Everything you eat or drink seems to zip through your system at breakneck speed when you have diarrhea. The first symptom is often an urgent need to get to a bathroom quickly. Then you end up making several return trips before the day ends. As if that were not enough, you may also have bloating, stomach pain, cramps, loose, or watery stools, nausea, and perhaps even fever.
Effects of Diarrhea in the Body
The average adult has about four bouts of diarrhea every year. It usually lasts a couple of days and then goes away on its own. If your diarrhea lasts longer or if you have frequent bouts, it could be a sign of another problem.
Diarrhea can cause dehydration because your body loses body fluids very quickly. And because food passes through your intestines so fast, your bloodstream does not have time to absorb vitamins and minerals.
Cure and Prevention of Diarrhea
- If your diarrhea lasts more than 48 hours, see a doctor to avoid complications from dehydration. For ordinary diarrhea, good nutrition and wellness habits can help you recover quickly and easily.
- To help keep your intestines running smoothly, work pectin-rich apples, bananas, and strawberries into your diet. While diarrhea is a common symptom of irritable bowel syndrome, if you experience persistent cramping, bloody stool accompanied by a low-grade fever, see your doctor to rule out a more serious condition.
- Do not forget to keep drinking lots of cool, refreshing water to ease your recovery and avoid dehydration. And continue to add in the occasional clear caffeine-free soda, clear broth, herbal tea, or other gentle re-hydrating drinks with electrolytes. That will help for sure.
- The BRAT diet is often recommended to ease your transition back onto solid food. This combination of bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast is rich in fiber and nutrition but gentle and bland enough to pass through a weakened digestive tract without stirring it up.
- After things have returned to normal, eat soft, bland foods, such as cooked cereal, rice, eggs, custard, bananas, yogurt, soda crackers, toast, skinless baked potatoes, or chicken for a while longer.
- For several days after experiencing diarrhea, stay away from fruit; alcohol; caffeine; milk; gassy foods like beans, cabbage and onions; and spicy, greasy, or fatty foods.
Diarrhea can be truly disturbing. It is best to observe proper nutrition and intake of necessary vitamins and minerals in order to keep your digestive track right on track!