Loose motion is a common issue among people of all age groups. The loss of vital minerals and fluids can lead to electrolyte imbalances in the body. It causes dehydration, accompanied with, tiredness, and fatigue in a person. The condition hampers the daily functioning of a person. When loose motion happens several times in a day, it is called as “diarrhea”. This is an acute stage and needs immediate intervention. In this post, we will look at the causes, symptoms and effective ways to manage Loose Motion in detail.
What Causes Loose Motions?
Loose motion is viewed as the body’s response towards the malfunctioning of the gastrointestinal system. Diarrhea is an extreme stage of Loose Motion wherein a person requires to go the toilet four to five times a day for a week or more. Some of the common reasons that contributes to occurrence of loose motion are:
- intake of contaminated food, and water
- viral infections that includes viral hepatitis, norovirus, rotavirus, and herpes simplex virus.
- stress can cause IBS or “Irritable bowel syndrome” that can result in loose motions.
- being intolerant towards certain foods, or ingredients used to prepare foods can lead to Loose Motion. For example: lactose in milk, and fructose in fruits.
- intestinal issues that includes inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, gallbladder disease, and ulcerative colitis.
- altered form of immune function.
- hereditary disorders such as cystic fibrosis
- consuming raw, or unpasteurized milk can also negatively influence the digestive system. This can even result in diarrhea.
- malnutrition
- intake of specific types of medicines especially antibiotics that works as a laxative on the body.
- allergy to specific foods
- inefficient absorption of food
- excessive intake of alcohol
What are the Symptoms of Loose Motion?
People who suffer from loose motions shows following signs:
- abnormally watery stools,
- nausea,
- cramping sensation in abdomen
- bloating,
- weakness, and
- dehydration
Natural Ways to treat Loose Motion
Loose motion needs to be dealt quickly before it turns into a severe condition. Here are a few home remedies to take get effective relief from loose motion.
1. Yogurt
Yogurt is widely known to be a powerful probiotic. It helps in killing infection causing bad bacteria and regulating the levels of good bacteria in the intestine. In addition to it, regular intake of a cup of plain yogurt with your meals twice a day will help in the cure as well as prevention of diarrhea. Perform this remedy for a week to get complete relief from probiotic.
Do not consume large amounts of yogurt at once as it can lead to acidity. You can also try adding another excellent probiotic food, “buttermilk” in your diet. Drink it in small quantities throughout the day.
2. Mashed Potatoes
Starchy foods are also potent in curing loose motion. Boiled potatoes are one of the best sources of starch. It adds bulk to the stools. Being a powerhouse of energy and nutrients, potatoes help the body to refuel itself. This vegetable is also rich in potassium. You can boil and mash them, and add a little salt to make it more palatable. They not just taste delicious, but are also easy to digest. It makes your tummy healthy.
3. Bottle Gourd Juice
Bottle Gourd is beneficial in treating stomach related disorders. Drinking this freshly prepared juice provides necessary nutrition and retains adequate hydration levels in the body.
4. White Rice
Plain white rice with curd is mostly given to patients who suffers from troubled stomach or weak digestive system. Rice is good source of easily digested carbohydrates. Due to its binding nature, intake of rice firms up the loose stools. It is popularly advised for diarrhea patients. Daily consumption of white rice with curd will definitely give you relief from the issue.
5. Coconut Water
Coconut is another beneficial drink that hydrates the body and improves digestion. This cool beverage is an ideal natural remedy to treat mild form of diarrhea. Consuming one or two glasses of coconut water for a few days is adequate to cure Loose Motion. Do not exceed your consumption of coconut water beyond two glasses or it will abnormally increase sodium levels in the serum. This can lead to serious health complications.
6. Carrots
Fiber rich foods are beneficial to cure stomach disorders. Carrot is one of the best sources of fiber. With high roughage content and presence of “pectin”, carrots have the potential to bring instant relief from stomach ailments. Eat it either in steamed form, or juice form to get all the benefits of this healthy vegetable.
7. Guavas
Guavas is one of those fruits that possess astringent properties. It is also seen to be effective in the treatment of loose motions.
8. Cumin Water
Without proper treatment, Loose Motion can become worse. Cumin, also called as ‘jeera’ is one of the commonly used spices in our kitchen. This ingredient is touted for its therapeutic impact on the gastric system. Intake of cumin aids in the regulation of regular bowel movement. It effectively treats a wide range of stomach disorders that includes loose motion, indigestion, and bloating.
You can consume cumin by adding powdered form of roasted cumin seeds to your dishes. Another way to obtain its benefits is by adding cumin seeds in a glass of water. Boil this mixture. Drink it cool three times a day after meals.
9. Chamomile Tea
Chamomile exhibits powerful antispasmodic, antisecretory, and anti-diarrheal properties that relaxing the gut muscles and relieves from loose motion. The best way to take this herb is in tea form. All you need to do is to add one teaspoon of chamomile herb to one cup of water. Boil this solution in a container.
Now strain it and cool it. To make it more flavorful, you can also add some honey to it. Drinking chamomile tea for two to three times a day for some days will help in curbing Loose Motion to a considerable extent.
10. Apple Cider Vinegar
According to the research, Apple cider vinegar shows remarkable antimicrobial properties. It has wonderful ability to destroy infection-causing microbes in the body. Its strong action gives quick relief from loose motion. When using ACV, you need to ensure that you always dilute it before consuming. Add two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to one glass of warm water. Mix this solution well. Consume it twice daily for some days.
