With causes ranging from bacterial infections to food allergies, diarrhea's many inconveniences include stomach cramps, constant trips to the bathroom, dehydration and runny stools. Some practitioners feel that because diarrhea is nature's way of detoxifying itself, simply enduring it and staying hydrated remains the best course of action. But several home remedies for this common malady exist and may help speed up the detox process for constant diarrhea. See your doctor if diarrhea is severe or lasts more than a day.
Bilberry Tea
The tannins found in bilberry leaves and fruit may help reduce the mucous activity of troubled intestines, while its pectin content soothes and tones intestines and the high fiber adds solidity to the stools, notes the home remedy website Grannymed.com Look for bilberry leaf tea at the health food store, and drink one to two cups during the day. The University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, reports that blackberry leaf or raspberry leaf tea work in similar ways to ease the symptoms of diarrhea.
Agrimony Tea
Like bilberries, the flowering herb agrimony comes packed with tannins to reduce internal inflammation. It also contains some antibacterial properties, making it doubly useful in the case of stomach bugs. The use of agrimony to treat diarrhea goes back to ancient Greece, according to Grannymed.com. Purchase agrimony tea at the health food store, or dry your own and use 1 to 2 tbsp. of the herb to make tea. Drink agrimony tea up to three times a day during diarrhea bouts.
Brown Rice or Barley Water
This old-time home remedy helps control dehydration and restore electrolyte balance, two common problems of diarrhea, notes UMMC. To make barley or brown rice water, steep 1 cup of the grain in 1 quart boiling water for 20 minutes. Strain and drink the milky liquid throughout the day. Freshly juiced celery and carrot juices and clear broths provide similar benefits.
Probiotics
Probiotic foods or supplements seem to restore the optimum balance of intestinal bacteria upset by diarrhea-causing stomach bugs, suggests UMMC. Look for yogurt or probiotic supplements containing acidophilus, Lactobacillus GG or bifidobacteria. Other food sources for probiotics include sauerkraut, miso soup, tempeh and kefir.
BRAT Diet
Doctors often recommend the so-called BRAT diet for diarrhea because these foods are well-tolerated by cranky stomachs and provide fiber and nutrition. The acronym stands for bananas, rice, apples and toast. Natural remedies author Barbara Griggs recommends making the food even gentler for children by pureeing grated raw apples with a small amount of water and lemon juice, or mashing the bananas with yogurt. Accompany the BRAT diet with water or clear broths as well as gelatin desserts, if desired.
Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea provides relief for mild intestinal inflammation and is gentle enough to give to even young children, notes Griggs. Additionally, soak clean cloths in warm chamomile tea as compresses to sooth stomach cramps in diarrhea-plagued children or adults.
