What is Diarrhoea?
Diarrhoea is a condition when one has at least three loose or liquid bowel movements each day.
It usually lasts for a few days and can result in dehydration due to the excessive loss of body fluid.
Symptoms
When one has diarrhoes, the signs of dehydration begin with loss of the normal stretchiness of the skin and irritable behaviour.
One will also notice decreased frequency of urination, loss of skin color and faster pulse rate. A decrease in responsiveness will be noticed when the condition becomes more severe.
Causes
The most common cause for diarrhoes is an infection of the intestines from either a virus, bacteria, or parasite - a condition known as gastroenteritis.
Gastroenteritis infections are mostly acquired from food or water that has been contaminated by stool, or directly from another person who is infected.
Another possible cause of diarrhoea is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which manifests as abdominal discomfort which is relieved by defecation observed as unusual stool.
Treatment
When one has a case of diarrhoea, the most important step in treatment is to rehydrate.
Mild cases of diarrhoea may resolve without treatment. More serious cases or chronic diarrhea will be diagnosed by a physician and treated.
Nutritionists recommend that one should sip on clear liquids such as fruit juice to replace lost water. Replenish after each loose stool with at least one cup of liquid.
One should do most of the drinking between, rather than during meals.
Consume foods and drinks high in potassium such as bananas, potatoes, diluted fruit juices, soups, broths and sports drinks.
Also, eat foods that are high in soluble fibre such as oatmeal and rice to help thicken the stool. Avoid fatty, creamy, fried and sugary foods which may make the diarrhoea worse.
Increase intake of probiotics which have shown to decrease the length of illness and for replenishing healthy bacteria in the gut.