11. Ginger
When it comes to metabolism boosting agent, the remarkable potential of Ginger herb can’t be overlooked. It is loaded with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory bioactive compounds. This potent herb soothes your gastric system and effectively fight against the infection that is responsible for loose motion. Ginger is proven to cure bacteria induced digestive disorder, named ‘gastritis’. Consume two teaspoons of fresh ginger juice two to three times a day till you see relief from the condition. As ginger has a very strong flavour, you may add a little honey to it.
12. Cinnamon
After cumin, Cinnamon is another valuable spice that possess remarkable antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. This spice help in eliminating infections that can cause loose motion. Intake of this herb relaxes an upset stomach. Take half a teaspoon of powdered form of cinnamon and add it to a cup of luke-warm water. Drink it two times a day for some days. Care should be taken not to overconsume this ingredient as its excess consumption can damage your liver.
13. Oat Bran
Oat bran is a good source of healthy carbs and fiber, is also effective in reducing the severity of loose motion and diarrhea. Cook oat bran and add cumin powder to it. Consume this meal twice a day.
14. Peppermint
Peppermint has effective antispasmodic properties that soothes the stomach, and lowers the symptoms of diarrhea. Prepare a concoction by adding ten to fifteen fresh peppermint leaves, in a cup of warm water. Boil it and strain it. Now add one teaspoon of honey, and one teaspoon of lemon juice to it. Drink this refreshing beverage twice daily.
15. Banana
Banana is one of the highly recommended fruits in treating stomach disorders. It is loaded with potassium, and a water-soluble fiber named ‘pectin’. It has the ability to soak extra water in the intestine and bulk up the stool.
Furthermore, bananas contain vital electrolytes that helps in compensating for the loss of electrolytes from the body. Banana also energizes the body and relieves from tiredness that is one of the signs of motion sickness. To get maximum benefits from it, eat three to four ripe banana a day. To make it flavorful, you can add a little rock salt to it.
16. Black Tea
Black tea is widely known for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-oxidant properties. This tea soothe inflammation in the intestine and destroys the pathogens that are the responsible for loose motion. To prepare this tea, mix a teaspoon of black tea in a cup of water. Now boil this solution in a container. Strain the solution and cool it. Drink it three times a day to get the best relief.
17. Citrus Fruits
In addition to banana, citrus foods such as lemon, grapefruit, sweet lime, and gooseberry are great for the treatment of loose motion. The high anti-oxidant, water and roughage content in these fruits adequately hydrates the body, replenishes electrolyte balance, and detoxifies the body.
These fruits can be consumed throughout the day. However, ensure that you don’t consume it at night, or on empty stomach as it can lead to bloating, and irritation. All these fruits are easy to digest, and soothes the stomach.
Frequently Asked Questions About Loose Motion Treatment
1. What types of juices can help you treat Diarrhea?
Home remedies are one of the natural, and inexpensive ways to treat loose motions. Juices extracted from oranges, carrots, bottle gourd, and pomegranates are beneficial to treat diarrhea. They do not cause any side effects.
2. How to Prevent Loose Motions?
Prevention is always better than treatment. The below tips will help you prevent the occurrence of loose motions.
- Consume freshly prepared, nutritious and healthy food.
- Incorporate foods that are rich in fiber. This comprise of fruits, and vegetables such as broccoli, bananas, and peas.
- Identify foods that causes you allergy and avoid their consumption.
- Drink a lot of water, fluids, and healthy beverages. Drink clean, and boiled water.
- Limit excessive consumption of caffeine, and alcohol.
- Frequently wash your hands to prevent spreading of viral, and bacterial infection.
3. What You Should Not Eat In Loose Motion?
In addition to what you should include in your daily diet, you also need to know what you should eliminate from the diet to prevent reappearance of loose motion. Avoid consumption of dairy products, that includes milk, foods with insoluble fibers, alcohol, spicy food, aerated and caffeinated beverages cottage cheese, greasy foods, fish, meat, processed foods, etc.
4. How effective is ORS in treating Loose Motion?
Due to diarrhea, our body loses electrolytes and becomes dehydrated. ORS, or Oral Rehydration Solution is a great way to combat this situation. It is a concoction prepared by adding half a teaspoon of salt, and six teaspoons of sugar in one liter of water. This mixture is an excellent way to hydrate the body. One should consume it several times a day to replenish the body with the right balance of electrolytes.
5. What is BRAT diet and how helpful it is in curing Loose Motion?
The BRAT diet, is found to be beneficial in soothing the digestive system of the body. It is a tasteless, and mild diet that is made by combining four important ingredients as ‘bananas’, ‘rice’, ‘apples’, ‘toast’.
All of these ingredients help in facilitating the digestion of food and relaxes the digestive system. This diet assists in firming the stool, and reducing the frequency of movement of bowel in the body. In BRAT diet, you will need to limit your consumption to these four foods.
Conclusion
Loose motions can happen due to several reasons. Irrespective of the reason, it is an unpleasant condition that can make the life miserable. As loose motion is treatable, there is no need to get anxious about it. With simple home remedies, you can effectively fight against diarrhea and keep your stomach and body healthy. As persistent loose bowel movements can lead to life-threatening outcomes, you should get immediate medical assistance.
If you liked this post, then do share it with your friends on social media. Also, you can write to us any of your queries, suggestions, and comments. We will be happy to address them soon.
Related Posts
