Diarrhea--with its abdominal cramps, runny stool and runs to the toilet--can become serious if it dehydrates the sufferer, especially with children and elderly people. It can be caused by infection, parasites or a poor diet. If it's part of irritable bowel syndrome, it may alternate with bouts of constipation. By balancing your diet with enough fiber, diarrhea can be stopped with roughage that absorbs extra water in the stool. The resulting semi-solid bulky stool can help cleanse the intestinal walls of infected material. Choosing the right foods provides necessary fiber to help stop diarrhea.
Plant-Based Food
Plant-based foods, rather than animal-based foods, provide fiber that won't dissolve with digestion. The fiber absorbs the extra water in diarrhea. The Nexium Research website says whole-grain bread products and cereals, as well as vegetables and edible peel fruits, provide insoluble fiber.
Oatmeal, Legumes and Fruits
Oatmeal, legumes and fruits including apples and oranges provide soluble fiber to your diet to help stop diarrhea. According to the Nexium Research website, soluble fiber helps digested foods form gel-like material in the large intestines which, when combined with insoluble fiber, bulk up into healthy stool masses.
Fresh Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts, Whole Grains
Gradual addition of fiber-rich foods can be added to your diet to help stop diarrhea, according to the G. I. Care website. Converting too quickly from a low-fiber diet can cause further cramping and diarrhea. Enough dietary fiber for colon health can be found in the dietary guidelines of the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Pyramid website, which includes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and nuts.
