What To Eat After Having Diarrhea

What Are Nutrition Tips For Relief Of Diarrhea

There are diet changes you can make to help relieve or stop diarrhea. These changes include limiting or avoiding foods and liquids that are high in sugar, fat, fiber, and lactose. Lactose is a sugar found in milk products. Milk products can cause diarrhea in people who are lactose intolerant. You should also drink extra liquids to replace fluids that are lost when you have diarrhea. Diarrhea can lead to dehydration.

Quick Tips For Immediately After Your Surgery

For the first few days after your surgery, your diet should be made up of clear liquids, broth, and gelatin. Â;And while some alcoholic beverages may be clear, you should avoid alcohol for at least two days after your surgery.Â;

After the first few days, you can start gradually adding solid food back into your diet. You should stick with small meals at first.

Avoid these types of foods when you start adding foods back into your diet:Â;

• Foods that cause gas

Basic Dietary Principles To Remember After Diarrhea

Knowing basic diet guidelines helps to improve your conditions and avoid making your diarrhea worse. Certain foods will also help accelerate recovery.

1. Consume Some Clear Fluids First

Keep in mind that it is best to eat a clear liquid diet after diarrhea, including apple juice, weak tea, frozen pops, clear broth, plain gelatin or simple water. Clear liquids will help prevent irritation.

2. Adopt Small Meals

It is equally important to eat smaller meals more frequently to avoid putting stress on your digestive system. You can switch to a low-fiber diet after a couple of days of diarrhea. Be sure to drink water to avoid becoming dehydrated.

3. Follw the Dietary Chart Below

You May Like: What Leaky Gut Feels Like

When And How To Eat If You Have Diarrhea:

• Try a clear liquid diet water, weak tea, apple juice, clear broth, frozen pops, or plain gelatin as soon as diarrhea starts or you feel it’s going to start. Clear liquids keep the bowels from working too hard and help prevent irritation.
• Eat small, frequent meals. Your body may find smaller amounts easier to digest.
• After;2 days of diarrhea, start a liquid diet and add low-fiber foods as you can tolerate them. This will help lessen bowel irritation and will give you some nutrients.
• Drink at least a cup of liquid after each bout of diarrhea so you don’t become dehydrated.

Take Medicine Once You Feel Sick

Myth. Diarrhea often goes away on its own, so treatment isn’t usually necessary. But over-the-counter diarrhea medications can offer some relief from symptoms. Avoid them if you have a fever or other symptoms, such as bloody stool. Don’t give babies or children any diarrhea medicine unless a pediatrician recommends it.

Read Also: What Toxin Causes Leaky Gut

Flu Shots Prevent Stomach Flu

Myth. Seasonal flu — or influenza virus — can cause fever, body ache, and general misery, but it rarely causes diarrhea. Influenza is generally a disease of the airways and lungs. The sickness that some people call “stomach flu” can cause diarrhea, but that bug is different from influenza. “Stomach flu” is just a catch-all name for viral gastroenteritis, which is caused by many different germs.

When To Seek Medical Treatment For Diarrhea:

• Fever
• Yellow urine
• Less urine than usual

If your diarrhea is caused by a bacterial infection, Mundkur says you may experience severe diarrhea, fever, and bloody stools; however, antibiotics can help treat the infection if it’s bacterial.;

On the other hand, persistent blood in your stools could also be an indication of something more serious. “Sometimes colon cancer can cause diarrhea and blood in the stool, so it is important to talk to your primary care physician about whether you need a colonoscopy,” says Mundkur.

Recommended Reading: How Do You Test Your Gut Microbiome

What Is The Best Food To Eat When You Have Stomach Flu

If you’ve recently suffered from a stomach bug, also known as gastroenteritis or stomach flu, you might be wondering, if anything, what you can eat. However, it’s crucial during this time to keep hydrated, and not overburden your system with heavy or stimulating foods. You should also be supplying your body with the essential nutrients it needs in order to help support your immune system, keep your energy levels up and fight off the invading bug.

This is why I recommend the following five foods to help support your recovery from a stomach bug:

Next, I explore exactly why you should eat these five foods if youre feeling sorry for yourself and have a stomach bug.

What Should You Eat After Having Diarrhea

Electrolytes

The most important thing to do when suffering from diarrhea is drink lots of fluids or clear liquids. Your body has lost hydration and electrolytes are lost from the body, which can make you feel weak, fatigued, dizzy and cause leg cramps. Severe dehydration can lead to low blood pressure and even turn life-threatening if it leads to hypovolemic shock.;

To replenish your body:

• Keep sipping an over-the-counter oral rehydration solution or electrolyte sports drink throughout the day.
• Aim to drink a cup of water after every loose bowel movement.;
• Stick to clear liquids, like clear broths, vegetable soup and decaffeinated tea.

The BRAT diet

Following the BRAT diet during this period may help, since it consists of bland foods that are low in fiber and gentle on the stomach, and can also help bind the loose stools. The BRAT diet includes:

• Banana
• Apple sauce
• Toast

Bananas contain pectin that is beneficial for the digestive tract. Being a rich source of potassium, it also replenishes the body with potassium that is lost in diarrhea. One review article that analyzed several studies found that green banana pulp may reduce both diarrhea and constipation in children. Another study from 2016 found that consuming rice soups along with a rehydration solution was effective in reducing diarrhea in children.

