Useful Tips to Prevent and Treat Diarrhoeal Infections and Simple Home Remedies

Diarrhea or more frequent watery stools, as a result of bowel infection, called gastroenteritis, common for both infants, children adults. This results in dehydration (loss of water in body cells), which in severe cases lead even to death. So dissolve glucose or sugar in water (boiled and cooled) with a pinch of table salt, given frequently to prevent dehydration.  Oral rehydration salts are also available in medical stores.

Gastroenteritis are caused by virus(rotavirus),bacteria(E.coli), amoeba or giardia parasite. There are no medications and will usually clear up after a few days with plenty of fluids taken at home but this is rare. This is common in children and RotavirusVaccination is available that is given as a fluid and dropped into a baby smooth, first given in 2 months and another at 3 months. Cooked Apples is an important food for the toddlers and children because cooking aids for easy digestion.  Apples are rich in pectin content. Fresh Amla or Indian goose berries, rich source of pectin can be taken by the adults as the taste is peculiar.  Black tea reduces diarrhea symptoms.

Gastroenteritis may be as a result of bowel inflammation caused due to infections of bacteria or virus.  The walls of the bowels fail to absorb the water from the digested food. Giardiasis is a condition that affects the small intestine, which results in milk intolerance in children under 5 years.

The causes of these infections are due to the intake of water with amoeba, a unicellular organism which spreads through water or uncooked food as the contaminated water may be used to prepare the food items and no boiling is required for some type of recipes.  For example, though buttermilk is good for health, drinking buttermilk (addition of tap water might contain amoeba) that causes the infection.

Breast Feeding should be the only source of food for infants under 3 months to avoid any infections.  Boiled and cooled water can be given using the sterilized spoon from four months of infancy and cooked dhal water from 6 months onwards.  Avoid feeding bottles because they tend to cause infections in infants. Care should be taken that the toddlers never chew the cloth or lick any outside materials such as toys. Also, wash hands thoroughly with soap or antiseptic lotion before food and after toilet.

For infected persons, over-the-counter metronidazole, taken for five to seven days would help for a permanent relief. Tinidazole, single dose is as effective as metronidazole medication.  However, pregnant women should not take any type of these medications. However, Fenugreek, an important cooking ingredient in South Indian recipe helps to stop the diarrhea symptoms. So, this is one of the important items that travelers should carry to stop any diarrheal symptoms during their travel. Fenugreek is available in all departmental stores and groceries, which can be stored for months together in an airtight container. Daily intake of Fenugreek up to 1 teaspoon daily will lower the excess blood sugar level and hence prevents diabetes too, naturally.