Example Diet against Diarrhea

Premise

The following indications are for information purposes EXCLUSIVELY and are not intended to replace the opinion of professional figures such as doctor, nutritionist or dietician, whose intervention is necessary for the prescription and composition of CUSTOMIZED food therapies.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea means a condition of intestinal discomfort that causes at least three daily evacuations of very soft or liquid stools. To be defined as such, it must have a duration of at least two days, before which the discharges have no diagnostic relevance.

Over 14 days it is defined as persistent and, if accompanied by mucus, blood, pain and poor evacuation control, is called dysentery. NB . In infants, liquid (but not aqueous) feces are considered normal.

Diarrhea causes significant fluid loss and, if continued, can lead to dehydration and mineral deficiencies.

Among the most common causes of diarrhea include intestinal infections or infestations (viruses, bacteria, parasites), food intolerances (lactose, celiac disease), hyperthyroidism, the use of drugs or food supplements, abuse of laxatives, the intake of irritating or osmotic molecules (lactulose, caffeine, capsaicin etc.), irritable bowel syndrome, intense cold, alteration of intestinal flora, psychosomatic action of catecholamines, diverticular disease and chronic inflammatory diseases intestinal (ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease).

The prevention and treatment of diarrhea are specific, therefore based on the triggering causes; a specific diet is always necessary.

In developing countries, diarrhea is a very frequent cause of mortality.

Diet

The diet for diarrhea is a diet necessary to restore normal fecal consistency.

As for prevention and treatment, food therapy must also take into account the causative agent. However, since in many cases diarrhea is idiopathic (the reason is not known), it is good to follow a diet that can be effective in each of the cases mentioned above.

The basic principles of a good diet for diarrhea are:

• Absence of nutrients subject to intolerance; it is always advisable to temporarily eliminate lactose and, for celiacs, it is advisable to treat food hygiene particularly by preventing contamination with gluten
• Absence of drugs, synthetic laxatives and unnecessary food supplements
• Absence of alcohol and other nerves (caffeine, theine, theobromine, etc.)
• Absence of irritating intestine additives (xylitol, polyphosphates, mannitol, etc.)
• Absence of spicy ingredients (capsaicin, piperine, gingerol, allicin, isothiocyanate, etc.)
• Absence of carbonized molecules during firing
• Absence of laxative foods
• Few fibers, trying to prefer soluble ones
• Fats in quantities not exceeding the norm (25-30%)
• Increasing the intake of mineral salts and water, paying attention to the osmotic concentration of any hydro-saline drinks
• Probiotic food consumption (yogurt, buttermilk, kefir, tempeh, miso, etc.)
• Possibly, consumption of astringent foods.

Diarrhea supplements

Potentially useful food supplements, to be associated with the diet for diarrhea, are different.

If the supply is not sufficient, it is advisable to use a hydrosaline type product, containing mainly water, potassium and magnesium; these will compensate for fecal eliminations even in case of persistent diarrhea.

Some choose more complex products, which also contain a good pool of vitamins. This choice is justifiable by the fact that, in the case of diarrhea, it is necessary to reduce the amount of plant laxative foods and / or those containing many dietary fiber.

It could be useful to supplement the diet with products based on probiotics, in order to preserve the integrity of the intestinal bacterial flora.

Moreover, many choose to take products that can increase fecal consistency, such as: clay, charcoal etc.

Example

Employee and shift worker. Celiac. He has been complaining about diarrhea for about a week, which arises immediately after breakfast.

Diet Day 1

As can be clearly seen from the summary table, the diet for diarrhea is rich in liquids (it supplies about 50% of the water needed only with food) and low in fiber. However, it is also necessary to point out that some nutrients are supplied in insufficient quantities; this explains the usefulness of food supplements. Of these, we mention: potassium, calcium, zinc, vitamin C, vitamin D and carotenoids (provitamin A).

NB . To increase the intake of calcium it is sufficient to prefer fortified soy milk and yogurt (with added calcium).

DAY 2

Diet Day 3

Diet Day 4

Diet Day 5

Diet Day 6

Diet Day 7