To reap the maximum benefits of the BRAT diet, remember to maintain hydration by drinking lots of water and other fluids.

Read Also: Can Vitamin D Cause Heartburn

What Is Good To Eat And Drink When You Have Diarrhea

People with diarrhea should eat small meals throughout the day instead of three big meals. Diarrhea, or loose watery stools, may be caused by stomach flu, food poisoning, radiation, chemotherapy, other medications and infections. The following diet tips may help control diarrhea.

• People with diarrhea should include binding foods such as bananas, plain white rice, applesauce and white toast while they have active episodes of loose stools.
• Drink plenty of water or low-sugarbeverages to replace the fluids lost from diarrhea.
• Drink plenty of clear liquids and electrolyte beverages such as water, clear fruit juices, coconut water, oral rehydration solutions and sports drinks. These drinks help replenish fluids and electrolytes in the body.
• Add plain yogurt, buttermilk and kefir to your diet.
• Eat foods high in potassium and sodium to replace the minerals lost from diarrhea.
• High-potassium foods include apricots, avocado, bananas, canned tomatoes, oranges, pears, potatoes and sweet potatoes and tomato juice.
• High-sodium foods include broth or bouillon, canned soup, salty snacks , seasoned rice and pasta packets.

How Can You Tell The Difference Between Stomach Flu And Food Poisoning

If theres little to no difference between stomach flu and food poisoning symptoms, how do we tell them apart? In my experience, the main way to tell the two conditions apart is by taking a careful look at the patients background and recent history. With food poisoning, there is often a history of eating food that is contaminated or suspected to be contaminated. Food poisoning usually comes on quite quickly after eating contaminated food and tends to go away within a few hours to days. Meanwhile, depending upon the person and severity, stomach flu can last up to ten days.

Read Also: Does Birth Control Cause Diarrhea

Symptoms To Watch For And When To Seek Help

As Ive mentioned throughout this article, severe dehydration is what doctors are most concerned about when it comes to stomach flu and food poisoning. Therefore, if youre unable to hold down any fluids, its recommended to see a doctor. Here are some other potential warning signs to watch for. These may indicate the need for medical attention:

• If youre pale or light-headed
• If theres blood in your stool or diarrhea
• If diarrhea lasts for more than a week
• If youre having severe abdominal pain
• If youre over 65, pregnant, or have diabetes

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms or are considered a high-risk case, its time to speak to your doctor. During your visit, the doctor will probably ask for your medical history, do a physical exam, and take stool and blood tests. These will all help provide a diagnosis and determine if additional treatment is needed.

One additional red flag to know about is if youve recently been hospitalized or have used antibiotics in the last 3-6 months. If so, and you experience any of the concerning symptoms, you could have a C. diff bacterial infection.

This infection can develop after taking antibiotics and can cause severe abdominal pain, profuse diarrhea, fever, nausea, among other severe symptoms. Therefore, its worth talking to your doctor if any of these symptoms or indicators sound familiar.

Things You Should Avoid Eating Or Drinking

You should avoid certain kinds of foods when you have diarrhea, including fried foods and greasy foods.

Avoid fruits and vegetables that can cause gas, such as broccoli, peppers, beans, peas, berries, prunes, chickpeas, green leafy vegetables, and corn.

Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated drinks.

Limit or cut out milk and other dairy products if they are making your diarrhea worse or causing gas and bloating.

Read Also: Does Ibs Come And Go

What Can You Do At Home To Support Gut Healing

Fluids and food are central to helping your body regain its strength after the stomach flu or food poisoning. Though your appetite may be non-existent, drinking the right liquids and eating the right foods can help speed up your recovery. This is because your body has lost a lot of fluids, nutrients and electrolytes due to vomiting and diarrhea. You need to replace them to prevent dehydration, otherwise youll feel worse.

Whether youre suffering from the stomach flu or food poisoning, or whether youre vomiting or have diarrhea , the main rule is to do your best to hydrateand stay hydrated. In fact, drinking is something you should try to do from the time your first symptom rears its ugly head. While water is best, you can try herbal teas, sports drinks, or Pedialyte as long as you are able to keep them down. Small sips every few minutes will go a long way to help stay hydrated.

What To Do For Acute Diarrhea

Follow these tips when you have a bout of diarrhea:

• Stay hydrated. You will need to replace the fluids and minerals that your body is not absorbing due to the rapid transit of stool through your system. Try to drink water and clear fruit juice and sip broth.
• Don’t rush to use an over-the-counter diarrhea product such as Imodium or Kaopectate. These products should not be used if you have a fever or there is mucus or blood in your stools. Pepto Bismol may be an option but check with your doctor first. None of these medications should be given to children without prior approval from the child’s doctor.

