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7 Causes of Diarrhea + 7 Ways How To Avoid Them.

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• Diarrhea is the passing of watery or loose stools.

• It is the body’s way of eliminating toxic wastes.

• Diarrhea is also an indication that the digestive system is unable to absorb nutrients, salt and water from food which are subsequently lost from the body through the watery bowels.

Weve all been there; sweaty, fever stricken, praying for an end to the suffering. Diarrhea is one of those horrible parts of life that we laugh about after the fact, but cry during. Not only is it uncomfortable and at times excruciatingly painful, its also downright embarrassing. Its not like you can plan the whole thing out, slotting diarrhea attacks in for when youre at home and alone. No, diarrhea likes to poke its evil head in during dates, swimming lessons and when rock climbing.

• Acute diarrhea accompanied by fever and blood or mucus in the stool may indicate bacterial or parasital infection.

• Most diarrhea lasts up to 3 or 4 days, even if left untreated. Consult a physician if diarrhea persists for more than 4 days.

• Diarrhea depletes the body of electrolytes, which are important minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride and calcium. A lack of these minerals can cause fatigue, tiredness and dehydration.

Basically any time when youre surrounded by people and without a toilet in sight.

So how does one avoid this awful condition? Is it simply a matter of cutting out one thing and embracing another? Quite frankly, no. Diarrhea is not altogether avoidable and its estimated the average adult will suffer four bouts of the runs per year. Still to keep yourself regular and suffering for no more than those four nights there are a few causes that one can take measures to avoid.

What is Diarrhea?

Diarrhea occurs when your body is unable to absorb enough water from your feces on its way out of your body.


• Breast fed babies are less vulnerable to diarrhea.

• A body-detoxifying program can bring about a cleansing effect that could result in watery loose stools. This is the action of the removal of fecal matter from the intestinal walls and it should not last more than 2 days.

• Excess protein in an athlete can lead to dehydration, loss of appetite and diarrhea. Protein in excess requires more energy to digest and metabolize it.

This causes your stool to be still over 90% water when evacuated. The results of this lack of water absorption causes dehydration, some loss of nutrients and all the other delightful miseries one experiences while afflicted. Though it usually disappears within a day or two, if the condition persists, serious dehydration can lead to other major problems.

The Causes.

1. Bacteria and Viruses.

People with lactose intolerance (the inability to digest lactose) who have consumed dairy products will allow the lactose to ferment in the large intestine where it can cause bloating, flatus, diarrhea and pain.

If the food you eat is infected with bacteria or youve caught a virus often the result is a bout of diarrhea. For viral infections, often diarrhea is just one of many symptoms and by treating the actual sickness you will in turn treat the diarrhea. Bacteria on the other hand, like E.coli and salmonella can accumulate on food that has been left out (or in the back of the fridge) for too long or food put in close proximity to animals.

Consuming large quantities of artificial sweeteners such as hexitols, mannitol and sorbitol can cause diarrhea.

To avoid food poisoning cook meat properly, wash your food thoroughly and think twice before eating Marchs casserole in August.

2.Greasy and Spicy Food.

Food poisoning leading up to diarrhea is caused by bacteria such as salmonella, E.coli and campylobacter.

Anyone whos ever eaten at Taco Bell can tell you spicy greasy foods can wreak havoc on your intestines. If you find youre susceptible to diarrhea, try cutting down on fast food and any heavily spiced dishes. More natural and less prepared foods are easier to digest and therefore, less likely to cause gastrointestinal problems.


Diarrhea is often a symptom of many health conditions such as diverticulosis, irritable bowel syndrome, hyperthyroidism, celiac disease (gluten sensitivity,) vitamin overdose, caffeine overdose and alcohol overdose.

3. Dairy Products.

Emotional stress and anxiety can have an unpleasant effect on the digestive system and can spark off diarrhea. Once the stress or anxiety is gone, diarrhea stops.

Milk and dairy, or more specifically, the lactose in them is a major cause of diarrhea. IBS sufferers and the lactose intolerant avoid dairy at all costs for this reason. Human beings have only been drinking cow milk for 10,000 years therefore we arent all, evolutionarily speaking, ready to digest it.

Some women experience diarrhea immediately before or during menstruation.

Though there are digestive aids like Lactaid that can assist in breaking down lactose its best just to avoid dairy altogether if it causes you problems. Either that or drink lactose free milk which is commonly available.

