The Right Way to Overcome Diarrhea at Home

In general, diarrhea is caused by ingestion of food contaminated with germs, dirt, or toxins. However, diarrhea can also be caused by other things, such as excessive alcohol consumption or drug side effects. Usually, someone who suffers from diarrhea can defecate 3 or more times a day.

Normally, diarrhea can improve within 2-3 days and does not require any particular medical treatment. One of the steps that can be taken to speed up the healing process is to treat diarrhea at home.

Various Ways to Overcome Diarrhea

To relieve the symptoms, here are some ways to deal with diarrhea at home that you can do:

1. Increase fluid intake

The first way to deal with diarrhea is to increase the intake of body fluids. As previously mentioned, when you have diarrhea, your body loses a lot of fluids and minerals, which can lead to dehydration.

Therefore, you are advised to meet your fluid needs by drinking 2-3 liters of water (about 8-12 medium-sized glasses) per day. In addition to water, fluid intake can also be obtained from other foods and drinks for diarrhea, such as soups, broths, and fruit juices.

Meanwhile, to restore salt and minerals, you can consume drinks with electrolyte content, such as ORS or energy drinks.

2. Eating the right foods

During diarrhea, you are advised to eat low-fiber foods that are minimally processed and without a lot of seasoning. Examples are rice, potatoes, bread, and biscuits. In addition, you are also recommended to eat foods with probiotic content, such as yogurt, which is good for gut health.

3. Adjusting the diet

Eating too much at one time can force the muscles of the digestive tract to work more actively, making diarrhea worse. Therefore, you are advised to eat in small portions but more often.

Divide the 3 main meals a day into smaller portions for 5–6 meals. This method can relieve the workload of the intestines during diarrhea.

4. Avoid serving foods that can aggravate diarrhea

During diarrhea, avoid foods that can mimic or aggravate diarrhea. Examples are fried (oily), fatty, spicy, or undercooked foods. In addition, certain types of fruit and vegetables that cause gas, such as cabbage and beans, can also make diarrhea worse.

You are also advised to avoid caffeinated drinks (coffee, tea, soda) and alcoholic beverages. This is because these types of drinks can trigger urine production, thus making you more easily dehydrated. In people with lactose intolerance, milk consumption should also be limited because it will aggravate diarrhea.

That's how to deal with diarrhea that you can practice at home. However, if after doing so diarrhea does not improve within 48 hours and is accompanied by a high fever, you should immediately consult a doctor to get the right treatment.