Natural and Home Remedies For Your Upset Stomach and Diarrhea
Nothing can be more upsetting than having stomach pain and diarrhea that can put your mood down and will make you avoid your favorite spicy foods. There may be several reasons that are responsible for causing stomach upset and diarrhea and when you notice the symptoms of diarrhea and stomach upset, you should not leave them untreated, because these conditions can lead to adversities of digestive and overall health, if not brought under professional care. There are certain remedies to stomach upset and diarrhea that should be thoroughly discussed.
What Is Stomach Upset?
An upset condition of the stomach is a general term that is characterized by uneasiness or pain that generally appears in the upper part of the abdomen. Stomach upset occurs when your meal is not digested properly and this indigestion causes abdominal discomfort, along with nausea, bloating gas in the upper part of the stomach, and frequent burping. Stomach upset can be treated by several easy remedies, and they should be applied immediately after you feel the following symptoms:
- Heartburn or sensation of burning
- Cramps in the abdomen
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Headache, body aches along with stomach pain
- Abdominal discomfort
- Loss of appetite
What Is Diarrhea?
Conditions of stomach upset generally lead to another disease known as diarrhea, which causes the frequent discharge of loose, watery stool, along with cramps in your stomach, sudden urges to excrete stool that occur very frequently, nausea, and bloating. In the acute conditions of diarrhea, you might notice some traces of blood and mucus coming out of your stool. If you notice so, immediately apply the remedies of diarrhea or consult a registered medical practitioner.
Causes Of Stomach Upset And Diarrhea:
There may be several causes behind the upsetting of the stomach, some of which can be sudden alteration in the pattern of your diet, excessive smoking and high consumption of alcohol, and indigestion of oily and spicy foods. In fact, indigestion, acidity, and food poisoning are thought to be the major causes of stomach discomfort and diarrhea. Stomach upset, and conditions of abdominal pain increase the chances of developing diarrhea, a condition of fluid loss through frequent stool and it reportedly drains away from the minerals and electrolytes from your body. If such conditions occur repeatedly, then it is an indication of an underlying or hidden digestive disorder. If stomach discomfort and diarrhea continue to occur frequently you should positively seek medical help from a registered practitioner. According to several experts, there are some major causes that may be considered responsible for stomach upset, pain, abdominal discomfort, and diarrhea. Some such causes are listed below:
- Stomach flu
- Indigestion and food poisoning
- Allergies in some food substances
- Premenstrual syndrome
- Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS that disrupts the proper functioning of the digestive system
- Diverticulitis
- Lactose intolerance- some people have difficulties to digest the milk lactose in milk and dairy products that finally causes indigestion, stomach bloating, and diarrhea
- Cystic fibrosis
- Irregular bowel movement
- Intestinal obstruction
- Colitis
- Appendicitis
- West Nile virus
- Infections in the stomach caused by several species of parasites such as giardia, amoeba, ringworm, tapeworm, or hookworm
- Bacterial infection, like shigellosis or E. coli
- Excessive smoking or alcohol consumption
- Allergies or side effects of drugs or several classes of medications
- Crohn’s disease and celiac disease
- Some forms of cancer like colo- rectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cirrhosis, or stomach ulcer
- Stress disorders and excessive anxiety
Some other causes of stomach upset and diarrhea:
Apart from the above-mentioned causes, there are still some reasons that may cause upset stomach followed by stomach infections and diarrhea. These abdominal infections or diseases affect some organs in the abdomen such as kidneys, gall bladder, appendix, small and large intestines along with colon, spleen, liver, and pancreas and thus affects the overall digestive system, causing further inflammations in several portions of the digestive tract and leading to malfunctioning of the intestines and the digestive system. This indigestion of food particles and abnormal functioning of the gastrointestinal system causes pain, cramps, bloating, and discomfort in the abdomen along with diarrhea.
