Diarrhea is frequent, loose stool that typically lasts just a couple of days. If you have diarrhea, drinking additional fluids can help prevent dehydration, which can be dangerous, and managing your diet might make you more comfortable or help you recover more quickly. If your diarrhea persists for more than just a few days, or is accompanied by fever, dehydration, severe pain or blood or pus in the stool, call your doctor.
During Symptoms
Most of the time, diarrhea requires no treatment but it's a good idea to avoid certain foods than can worsen your symptoms. These include caffeinated beverages like tea or coffee, alcohol, high fiber foods, high fat foods, spicy foods and sweets. Instead, concentrate on getting plenty of fluids into your system. You should drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration, which in severe cases can cause organ damage, shock and even coma. Diarrhea and dehydration can also throw off your balance of electrolytes, which are minerals like salt and potassium that help your body keep an optimum chemical balance for good health. You should replace lost electrolytes by drinking clear liquids that contain them, such as fruit juices, sports drinks, broth and caffeine-free sodas. Eating gelatin can also help replace electrolytes. Avoid apple and pear juice because they can worsen diarrhea.
When Symptoms Ease
When the worst of your diarrhea is over and you're ready for solid foods, you can gradually add bland, low-fiber foods to your diet to help your recovery. These include bananas, plain rice or boiled potatoes, toast, carrots, eggs, cooked carrots and baked chicken with the skin and fat removed.
Dairy Issues
Some people find that dairy foods aggravate their diarrhea or that they have trouble digesting dairy foods after they've had diarrhea. This is because the body may temporarily lose its ability to break down the milk sugar lactose. You may want to try eating yogurt, which contains less lactose and may be easier to digest. Look for yogurt that contains live active bacterial cultures, as these friendly bacteria are the same strains that normally live in your gut and help digest your food; they might help ease your symptoms more quickly. Other sources of these friendly bacteria that might be helpful include cheese, miso and tempeh.
Children's Issues
You should give babies with diarrhea breast milk or regular formula and give older children a bland diet until symptoms ease and they can resume a normal diet. Children are more susceptible than adults to dehydration, so you need to make sure they are getting plenty of fluids. Most of the time, any fluids they normally drink should be sufficient, although fruit juices can sometimes worsen diarrhea in children. Popsicles and gelatin are good ways to get clear fluids into your child at a slow rate that may be easier for him to tolerate. You can also purchase over-the-counter oral rehydration solutions at most supermarkets and pharmacies, which will replace electrolytes and fluids. Do not give these solutions to infants unless you have talked to your doctor first. Starchy foods along with fresh fruits and vegetables may also help return stools to normal.
