Diarrhoea treatment

Buttermilk is one of the most effective home remedies in the treatment of diarrhoea. Buttermilk is the residual milk left after the fat has been removed from curd by churning. It helps overcome harmful intestinal flora. The acid in the buttermilk also fights germs and bacteria. Buttermilk may be taken with a pinch of salt three or four times a day for controlling this disease.

Carrot soup is another effective home remedy for diarrhoea. It supplies water to combat dehydration; replenishes sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sulphur, and magnesium; supplies pectin; and coats the intestine to allay inflammation. It also checks the growth of harmful intestinal bacteria and prevents vomiting. Half a kilogram of carrots may be cooked in 150 ml of water until they become soft. The pulp should be strained and enough boiled water added to it to make a litre. Three-quarters of a tablespoon of salt may be added. This soup should be given in small amounts to the patient every half an hour.

Fenugreek leaves are useful in diarrhoea. One teaspoon of seeds which have been boiled and fried in butter should be taken with a cup of buttermilk twice daily. They are valuable in allaying biliousness. The seeds are also beneficial in the treatment of this disease.

In case of diarrhoea caused by indigestion, dry or fresh ginger is very useful. A piece of dry ginger should be powdered along with a crystal of rock salt, and quarter of a teaspoon of this powder should be taken with a small piece of jaggery. It will bring quick relief as ginger, being carminative, aids digestion by stimulating the gastrointestinal tract.

Mint juice is also beneficial in the treatment of diarrhoea. One teaspoon of fresh mint juice, mixed with a teaspoon each of lime juice and honey, can be given thrice daily with excellent results in the treatment of this disease.

The juice of bottle gourd is a valuable medicine for excessive thirst due to severe diarrhoea. A glass of plain juice with a pinch of salt should be taken every day in treating this condition.

The juice of fresh leaves of drumstick is also valuable in diarrhoea. A teaspoon of this juice, mixed with a teaspoon of honey and a glass of tender coconut water, can be given two to three times as a herbal medicine in the treatment of diarrhoea.

The pomegranate has proved beneficial in the treatment of diarrhoea on account of its astringent properties. If the patient develops weakness due to profuse and continuous purging, he should repeatedly be given about 50 ml of pomegranate juice to drink. This will control the diarrhoea.

Mango seeds are valuable in diarrhoea. The seeds should be collected during the mango season, dried in the shade and powdered, and kept stored for use as a medicine when required. A dose of about one and a half to two grams with or without honey, should be administered twice daily.

Sesame seeds are helpful in the treatment of this condition. Two tablespoons of the seeds should be lightly roasted in a frying pan. They should then be ground into a fine powder and mixed with one tablespoon of cow's ghee. The mass should be divided into three parts and each part should be taken with half a cup of boiled goat's milk thrice daily for six days by the patients. It acts as an excellent medicine in this condition.

Turmeric has proved to be another valuable home remedy for diarrhoea. It is a very useful intestinal antiseptic. It is also a gastric stimulant and tonic. One teaspoon of fresh turmeric rhizome juice or one teaspoon of dry rhizome powder may be taken in one cup of buttermilk or plain water.

Rice is useful in treating diarrhoea in children. A teaspoon of powder of charred parboiled rice, mixed with a glass of buttermilk, should be given in does of thirty grams every half an hour. This will bring excellent results.

Cooked or baked apples are good for diarrhoea. The cooking process softens the cellulose. Much of its value as a regulating material is thus lost and it is effective in looseness of the bowels. A glass of fresh tomato juice, mixed with a pinch of salt and pepper, taken in the morning, also proves beneficial. Other starchy liquids such as arrowroot water, barley water, and coconut water are also useful in the treatment of diarrhoea. They not only replace the fluid lost but also bind the stools. Other home remedies include bananas and garlic. Bananas contain pectin and encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria. Garlic is a powerful, effective, and harmless germ killer. It aids digestion and removes intestinal worms.