Remedies Of Stomach Upset:
There are several types of remedies to treat stomach upset and they must be followed accordingly. If these remedies are not enough to treat the discomfort of the stomach, it is highly recommended to consult your health care expert and switch to medications. Some home remedies to treat stomach upset are as follows:
1. Chamomile tea:
Chamomile tea contains essential plant components and health extracts that are significantly known to ease stomach upset and stomach discomfort. Moreover, chamomile tea consists of anti-inflammatory properties that help in the relaxation of the muscles in the lining of your stomach and thus reduce stomach pain.
2. Peppermint:
Peppermint is considered one of the best solutions for stomach discomfort, nausea, and diarrhea. The leaves of peppermint consist of a flavor of menthol that acts as a natural analgesic, or pain reliever and therefore helps to ease abdominal pain. You can try having peppermint in the form of peppermint tea, chewing some peppermint leaves, or sucking a peppermint candy to reduce feelings of nausea and stomach upset.
3. Apple cider vinegar:
To reduce the discomfort and the upsetting condition of the stomach, doctors often prescribe apple cider vinegar to neutralize the upset of the stomach. One can have it either raw or can dilute it with a cup of water and a teaspoon of honey. Apple cider vinegar contains high acidic properties that significantly help to lower the starch digestion and to keep the easy movement of the gut and also cares about the optimum amount and health of the gut bacteria.
4. Ginger:
Recent studies now suggest that ginger is an essential health component with anti-inflammatory properties that are effective enough for relieving stomach upset.
Other Remedies to treat stomach upset:
Ailments related to the abdomen like stomach upset, pain or cramps in the abdomen, or discomfort in the stomach can be easily treated at home using home remedies.
- In case of any sickness, it is very usual that the body becomes dehydrated and your urine becomes dark yellow in color. So it is very important to remain hydrated and to keep your urine clear to pale yellowish in color. Try to have plenty of water, clear liquids, such as soups, juice, and broth. Avoid caffeine and alcohol or any kind of junk foods.
- When having a discomfort in stomach, strictly avoid spicy, oily, and fried foods. Switch to mild and low fiber foods like rice, boiled eggs, pulses, soups, plain toasts, and light fish curry that will help to reduce the frequency of bowel movements. You can also try natural probiotics like curd or yogurt or probiotic supplements to treat your digestive system.
Remedies To Treat Diarrhea:
Though symptoms of diarrhea and frequent watery stool, commonly known as ‘loose motion’ goes away after a few days, these symptoms can dehydrate your body to a great extent and make you sicker. So, here are some remedial tips that will be helpful enough to treat the symptoms of diarrhea:
Antibiotics
Antibiotics are very much helpful to heal loose motion and treat the symptoms of diarrhea. Antibiotics help to prevent the growth and function of bacteria or parasites that are responsible for causing diarrhea, but they will not be applicable in the case of viruses. In case of acute diarrhea try to consult your health care expert for the use of better medications that will help in faster recovery, without any side effects.
Electrolytes
In case of loose motion and diarrhea, there are high chances of your body getting dehydrated and thus your body might lose the electrolytic balance in some serious conditions also. This condition can be treated by drinking plenty of water along with electrolytes and ORS (Oral Rehydration Solution) that will help to replenish the water lost by stool.
Treatment to Replace Fluids
When you have diarrhea, whatever you have goes out of your body in the form of watery stool. Doctors often advise to have heavy amounts of fluid and watery substances during diarrhea, some also find difficulties in keeping the liquid down, because this can cause nausea and they might vomit out the water. In that case, doctors will prescribe medications that will effectively help to replace the fluids and replenish the essential minerals and salts in your body.
When you have diarrhea or stomach discomfort, avoid having the following foods:
- Alcohol, tobacco, or drugs
- Coffee or any type of caffeinated beverage
- Fatty, oily, or spicy foods, especially junk foods
- Non-cultured dairy products (i.e. milk, cheese, ice cream)
- Raw vegetables
- Whole grains that are high in fiber content
Other remedies to symptoms of preventing diarrhea:
- Regularly wash your hands with soap and water in proper methods after using the bathroom and before having any meal
- Do not share your utensils with others and wash them properly after use
- Wash the fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish after bringing them from the market and before cooking.