Don’t Miss: How Do You Stop Heartburn

What Other Guidelines Should I Follow

• Drink liquids as directed. You may need to drink more liquids than usual to prevent dehydration. Ask how much liquid to drink each day and which liquids are best for you. You may need to drink an oral rehydration solution . An ORS helps replace fluids and electrolytes that you lose when you have diarrhea.
• Eat small meals or snacks every 3 to 4 hours instead of large meals. Continue eating even if you still have diarrhea. Your diarrhea will continue for a few days but should gradually go away.

What Not To Eat After Stomach Flu Or Food Poisoning

While doctors generally agree that you can eat anything your stomach can tolerate, its best to avoid foods that are spicy and fatty. These can be much harder for your stomach to digest than the bland BRAT diet.

You may want to be cautious of dairy products, even with probiotics, since they may irritate your stomach. I would also caution you against eating a big meal.

Instead, start slowly with small meals to see how your stomach handles the food. When youre just starting to eat again, avoid foods with strong odors, as they may trigger nausea and/or vomiting.

The bottom line is to use common sense. Listen to your body about what foods your stomach can and cannot tolerate.

You May Like: What Can You Use For Heartburn

Completely Avoid Fatty Foods

Myth. Greasy, fried foods often make diarrhea worse because they’re hard to digest. But eating a little fat could help ease diarrhea. The slow digestion of fats may reduce diarrhea symptoms. As long as you don’t have a problem absorbing fat, add a teaspoon of mayo, a pat of butter, or a little lean meat to your next meal. It may help with your symptoms.

Which Foods And Liquids May I Eat And Drink

Most people can tolerate the foods and liquids listed below. If any of them make your symptoms worse, stop eating or drinking them until you feel better. If you are lactose intolerant, avoid milk products.

• Dairy:
• Skim or low-fat milk or evaporated milk
• Soy milk or buttermilk
• Low-fat, part-skim, and aged cheese
• Yogurt, low-fat ice cream, or sherbert

Read Also: Can Probiotics Help You Lose Weight

Dehydration Is A Serious Risk

Fact. Diarrhea causes you to lose fluids. Losing too much fluid can bring on dehydration, especially in children. A child may be dehydrated if they seem thirsty, has a dry mouth or sunken soft spots on the head , or is urinating less than usual or crying without tears. Adults may have similar symptoms, as well as sunken eyes and lethargy. Call your doctor if you see signs of dehydration. Your doctor may recommend drinking oral rehydration solutions, water, uncaffeinated, low-sugar sports drinks, diluted fruit juices, and broths.

What Causes Diarrhoea

There are many different causes of diarrhoea, but a bowel infection is a common cause in both adults and children.

Gastroenteritis;can be caused by:

• a virus ;such as norovirus or rotavirus
• bacteria ;such as;campylobacter and Escherichia coli , which;are often picked up from contaminated food;
• a;parasite ;such as the parasite that causes;giardiasis, which is spread in contaminated water

These infections can sometimes be caught during travel abroad, particularly to areas with poor standards of public hygiene. This is known as travellers’ diarrhoea.

Diarrhoea can also be the result of anxiety,;a food allergy, medication, or a long-term condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome .

• you’ve lost a lot of weight
• you have passed;a large amount of very watery diarrhoea
• it occurs at night and is disturbing your sleep
• you have recently taken antibiotics;or been treated in hospital
• you have symptoms of dehydration
• your poo is dark or black this may be a sign of bleeding inside your stomach

You should also contact your GP if you have persistent diarrhoea. Most cases in adults will pass in 2;to 4;days.

Read Also: What Is The Human Microbiome

How K Health Can Help

In most cases, symptoms for the stomach flu and food poisoning are mild and last only a short time. If you have any other questions about what to eat after food poisoning or stomach flu, speak to a doctor.

Did you know you can get affordable primary care with the K Health app? , explore conditions and treatments, and if needed text with a doctor in minutes. K Healths AI-powered app is HIPAA compliant and based on 20 years of clinical data.

When To Visit The Doctor

Stomach bugs are very often caused by viruses and common culprits include norovirus and rotavirus. Generally, these pesky pathogens;cause irritation and inflammation of the lining of your stomach, also known as gastritis,;which can give rise to symptoms such as:;

• stomach cramps

As your immune system works hard to fight off the virus, you can also experience a fever and aching muscles and joints, which are also;common symptoms of other types of viruses too, such as the flu virus.

Luckily, unlike some other viruses, those which cause a tummy bug can often be eradicated fairly quickly and many people experience a 24 hour bug, by which time your immune system has shunned the invader and your symptoms start to ease.;If your symptoms persist for longer, however, or you experience any of the following symptoms, it’s time to go to the doctor:

• Blood in your vomit or poo
• Signs of serious dehydration including stopping peeing, dry mouth or eyes
• A high temperature or fever
• Swollen or painful tummy
• Vomiting that hasnt subsided after 24 hours.

A note on children:;if its a child that your worried about, much of the same advice stands with regards to keeping them hydrated and trying them out with some bland or binding foods. However, watch out for the warning signs as mentioned above and get them to the doctor if their symptoms don’t seem to be subsiding.

You May Like: Does Rice Help With Diarrhea