Health News

Diarrhea treatment: hydration, nutrition and lifestyle

In addition to knowing what to eat and drink when you are dealing with gastrointestinal misfortunes, it is also important to be aware of other daily habits to help you cope with diarrhea. Certain lifestyle measures can also offer a certain relief. “Simple daily habits can greatly prevent diarrhea and improve your overall health,” said Andrew Moore, MD, gastroenterologist at Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital in Chicago.

Do

Wash your hands. Diarrhea can sometimes be transmitted by contact from person to person or from contaminated surfaces, explains Catherine NGO, MD, gastroenterologist in Hoag, a health system in Aliso Viejo, California. “For this reason, it is important to wash your hands after using the toilet, before sitting up to a meal, or after touching the common areas that could have been contaminated by a sick person,” she said.

Hand washing can reduce diarrhea episodes by around 30%, according to centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Here’s how to wash properly:

  • Wet your hands
  • Apply soap
  • Rub your hands together for at least 20 seconds, making sure you include the back of your hands, between your fingers and under your nails
  • Rinse with clean and running water
  • Dry completely
A disinfectant for alcohol -based hands containing at least 60% alcohol can also work.

Consider medication. Over-the-counter medicine (OTC) containing bismuth subsalicylate (such as pepto-bismol or kaopectate) can help reduce intestinal inflammation and kill organisms causing diarrhea.

(Note that bismuth products can cause dark or black stools that look like blood.) In serious cases, a doctor can also prescribe an antibiotic to help clean the infection, says the NGO.

Consider prebiotics and probiotics. Infectious diarrhea can wreak havoc on your intestinal microbiome (the community of billions of microorganisms, including bacteria, living in your digestive tract). “”Diarrhea essentially erases your normal intestinal flora, ”explains Shah.

Prebiotics and probiotics can increase the number of good bacteria, helping to restore balance. Prebiotics are a type of fiber that feeds probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that can facilitate recovery.

Although you can get prebiotic and probiotic supplements, Shah says it is best to get them food. If you are interested in a supplement, talk to your doctor first.

Foods rich in prebiotics include:

  • Garlic
  • Onions
  • Banana
  • Jerusalem artichokes
  • Soy
Foods rich in probiotics include:

  • Pickles
  • Kimchi
  • Kombucha
  • Sauerkraut
  • Yogurt
Wipe gently to relieve the pain. Wash gently with water and unfo -fucking soap after a saddle can help reduce pain, says Moore. “You can also consider using a barrier cream such as zinc oxide [such as Gold Bond Medicated Baby Powder or Calmoseptine] To help irritation, ”he says.

Sits in lukewarm water can also relieve pain.

Don’t do it

Use antidiarrheans without speaking to a doctor. Although the loperamide (iModium), another antidiarrhean drug in OTC, is sometimes recommended, Ganjhu advises. This is anti-emotility, which means that it prevents your gastrointestinal tract from moving. Although it can slow down diarrhea, it is better to go out, “she says.” It’s your body to get rid of all toxins. “”

Antidiarrheans can also have side effects such as:

  • Constipation
  • Bloating
  • Dizziness
  • Drowsiness
  • Allergic reaction
  • Stomach pain
  • Difficulty urinating

These drugs can be appropriate, however, if diarrhea causes significant dehydration, says the NGO. Ask your doctor before trying them.

Do the exercise vigorously. Intense exercise has the potential to cause dehydration, says Ganjhu.

It is wise to avoid it until your diarrhea disappears, advises Ganjhu, who says to wait until you are completely recovered to return to the gymnasium.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button