Antibiotics can upset the healthy balance between the good and bad bacteria in the intestine, resulting in diarrhea. Such antibiotics include doxycycline, digoxin, ampicillin, clindamycin, tetracycline and dirithromycin.

4. Alcohol.

Diarrhea can be a side-effect from drugs like immunosuppressants and those used for lowering cholesterol; for treating rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, cancer, osteoporosis, urinary tract infections, HIV and manic phase of bipolar disorder.

Affectionately dubbed as hangover stew by its victims, excessive drinking can cause next day diarrhea. The alcohol in your system can interfere with the digestive process leaving you feeling bloated and chained to the toilet. After detoxification your body should return to normal, however its very important to drink copious amounts of water if hung over and afflicted with diarrhea.

Brainerd diarrhea is a condition characterized by 10 to 20 diarrheic episodes per day of explosive, watery non-bloody stools and often, fecal incontinence, lasting for 4 weeks or more. Other symptoms include gas, mild abdominal cramping and fatigue. It is named after a town called Brainerd in Minnesota, USA where the first outbreak took place in 1983. Neither bacterial, viral nor parasitic pathogens were found to be the cause of this strange disease. A chemical toxin was thought to be involved.

Binge drinking will have already dehydrated your body considerably and you will need all the fluid you can get.

5. Artificial Sweeteners.

Artificial sweeteners (sorbitol in particular) have been known to cause diarrhea.

Travelers’ diarrhea. Refers to diarrhea experienced by a traveler in an area or country with poor sanitation. It is contracted by the ingestion of contaminated food or water.

Sorbitol can be found in chewing gum, breath mints and other candies. Therefore unless youre a diabetic, man up and ingest real sugar to avoid the marathon bathroom session.

6. Caffeine.

Reduce the risk of contracting diarrhea by ensuring that food must be well-cooked and served hot. Reject uncooked meat or seafood, raw vegetables and other types of food maintained at room temperature. Tap water, ice and dairy products could be high-risk foods. Hot coffee and tea, carbonated drinks, alcohol, fruits that can be peeled and canned products are considered safe.

Caffeine in some cases can cause diarrhea. If you drink several cups of coffee and tea per day and suffer from frequent diarrhea this may be the cause. Caffeine can stimulate your digestive system causing rushed bowel movements.

Most cases of travelers’ diarrhea are caused by bacteria, specifically the bacteria enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (E.coli). Other species of bacteria known to promote traveler’s diarrhea include salmonella, campylobacter jejuni and shigella.

7. High Fibre Foods.

Less common causes of travelers’ diarrhea are viruses such as norwalk virus, rotavirus and other enteric viruses.

Though, diets high in fibre are generally considered healthy, its important not to go overboard. Eating too many foods that are high in insoluble fibre like beans, cabbage, broccoli, raw fruit and seeds can bring on the runs.

Replace lost fluids by taking lots of water, juices, broth and decaffeinated teas. Avoid either very cold or very hot fluids. Avoid milk, dairy products, raw vegetables, acidic fruits, bran, whole-grain cereals, sugary foods, spices, fried food, fatty food, caffeine and alcohol. All of which are tough on the digestive system. Works by absorbing and binding harmful or irritating substances found in the stomach and intestines, thereby preventing them from getting absorbed into the body system. Charcoal digested makes the stool black, naturally. Powder form is said to be better than tablets. Mix 2 to 3 tablespoons of charcoal powder with water and drink with a straw. Must not be taken at the same time with the syrup of ipecac, a common remedy for poisoning used to induce vomiting. A natural tropical fruit found to contain over 150 nutraceuticals which include 20 amino acids, 9 of which are essential because they are not produced in the body, vitamin A, all the B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene, ursolic acid, linoleic acid, proxeronine (bromelain), scopoletin, pectin, phytosterols, calcium, magnesium and zinc… [read more]

During a case of diarrhea one should cut these foods out altogether and then gradually reintroduce them to a healthy level once recovered.

The road to recovery.

Diarrhea is an awful thing to deal with, but as long as its onset isnt too socially embarrassing its repercussions should only be felt for a day or two. To speed up your recovery drink as much water and fluids as possible, but avoid caffeinated drinks like pop, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. One should also eat bananas to replace the potassium that is lost. If you do suffer from very frequent diarrhea you should go to a doctor to be tested for either lactose intolerance or irritable bowel syndrome. These conditions can develop over time and unless diagnosed can cause a lot of suffering and grief.

Autor: Sam Stilson.
Source: www.thesoko.com

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