Diarrhea can be caused by so many different things. They include consumption of contaminated foods and all kinds of digestive problems such as stomach flu, lactose intolerance, crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome or IBS.
No matter the cause, it’s very important for you to carefully mind what you eat as there is a very strong link between your diet and diarrhea.
The goal is to keep your diarrhea from worsening or taking too long to get resolved. Failure to do so may lead to complications such as loss of vital fluids and electrolytes. So in short, fending off dehydration is the primary goal if you have diarrhea.
Read on to learn which foods you should avoid if you are having a bout of diarrhea in order to keep the very common digestive problem from worsening.
Dairy
Milk, ice cream, cheese, butter — these and other dairy food products should be avoided at all costs if you have diarrhea. This is true whether or not your diarrhea can be blamed on lactose intolerance.
Anyone who is suffering from diarrhea may become temporarily sensitive to milk and other dairy goods.
Fast Food
There are many different reasons why it’s a good idea for you to considerably limit or totally avoid fast food. Elevated sugar, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, increased cholesterol, stroke, heart attack and heart disease are the primary ones. Steering clear of fast food is also a great idea if you are being bugged by diarrhea.
Lots of grease and fat present in fast food can cause you to step foot inside the bathroom more often during a bout of diarrhea.
Artificial Sweeteners
Many of today’s artificial sweeteners are notorious for causing loose stools. Some very common examples of those are sorbitol and mannitol.
Needless to say, it is a good idea for you to momentarily turn your back on diet soda or anything else that contains artificial sweeteners.
For the time being, your primary goal should be to put diarrhea under control and not keep your waistline tiny.
Raw Vegetables
We all know that high-fiber foods such as vegetables are good for the gut as they can help fend off constipation. Sadly, a lot of healthy vegetables can actually aggravate diarrhea most especially if they are eaten raw or not cooked well.
Vegetables are actually good for dealing with diarrhea as they contain fiber necessary for creating bulk. However, make sure that you cook them first in order to avoid complications.
Spicy Foods
It’s no secret that you should dodge spicy foods if you are suffering from acid reflux. If you are dealing with diarrhea, steer clear of them, too.
Anything that’s spicy can be irritating to the inner lining of the gastrointestinal tract. Most cases of diarrhea can be associated with irritated intestinal tract, and it’s due to this reason why consuming spicy foods is a terrible idea.
Caffeinated Drinks
The intake of coffee, green tea, cola, energy drinks and others that have caffeine in them should be avoided if you are suffering from diarrhea. It’s for the fact that their caffeine content is a diuretic, and it can greatly enhance the dehydrating effects of having diarrhea.
By the way, it’s also a good idea for you to steer clear of alcoholic beverages. That’s because they can aggravate your diarrhea as they are irritating to your gastrointestinal tract.
WARNING: If your diarrhea does not resolve on its own after a couple of days or it is accompanied by some unusual symptoms such as severe abdominal pain, blood in the stool, a rapid heart rate, fatigue and confusion, get medical assistance right away.
