There are many different causes of diarrhea, ranging from radiation to bacteria. A bout of diarrhea can last anything from a few hours to several weeks. The biggest issue with diarrhea is that it can lead to dehydration, which is why everyone should be aware of the guidelines on specific foods to stop diarrhea.
When to Speak to a Medical Professional:
You should seek medical attention if:
- Your diarrhea comes with severe pain or if you notice blood in your stools.
- You take medication and it has as a dangerous side effect.
- You have a known serious health problem.
Guidelines on Specific Foods to Stop Diarrhea:
The key to treating diarrhea is to stay hydrated. To achieve this, you should:
- Drink lots of clear drinks, such as electrolyte replacements, sports drinks, ginger ale, and water.
- Make your own electrolyte replacement drink by adding three tablespoons of orange juice concentrate, eight teaspoons of sugar, and a quarter teaspoon of salt to four cups of water.
- Drink carbonated drinks that have gone flat.
The above steps will help replenish any fluids you have lost. If you are health, you should drink at least eight cups per day. If you have diarrhea, you should drink far more. You should also try to eat six times a day, choosing small meals, rather than eating three large ones daily. Additionally, you must think carefully about what you eat and drink. Consider the following guidelines on specific foods to stop diarrhea:
- Very hot or very cold foods make diarrhea worse.
- Your diarrhea can be set off by certain foods.
- Avoid high fat, spicy, caffeinated, high fiber foods.
- Choose low fiber grains, puffed rice cereal, white rice, applesauce, and bananas instead.
There are different food groups, each of which has things to avoid and things to choose, specifically, in terms of:
- Grains. You should avoid whole gain foods like brown rice, whole grain crackers, cereals, pastas, and bread, and avoid high fiber grains. Instead, have white rice, bread, pasta, and crackers.
- Fruits. You should avoid anything raw with skin still on, dried fruits, canned in heavy syrup fruits, and pulp juices such as prune or apple. Instead, you should have soft fruits like applesauce, melons, and bananas, 100% pure juice without pulp, and soft, canned in own juice, fruits.
- Vegetables. Avoid raw vegetables with the skin on, vegetables with seeds, and any vegetables that increase bloating, such as peas, beans, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, dark leafy greens, and corn. Instead, choose soft, seedless, skin-off vegetables and cook them first. Lettuce is good, as is skinless mashed potato, and strained vegetable juice.
- Dairy. Avoid anything full fat. Choose instead for low fat or, if you can, lactose free. Try, if you must have dairy, to have dairy products with probiotics.
- Proteins. Avoid anything spicy and high in fat. Choose lean, bland meat and fish instead.
- Beverages. Avoid anything with caffeine and fizz. Instead, carbonated drinks that have gone flat and caffeine-free drinks are good.
