Five home remedies that help with diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is unpleasant and can become painful if it persists. Find out which home remedies may help relieve the symptoms.
Definition: what is diarrhoea?
Your stomach feels unsettled and starts to rumble – and suddenly you can’t get to the toilet fast enough. This is diarrhoea. Diarrhoea isn’t an illness in itself, but a symptom that something is wrong in the body.
It is usually caused by a problem in the gastrointestinal tract, such as bacterial food poisoning or a viral infection. The good news is that although diarrhoea is unpleasant, it usually clears up on its own within a few hours or days.
Home remedies for diarrhoea: What helps?
The following five home remedies can help your body recover from diarrhoea:
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Diarrhoea causes the body to lose a lot of fluid, which can leave you feeling weak and tired. It is therefore important to replace lost fluids by drinking two to three litres a day. Still water and tea are the best options.
To help restore your electrolyte balance, try lightly sweetened tea or water with a pinch of salt. Black tea (for adults only), fennel tea, chamomile tea, peppermint tea, blueberry tea or caraway tea have proven effective for relieving diarrhoea.
Important: Avoid fizzy and highly sugary drinks, as they can further irritate the stomach. This includes cola, which is often recommended for diarrhoea by non-experts.
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Rusks are a classic home remedy for diarrhoea. Eaten plain, they are easy to digest, while the starch they contain can help firm up stools. They also have a long shelf life, making them a useful item to keep in the cupboard for emergencies. If you don’t like rusks, try dry white bread instead.
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Apples contain pectin, a type of dietary fibre that binds liquid and acts as a bulking agent. Bulking agents support the gut flora and intestinal lining and can help firm up stools.
As most of the pectin is found in the skin, don’t peel the apple. It’s best to grate the apples, skin and all, into a pulp, leave to stand for 15 minutes and eat small portions several times a day.
Bananas also contain pectin and can help firm up stools. They are also rich in potassium, which helps regulate fluid levels in the cells. Because potassium is lost during diarrhoea, replenishing it can be beneficial. If you like, the apple and banana can be mixed together.
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Our grandmothers knew that warm soup could help when you have diarrhoea. This comforting dish helps replenish fluids and minerals. It’s best to use carrots and potatoes.
Like apples and bananas, carrots contain pectin, which binds excess fluid in the bowel. Cooking and puréeing carrots also produces complex carbohydrates that can bind bacteria and germs. These are then excreted, helping to cleanse the bowel naturally.
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Rice can also soothe the digestive tract when you have diarrhoea. Cooking rice produces mucilage, which helps protect and soothe the intestinal lining.
Cook white rice for a long time in salted water, then eat it on its own or with carrots. Important: Avoid cabbage and pulses, as they can cause bloating.
Diced potatoes boiled in salted water or served as mash are also gentle on the digestive system. Potatoes provide potassium and, like rice, are easy to digest.
Jemima Hegermann, Medgate team doctor and medical supervisor: “Medically speaking, diarrhoea is defined as having more than three loose or watery bowel movements a day. Medicines that suppress symptoms should be avoided, because diarrhoea serves an important purpose: it helps rid the body of bacteria and viruses. If you’re suffering from severe Diarrhoea or are travelling, over-the-counter medicines from a pharmacy can provide rapid relief. However, they should only be used in emergencies. Particular caution is needed with young children: Do not give them anti-diarrhoeal medicines, as they can quickly become dehydrated. Always consult a doctor.”
