Ayurveda and Science

Diarrhea

Home remedies

This condition is termed as Atisara in Ayurveda. Diarrhoea could be caused by any of the following: intake of foods of any particular quality in excess; foods incompatible with your prakriti or with seasonal variations; intake of foods that are not well cooked; contaminated water or other beverages etc. Further, in Ayurveda, diarrhoea is also described to be induced by mental causes and by toxins. Atisar is classified into 7 distinct types, namely Vataja, Pittaja, Kaphaja, Bhayaja (caused by fear), Tridoshaja, Shokaja (caused by grief) and Raktatisara (diarrhoea associated with bleeding).

Ayurvedic ingredients

Ingredients for Diarrhea

Butter Milk

Buttermilk can also help in anemia and loss of appetite. It has proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and essential enzymes. It can be used daily. Buttermilk has 90 percent of water. Its intake helps to maintain the body's water balance.

Whey

Whey is a good source of electrolytes including sodium and potassium, which are required during diarrhoea therapy. Minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus are present in solution and also partly bound to proteins.

Raw Banana

Bananas are useful in infective diarrhoea and dysentery as it is neutral, and soothes the irritated intestines. One can have raw banana or mix it with curd, the former is good for ulcerative colitis.

Poppy Seeds

Poppy seed is used to diagnose an abnormal connection between the bowel and the bladder (vesicoenteric fistula).

Pomegranate

Pomegranate is a great remedy to stop loose motion. You can drink pomegranate for quick results or can eat the fruit. Not just the fruit, pomegranate leaves are effective in treating loose motion.

Common Recipes:

During diarrhoea, ensure that you are on a suitable diet to overcome dehydration, as advised by your physician. Home remedies are just supplementary approaches.

Whey and buttermilk are considered effective remedies for diarrhoea. Whey is the liquid portion of curd while buttermilk is obtained by churning the curd after the fat has been removed. Take any one of them in small volumes at frequent intervals.

Raw banana is an effective astringent and is recommended widely as a diet for treating diarrhoea. Cut one raw banana into three pieces and soften them in a pressure cooker using an adequate volume of water. Drain out the excess water. Separate the peel and mash the softened pulp well. In a skillet, roast a small volume of poppy seeds till they turn brown. Grind them to obtain a fine powder. Add this powder to banana mash together with a pinch of salt. This delicious and nutritious recipe checks diarrhoea through its astringent properties.

The dried rind of a pomegranate is an invaluable remedy for diarrhoea. A fine powder of this rind, 1 gm twice a day, taken with buttermilk helps check the frequency of loose motions.