It’s not really pleasant to talk about diarrhea or more commonly known as loose motions, but each one of us has been in this uncomfortable situation at least a few times in our lives. Bacterial and viral infections are the most common causes of diarrhea which is primarily characterized by loose stools. You may get infected mostly through what you eat or drink and therefore, it is extremely important to be cautious while eating out. However, if you end up contracting food poisoning
or any other infection, you may have to run to the restroom a little too often till your body fights off the infection completely. Of course there’s a lot that you can do to ease the discomfort like drink lots of water and but there are some foods that you may want to avoid if you’re suffering from loose motions.
1. Dairy products:
You must avoid foods like milk, cheese or butter as they contain sugar in the form of lactose and it may worsen your symptoms. Nutritionist Parveen Verma shares, “Dairy products are often known to irritate the gut and therefore, it is best to avoid them if you are suffering from loose motions.” However, eating yogurt can actually help your gut as it contains live enzymes that replenish the good bacteria.
Dairy products may irritate your gut. Photo Credit: Istock
2. Excessively sweet foods:
Binging on sugary foods is often linked with excess gas, cramping, watery stool and abdominal pain. Fructose in fruits and refined sugar used in baked items, processed food and your daily cup of tea of coffee, can draw water into the large intestine or prevent it from absorbing the water leading to more loose motions.
Sugar may draw water into the intestine causing watery stools. Photo Credit: Istock
3. Fatty foods:
Fried or greasy foods or those that are loaded with cream and other fats should be strictly avoided. Fatty foods are known to increase intestinal contractions and create reactions in the system which is already very sensitive.
Fatty foods are known to increase intestinal contractions. Photo Credit: Istock
4. Fruit juices:
While is it advisable to take in lots of water to replenish the fluids lost from the body during your frequent trips to the restroom and avoid dehydration, fruits juices are not recommended. These juices may contain sugar in its concentrated form and too much sugar is not good for you sensitive bowel system. Moreover, juices may contain non-digestible sugar in the form of sorbitol which pulls out water from the bloodstream into the intestine while being digested and this can aggravate the situation.
Juices may contain non-digestible sugar in the form of sorbitol. Photo Credit: Istock.
5. Certain vegetables:
“Certain vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, beans, onions and cauliflower should be avoided as they tend to cause gas in the stomach
while digestion and since your system is comprised it may aggravate the symptoms,” shares Nutritionist Parveen Verma.
6. Fiber-rich foods:
The same goes for fiber-rich whole grains
. They are healthy but in case of loose motions they may not really help as they have a laxative effect. This simply means that they bind with the water in your in stomach and stimulate your bowel movements which can make you rush to the restroom more often. Moreover, since your digestive processes are a bit slow, it may lead to gaseous build-up adding to your problems.
Fiber rich foods may have a laxative effect. Photo Credit: Istock
7. Caffeine: You may not be able to pull through the day without a cup of tea or coffee, but it is best to avoid. Caffeine may stimulate the gut to contract more quickly, making the food move faster without being absorbed properly. It may even cause acidity adding to your digestive woes.
8. Alcohol: Have you ever had too much alcohol one night and then woken up with an upset stomach? Well, it’s quite common. Alcohol can speed up digestion which impacts your body’s ability to absorb water. This is why you may have often suffered from lose motions when you are hungover.
Alcohol can speed up digestion. Photo Credit: Istock
9. Spicy foods:
Spicy peppers
and masalas are often known to irritate the stomach lining. The body may sense this as a problem and send more water to your gut in order to soothe. This excess water makes the food move faster through your intestines which may ultimately lead to loose stools.
You may be able to treat loose motions with the help of these simple tweaks, by taking ample rest and having foods that soothe your stomach. However, if the situation gets worse, do visit a doctor immediately.
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