucus in the feces. This could be accompanies with pain in the abdomen and fever depending on the type of infection in the system. It could be fatal if the person has other health problems, is too weak or old and even in infants. This problem is more predominant in countries with poor health facilities as the chances of infection are more. However, in developed nations there are cases of dysentery with symptoms which are a lot milder. The symptoms show up after a few days of the problem setting in and should be treated during this period. The severity of the problem can be gauged by the number of motions that a person has and the amount of blood and mucus in it. Dysentery is brought on by a viral infection, bacteria or by parasites in the intestines. There are chronic forms of dysentery like amoebiasis which need long term treatment to be eradicated completely from the system. Diagnosis is done with a stool culture which shows up the cause of the dysentery. Dysentery diet If the infection is mild and the stools not too frequent then a light diet of soft well cooked foods can be given. The patient can be given toast and milk, rusks, custard, soft boiled eggs, non creamy biscuits, whey and a lot of fluids in the form of light tea and pure clean water. Vegetables should be added gradually as they can cause a relapse if the stomach and intestines are still tender. Baked mashed potatoes, stewed apples and light soups can also be added to the diet. In infants the diet consists of special non fatty formulae which are readily available off the shelf. Infants suffer with dehydration much faster than adults and care should be taken that this does not happen. If you suspect that your child is showing signs of dehydration consult your pediatrician immediately who may prescribe an intravenous saline/glucose drip. Even in adults it is dehydration which causes the most damage and more so if the person has diabetes or any other chronic ailment. So keeping the patient well hydrated is most important. Dysentery remedies There are some effective home remedies which help to stop the dysentery. The decoction of 2 spoons of Corriandrum Sativum or coriander seeds, should be boiled in water until all the juices have been extracted and taken periodically throughout the day in small quantities; drink a solution of dried raisons and orange peels should be powdered finely in equal quantities and mixed with water; add some bael fruit pulp to buttermilk and make a light smoothie of it. This drink is very effective in binding loose motions even if there is blood present in them. Ginger juice and a fennel seed extract are also binding agents and help relieve the spasms in the stomach. Remedies for dysentery Apart from remedies for dysentery what is most important is prevention of dehydration. The body looses a lot of natural salts and the sugar levels drop when a person gets dehydrated. The symptoms are apart from the cause which is frequent watery stools is exhaustion and fatigue, listlessness, a drop in the blood pressure and an extremely dry mouth. In infants one can recognize the symptoms as the baby might nor have passed urine for several hours and will cry without tears. The best remedy for both adults and infants is frequent small quantities of water with salt and sugar mixed in it. Dehydration can be fatal especially in children and should be taken seriously. Treatment of dysentery If the dysentery does not come under control within a day and the person is passing frequent watery stools it is time to consult your physician. The doctor will prescribe treatment according to what the problem seems to be and will also give symptomatic medication for the loose motions to stop. Other medications will depend on the cause of the infection which will be decided after a clinical examination of the sample of the stool. Food to be taken during dysentery Food given to a patient who is suffering with dysentery should be easy to digest. Spicy food, undercooked food and vegetables and cereals which are difficult to digest should be avoided completely. As the intake is limited the person may feel exhausted so a lot of fluids should be included in the diet. Food during dysentery
Food during dysentery can be discussed with the physician and the instructions followed specifically. The patient should not be starved but should get all the nourishment in an easily digestible form. Small frequent meals are better so that the digestion is not strained any further and the stomach can cope with it. Food during dysentery Food during dysentery while being light should be nourishing, so that the person does not become too weak. There are several ready to have mixed products which are easy to digest and have all the nutrients which are required in them. It is more difficult to cope with an infant’s diet as there is a lot less resistance in a baby than in an adult. Albumin water which is basically the whipped egg white with water is an ideal drink which gives the baby the required proteins and also binds the lose motions. Diet for dysentery Avoid foods which are fried and refined and also those made of refined white flour and sugar, coffee, tea and alcohol during this period. What is truly beneficial is the bael and pomegranate fruit which has a binding effect on loose motions and controls dysentery.
What to eat during dysentery
Once the main cause of the problem has been eliminated it is easy to put the patient back on normal food slowly. Care should be taken not to create a relapse or set back in the condition by overdoing the wrong foods. Never force feed a child after a bout of dysentery and let the adult decide on how much he or she wants to eat as over eating is worse than under feeding in a stomach problem.
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