Problems and Remedies

Causes • Buffets - here the food may stay out at room temperature for long periods and breed bacteria • Dairy products • Fruits and vegetables, unpeeled • Ice • Salads • Street food • Undercooked animal protein • Water, tap Take a homeopathic remedy kit with you for traveler’s diarrhea: podohyllum (the best remedy for acute diarrhea) and arsenicum (for food poisoning). See homeopathic remedy section below. Remedies Folk Acidophilus Take acidophilus with meals whenever you feel sanitation or water supply may be questionable. This will help build up the "friendly" bacteria in your intestines. Either a tablespoon of liquid or one to two capsules should do the trick. One good product is called Culturelle (a probiotic formula). Apple cider vinegar For a preventive measure start taking a teaspoon of vinegar and a teaspoon of honey in a glass of water half an hour before each meal a few days before your trip. Continue this regimen during your trip. Bismuth Subsalicyla

Underlying Disease As A Cause • If you do not have a sudden bout of diarrhea and cannot identify the cause from those mentioned here, you may have one that is chronic due to some major underlying causes which you should discuss with your healthcare provider. Some of these are: • Lactose intolerance (lack of enzymes to digest milk sugar) is another common cause. • Gluten intolerance . You may not be able to tolerate certain foods that contain gluten (wheat, oats, rye and barley). See celiac disease below. • Various types of bowel problems , such as bowel cancer , irritable bowel syndrome , Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis . • A hyperactive thyroid can also cause diarrhea. • Food allergies are a very common cause of diarrhea. Proper testing will discover which one(s) you are allergic to. Eliminating the offending food may well stop the diarrhea. Have a blood test done or try an elimination diet to find out what is causing the diarrhea. • Celiac disease . This is a dise

Causes • Bacteria in food or protozoa in water are often the cause, but other causes are viruses , parasites in food and other sources. Diarrhea caused by intestinal parasites is the third leading cause of illness. If you have a number of the following symptoms: gas, diarrhea, chronic constipation, bloating, fatigue, skin rashes, nail biting, mood swings, insomnia, dry skin, brittle hair, hair loss, weight gain, bad breath, and muscle cramping, you should be tested for parasites. • Gastroenteritis , caused by a virus that has entered the digestive tract or contaminated food or water, causes inflammation, cramping, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Severe cases can lead to dehydration, so be sure to drink fluids and balance your electrolytes (take Pedialyte for young children and the elderly, and sports drinks for everybody else.) • Eating an excessive amount of fatty foods or fruit • F ood poisoning • Extreme fatigue • Stress or anxiety . What effects the mind ends up effecti

Diarrhea is characterized by frequent, watery bowel movements, often accompanied by stomach cramps, abdominal pain and gas. Diarrhea may be various colors and contain mucous, blood or pus. In general diarrhea is caused by a gastrointestinal problem, but may be a symptom of some underlying ailment such as: irritable bowel syndrome, diverticular disease, bowel cancer, celiac disease, pancreatitis, hyperthyroidism, Crohn’s disease, dysentery, AIDS or ulcerative colitis, among others. It is important, therefore, to discover the cause of the diarrhea. Diarrhea is one of Nature’s defense systems used to help rid the body of toxins and poisons as quickly as possible. It is important to know what diarrhea does to the body besides the obvious effects. The salivary glands in the mouth, the mucous membrane in your stomach, and the liver and pancreas produce saliva which is used in the digestive process to break down food. When diarrhea strikes the saliva is lost and the digestive p

A person may have a fever or even bloody stool due to different causes. If diarrhea is prolonged, its symptoms can be similar to hemorrhoids symptoms; both may cause rectum bleeding. Diarrhea is very rare the cause of hemorrhoids, but it can contribute if you already have other symptoms. Treat it seriously and persistently and it should go away, usually all it takes is to find what food your body does not absorb well. Long-term diarrhea causes hemorrhoids, due to bulging of the veins in the anal canal, and that is what causes hemorrhoids. Many people do not take diarrhea seriously, but there are several cases when delay in going to a doctor to get a proper diagnosis might result serious complications. For example: if it lasts for more then three days, you suffer from abdominal or rectal pain, along with high fever, there is blood in your stool or if you are dehydrated. If any of these symptoms apply you should immediately see your doctor. Children are exception, do not hesitate goi

The following medical conditions are some of the most possible causes of Green stool. There would be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms.    * Salmonella - can cause greenish stool (usually diarrhea)    * Giardia - can cause greenish stool (usually diarrhea)    * Swallowed postnasal drip - ie. from an upper respiratory disorder    * Intestinal disorder    * Starvation stools - usually in children; green watery stool caused by being on a liquid diet for a few days (e.g. if ill)    * See also dark stool, blood in stool, or stool color changes    * Normal breast-fed baby    * Gastroenteritis    * Certain foods    * Some cow milk formulas

Viral gastroenteritis is an infection in intestines that is caused by several different viruses. Being highly transmittable, viral gastroenteritis is the second most common illness in the United States. Each year millions of cases of diarrhea are reported. Although most people recover without any complications, however, viral gastroenteritis can be serious when people cannot drink enough to replenish the fluids lost through vomiting and diarrhea especially infants, young children, the elderly, and people with weak immune systems. Symptoms and Diagnosis The major symptoms of viral gastroenteritis are watery vomiting and diarrhea. Other major symptoms are headache, fever, chills, and abdominal pain. Symptoms usually appear within 4 to 48 hours after activation of virus. These symptoms lasts for 1 to 2 days, though symptoms can last as long as 10 days. If you experience theses symptoms you may want to see your doctor. Doctors generally diagnose viral gastroenteritis based on the symp