Acute diarrhea is an efficient defense mechanism of the body. However, this condition is not perceived positively, because diarrhea rarely announces itself and greatly affects the well-being in unfavorable situations. Various remedies help the intestines to recover.
What helps against diarrhea?
A tea made from medicinal plants such as psyllium relieves acute diarrhea. Mild to moderate diarrhea, also called diarrhea, usually heals on its own. In the case of severe and prolonged diarrhea, a doctor should be consulted, especially if additional symptoms such as fever, skin rash or blood accumulation occur. In rare cases, the cause of the diarrhea must be treated with medication. The loss of fluid in the body is particularly problematic in cases of diarrhea lasting several days. Infants, children and the elderly are very quickly put at risk by dehydration. Therefore, hydration is of the utmost importance. Still water as well as tea made from chamomile, fennel, anise and/or caraway are suitable drinks. If the body absorbs the water, broth can also be drunk. In addition to the electrolyte solution, it has the advantage of supplying minerals to the organism. Black tea, which also contains tannins that are good for the intestines, has a stimulating effect. Dietary nutrition helps to restore and regulate intestinal functions regardless of the severity of diarrhea. In principle, it is not necessary to completely abstain from solid food. As far as the patient has appetite, simple carbohydrates can be started. Grated apples, boiled carrots, mashed bananas, rice, boiled and mashed potatoes, rusks, white bread and similar foods are easily digested and at the same time mild. The consumption of fatty and spicy foods has an unfavorable effect. The intestines are unable to break down the substances contained in these foods and immediately expel them from the body. Coffee, alcohol and dairy products also delay healing. Initially, food should be taken carefully in small portions to wait for the intestinal reaction. To relieve cramping pain during bowel movements, heat from the outside helps, for example, with the help of a hot water bottle or a cherry pit cushion. Common painkillers can have a soothing effect. However, their ingredients irritate the stomach lining and may worsen the general condition. A doctor may prescribe antispasmodic medications if the pain is difficult to bear.
Quick help
Diarrhea that is very inconvenient can be stopped very quickly by medications containing the active ingredient loperamide. These drugs slow down the movement of the intestines and prevent the excretion of large amounts of fluid. As a result, the disease symptom diarrhea does not occur. Possible harmful substances, on the other hand, remain in the body, which is why suppressive drugs should only be taken in unavoidable situations or on the advice of a doctor. Medicinal charcoal works differently: it binds mainly bacterial diarrhea pathogens as well as toxins and transports them out of the body. The digestive tract normalizes its movement as a result of the removal of harmful substances. Another healing approach is offered by dry yeast preparations. They are available in powder form as a food supplement or as capsules to support regeneration of the intestinal flora. By stimulating the natural intestinal environment, the yeast cure shortens the duration of the diarrhea. Both concomitant to medication and after surviving the disease, such a cure can promote intestinal health.
Alternative remedies
Alternative remedies for diarrhea are offered by nature in the form of herbal healing aids. Blackberry leaves, dried blueberries, psyllium and lady’s mantle herb are carried by most pharmacies or even stocked at home. A few cups of a tea infusion made from these medicinal plants will relieve diarrhea and at the same time hydrate the body. Specifically against diarrhea, anthroposophic medicine knows other active ingredients such as willow leaves, clove root, birch charcoal and various fern species. These natural active ingredients are available in the form of capsules, tablets or drops. They do not stop the strong intestinal movements that promote the elimination of pathogenic substances. Instead, they harmonize peristalsis to a healthy digestive rhythm. These remedies are also of interest to patients who tend to have liquid stools during stress.Curative or mineral clay absorbs excess water in the gastrointestinal tract and has a detoxifying effect. This group of alternative remedies includes bentonite. The usual dosage is two teaspoons of this mineral clay mixed with a quart of still, filtered water. The mixture is drunk.
