5 Home Remedies for Diarrhea

Diarrhea usually lasts two to four days. It can be treated with medications or with special homemade remedies for diarrhea. Over-the-counter remedies are freely available if you are in a city but homemade remedies for diarrhea proved to be just as effective. Our grandparents always had remedies for a runny stomach.

The most common illness affecting travelers is diarrhea. An estimated 10 million people (up to 50% of international travelers) develop it annually. If you find yourself in this situation it’s important to know how to treat it. In an SHTF situation, you might not have access to medications. Also given the fact that this is the most likely illness you’re going to get it’s important to know some homemade remedies for diarrhea.

Causes of Diarrhea

•    A bacterial infection (most common)
•    Digesting incorrect foods
•    Food allergies
•    Certain medications
•    Abuse of laxatives
•    Diabetes
•    Certain types of cancers
•    Abuse of alcohol
•    Radiation

Symptoms of Diarrhea

•    Nausea
•    Throwing up (vomiting)
•    Stomach cramps
•    Watery stool
•    At times associated with fever
•    Weight loss

Home Remedies for Diarrhea

#1. Potato and carrot soup

This home remedy will fight diarrhea and assist the healing process. Potatoes contain anti-acid properties and assist in binding the stool. Carrots contain pectin and beta carotene which fight the bacteria.

Ingredients:

• 250ml water
• 2-3 potatoes
• 1 carrot
• Pinch of salt

Method: 
Place water on the stove or fire and get it to boiling point. Peel the potatoes and the carrot and cut them into small pieces. Place in water. Stir frequently (every 3 minutes). After 30 minutes remove from stove.  Add salt and enjoy. Use this recipe for two days. Eat 3 portions per day. The starch (potato) will bind your loose stool and the carrot will kill the bacteria.

#2. Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider kills the bacteria which causes you runny stomach.

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

Method
Boil the water. Place one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in water in stir. Drink immediately. DO NOT add sugar. Drink 3 cups per day with each meal. Within two days the bacteria should be killed. Wait an hour and a half after taking the mixture, and then have some yogurt to place good bacteria in your system.

#3. Guava tea

Guavas are rich in vitamin C, as much as 5 times more than oranges. Also full of iron, calcium, and carotenoids.  It has been said that guava leaf extract kills diarrhea bacteria, e.g. salmonella.

Ingredients:

• 12 sheets (20-40g) of guava leaves
• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon Honey
• Pinch Salt

Method:
Wash the guava leaves and grind them into fine pieces. Boil the water and salt for 15 minutes. Add guava leaves for 10 minutes. Filter water through cloth or sieve. Add honey and drink

Drink thrice daily for 3 days. The stomach stool should become stable and the bacteria killed.

#4. Flour

Flour is rich in pectin, a binding substance that will assist in binding your watery stool.

Ingredients:

• 8-12 oz water
• 5-6 tablespoons of flour

Method
Add the flour to the water and stir until the mixture is smooth. Drink ½ and see if the runny tummy stops. If not, drink the whole mixture. Do this once daily until your stool binds

#5. Black Pepper

It has long been recognized as a herb that helps prevent the formation of intestinal gas. It has strong anti-bacterial properties and prevents bad bacteria from forming and help expels diarrhea bacteria.

Ingredients:

• 10 oz water
• Ground black pepper (1 teaspoon)

Method
Boil the water and let it cool down. Add the ground black pepper and stir. Drink the whole mixture. Repeat twice a day for two days. This will stop the cramps and the stool will become normal again.

The 6^th (bonus) remedy for diarrhea is probably the most effective. You can treat yourself almost immediately with charcoal. It’s very easy and it’s also used to treat stomach pain, excess gas, indigestion, poisoning, or drug overdose. To treat diarrhea take 0.0005 pounds for every pound you weigh. Activated charcoal is also used as a medical treatment. “Activated charcoal” is pretty similar to homemade charcoal, but is made especially to be used as a medicine. Do not administer to children and do not take charcoal if you are pregnant or have a liver, kidney, or a very serious disease.

Of course, there are other homemade remedies for diarrhea but if you know these 6, it will be enough to treat yourself. These remedies for diarrhea work even better if you pay close attention to what you eat the rest of the day.

Foods to Avoid

Avoid eating the following foods whilst having diarrhea:

• All fat foods. Avoid greasy, creamy, and rich gravies. It will only enhance the symptoms;
• Dairy products. Diarrhea stops the formation of the enzyme lactose. So avoid foods containing lactose such as cheese, ice cream, and butter;
• Sugar-free foods. These contribute to gas and that bloating feeling. Avoid artificial sweeteners, any diet soda, or sugar-free foods;
• Avoid food that has gas producing properties like onions, beans, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage;
• Avoid consuming alcohol and caffeine; these will stop the remedies for diarrhea to take proper effect;
• Always wash your hands before preparing any food;
• Try to boil all foods to ensure killing all the bacteria;
• Freeze leftovers immediately;

Safe Foods

Safe foods will fall under the acronym BRAT. Safe foods will help the remedies for diarrhea to fight the disease.

• B – Bananas
• R – Rice
• A – Apple sauce
• T – Toast

Bananas are rich in pectin and inulin. Pectin will assist in decent stool creation and inulin will assist in the growth of beneficial bacteria which also help the remedies for diarrhea to take faster effect.

Rice is low in fiber and will assist in the easing of cramps and nausea. Eat white rice cooked plain with no butter (remember, butter is a dairy product!)

Apple sauce. Apples contain pectin. The high fiber in raw apples, however, makes them unsuitable for raw digestion.  Cooking them makes them easier to digest.

White bread toast (toasted darker the better) contains grain and is beneficial in stopping cramps and normal stool movement. It acts as a sponge for watery stool.

Other safe foods would be yogurt, essential in creating good bacteria for your system and expelling bad bacteria. Steamed chicken is a source of easy protein during this period. Your body needs nutrients.

Always keep yourself hydrated by drinking 8-ounce glasses of water between meals. Keep the quantities – you take at a time – small. Sport drinks or honey garlic tea may also be consumed during this period.

Stay Safe

If your symptoms don’t improve after 2 days or if you keep on vomiting, consult your medical practitioner immediately. If you still have a fever after 24 hours, consult your medical practitioner as well. Not all diarrheas are easy to treat. Keep in mind that harmful types of E. coli or Cholera have similar symptoms.

The above homemade remedies for diarrhea helped our ancestors, so they should help you too. Watch what you eat. Always wash your hands and clean the surfaces you prepare food on.

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