Diarrhea is the passage of loose or watery stool. For some, diarrhea is mild and will go away within a few days. For others, it may last longer. It can make you lose too much fluid (dehydrated) and feel weak. It can also lead to unhealthy weight loss. Show The stomach flu is a common cause of diarrhea. Medical treatments, such as antibiotics and some cancer treatments can also cause diarrhea. These things may help you feel better if you have diarrhea:
Ask your health care provider if you should take a multivitamin or drink sports drinks to boost your nutrition. Also ask about taking a fiber supplement, such as Metamucil, to add bulk to your stools. Your provider may also recommend a special medicine for diarrhea. Take this medicine as you have been told to take it. You can bake or broil beef, pork, chicken, fish, or turkey. Cooked eggs are also OK. Use low-fat milk, cheese, or yogurt. If you have very severe diarrhea, you may need to stop eating or drinking dairy products for a few days. Eat bread products made from refined, white flour. Pasta, white rice, and cereals such as cream of wheat, farina, oatmeal, and cornflakes are OK. You may also try pancakes and waffles made with white flour, and cornbread. But don't add too much honey or syrup. You should eat vegetables, including carrots, green beans, mushrooms, beets, asparagus tips, acorn squash, and peeled zucchini. Cook them first. Baked potatoes are OK. In general, removing seeds and skins is best. You can include desserts and snacks such as fruit-flavored gelatin, fruit-flavored ice pops, cakes, cookies, or sherbet. You should avoid certain kinds of foods when you have diarrhea, including fried foods and greasy foods. Avoid fruits and vegetables that can cause gas, such as broccoli, peppers, beans, peas, berries, prunes, chickpeas, green leafy vegetables, and corn. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated drinks. Limit or cut out milk and other dairy products if they are making your diarrhea worse or causing gas and bloating. Contact your provider if you have:
Diarrhea - self-care; Diarrhea - gastroenteritis Bartelt LA, Guerrant RL. Diarrhea with little or no fever. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 98. Schiller LR, Sellin JH. Diarrhea. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 16. Updated by: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. Skip to content
Diarrhea and DietGIS2020-04-09T08:47:30-07:00 Diarrhea and DietWhat is diarrhea?Diarrhea is defined as the frequent passage of watery, loose stools, accompanied by an excessive loss of fluid and electrolytes. Another standard definition of diarrhea is passing more than three liquid bowel movements daily, or more than one litre of stool from an ileostomy or colostomy per day. Diarrhea occurs because the contents of the gastrointestinal tract are moving too rapidly, causing less fluid and nutrients to be absorbed. What causes diarrhea?Diarrhea is classified into four categories: osmotic, secretory, exudative, or rapid intestinal transit diarrhea. Osmotic diarrhea is caused by the presence of solutes in the gastrointestinal tract that are poorly absorbed and produce an osmotic effect. The osmotic effect is the movement of water from low solute concentration to high solute concentration. The causes of osmotic diarrhea may be lactose intolerance, fat malabsorption, dumping syndrome after gastric surgery, or certain medications (i.e. hypertonic or sorbitol-containing liquid medications). Secretory diarrhea occurs when there is an over secretion of water and salts in the intestine, which is caused by bacterial toxins (Clostridium difficile, E. coli, etc.), caffeine, viruses, or increased bile acids following an ileal resection. Exudative diarrhea is associated with damage to the intestinal mucosa, leading to the release or oozing of mucus, blood, and plasma proteins from cells as result of inflammation or injury. This increases the fluid content of feces and is present in ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, or radiation enteritis. Finally, rapid intestinal transit diarrhea is defined as an increase in propulsive activity in the colon. When the colon contracts more intensely than normal, food is passed more quickly through the digestive system and less water is absorbed back into the body, making the stool too watery. Causes of this type of diarrhea are irritable bowel syndrome, surgical bypass, gastric and intestinal resections, antibiotics, or stress. How can diarrhea be prevented?Prevention of diarrhea depends on the underlying cause. If medications are causing a person to experience diarrhea, an alternative form (i.e. tablet instead of sorbitol-containing liquid) or type of medication should be explored, especially when diarrhea is chronic. Some people who are malnourished or on bowel rest, may experience diarrhea for the first few days when starting to eat again because the bowel wall’s ability to function decreases when it is not used and resumes normal function slowly. Consult your physician to determine the underlying cause and treatment for your diarrhea, especially if there is any associated pain, blood, or distension. Dietary Recommendations for Diarrhea:
The following foods may be better tolerated:
Foods to limit:
Mary Flesher, Clinical DietitianFirst published in the Inside Tract® newsletter issue 139 – September/October 2003Image: Tharakorn | bigstockphoto.com Page load link |