When diarrhoea strikes, drink plenty of clear liquid (including rehydration fluids) to replace the lost water and the salts essential for retaining water in the body. Here are the other things that you need to know if you’re suffering from diarrhoea.
First Aid
- Sip non-carbonated mineral water or black tea flavoured with sugar and a pinch of salt.
- Buy a pack of special glucose-electrolyte mixtures (from a pharmacy) to offset salt loss. These solutions are especially important for children, pregnant women and older people for whom major fluid loss is particularly dangerous.
- Make up a quick and inexpensive electrolyte solution by mixing 500ml non-carbonated mineral water with 7 teaspoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of table salt and 500 orange juices or fruit tea (to provide potassium and flavouring). Drink throughout the day.
- Drink at least 1 cup (250ml) of tea three times a day. Teas from catnip or raspberry leaves contain tannins that have a soothing effect on the intestines.
Home Remedies
If diarrhoea persists for a day or two, it’s important to restore a healthy balance in the intestinal flora. There are plenty of longstanding home remedies available for this purpose.
- Take 1 teaspoon of slippery elm powder daily. It soothes the inflamed lining of the digestive tract.
- Eat yogurt, which contains good bacteria, to combat any harmful bacteria that may have caused diarrhoea in the first place. Replacing harmful bacteria with good ones can help you feel better faster. Look for yogurt that contains live bacterial cultures or probiotics. It must be a product with billions of bacteria in it, as you will need this many to colonise your intestine effectively.
- Eat 1-2 teaspoons of dried blueberries, as it is a time-honoured Swedish cure for diarrhoea. The berries act as astringent, contracting tissue, reducing inflammation in the intestine and ultimately slowing diarrhoea.
- Consume dark chocolate, which contains a high percentage of cocoa and flavonoids that ease diarrhoea.
- Apply a little heat. Heat clams the intestine and make you feel better. A hot-water bottle or a warmed wheat bags should do the trick.
- Boil two handfuls of fresh calendula flowers in water, strain, place the flowers into a cloth bag and put it on your stomach while warm. Test it with a fingertip first to make sure that it’s not too hot.
- Calm your nerves. Nervous diarrhoea can be treated with an aromatherapy massage. Mix 3-4 drops of chamomile, sandalwood, juniper or lavender oil with 2 teaspoons of almond oil and massage your lower abdomen in a circle.
When to Consult a Doctor
Infants and small children with diarrhoea should see a doctor right away. Adults should seek medical treatment if the diarrhoea continues for more than 3 days.
If your diarrhoea persists, consult one of Australia’s most trusted medical doctors.