Diarrhea

What causes diarrhea

Everyone has had diarrhea – to have to go to the toilet more three times a day with loose, watery stools, accompanied by pains and cramps in the stomach, a feeling of swelling, a "rumbling" in the intestines. It is usually related to nutrition and goes away in a few days.

In this case, self-treatment could be used. Based on Ayurveda's principles it is done through food and diet, as well as herbs, and works efficiently. However, if diarrhea is accompanied by fever, nausea, vomiting, one should not use self-medication but seek medical attention.

A doctor should also be consulted if the diarrhea appears periodically, in which case it may be related to recurrent intestinal inflammation and a specialist should reject or confirm the cause and eliminate it. Urgent medical attention should be sought if blood is observed in the stools.

For Ayurveda, diarrhea is the result of a weakened Agni – this is the digestive fire of a person. The food taken is not digested and absorbed optimally, and the body discards the remains in loose stools. There are various reasons for Agni's subsidence. It may be because of an indisposition from a more general temporary illness – say flu or even a common cold. It may be a specific gastrointestinal inflammation caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites that have entered the digestive tract through contaminated food. In this sense, the so-called "tourist diarrhea" is very common, when a person is in a warm or humid climate and specific culinary traditions, and "exotic places" are associated with not very good hygiene. Then, through contaminated food – vegetables, fruits, semi-raw meat, etc., can take on different bacteria that release toxins and cause diarrhea. Some bacteria can cause periodic inflammation. There are a number of other possible reasons for weakening Agni and the appearance of diarrhea – from improperly matched foods to nervous tension.

Treatment of diarrhea with Ayurvedic methods

In the treatment of diarrhea, Ayurveda strengthens the digestive fire. Thus, stomach disorder is overcome gradually but efficiently and naturally. Its rapid neutralization with drugs is not advisable, because in diarrhea the body actually tries to discard pest insects that irritate the intestines. The possible prescribing of medication is done by a physician in case of a persistent health problem.

The inflaming of the digestive fire is made individually through certain foods, flavors, herbal remedies, according to the specific body type (Dosha) of the patient. Agni is actually important to overall health because incomplete digestion is at the root of all diseases.

When food is not degraded on time, staling remains begin to rot, gas is formed and toxins are released. These toxins damage the organs and disrupt their functions. That's why it's a good idea to know your Dosha,  which is determined by a specialist, in order to take it into consideration as a prophylaxis in terms of nutrition, and when needed – to treat various diseases.

However, in cases of diarrhea, Ayurveda has some basic nutrition principles and generally applicable herbal recipes. In general, fermented, sour or spicy food should not be consumed in case of a stomach disorder.

Foods should be easy to digest in order not to burden the digestive tract. Since diarrhea causes dehydration, more fluids should be taken – water, fresh juices, mint tea, chamomile, St. John's wort, etc.

To compensate for the discharged electrolytes, a solution of grape sugar and salt can be used, the quantities being a teaspoonful of each. You can also drink airyan (yogurt and water drink) with salt, rice water, hips and cornel infusion.

Red germander infusion is very used; it is drunk two or three times a day, each time the infusion must be freshly prepared. Prepare 4-5 sprigs in a cup of boiling water, which boils up for about 3 minutes, it is strained and once cool, it is drunk. There are also Ayurveda recipes with ginger, dill, nutmeg and others.