Most common causes are food allergies, food poisoning, bacterial or viral infections , and diseases such as influenza, Crohn’s Disease, ulcerative colitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Less common cause of diarrhea is cancer. Radiation treatment for cancer can cause diarrhea, as can laxatives, antacids, antibiotics and other medications.

In many cases, the diarrhea is uncomfortable but clears up by itself or with minor treatment. Standard medical treatment for diarrhea includes medication such as Immodium, Lomotil and antispasmoc such as Bentyl.

Alternative therapies for diarrhea include:

1. Aromatherapy Black pepper (Piper nigrum), camphor (Cinnamomum camphora), neroli (Citrus aurantium), peppermint (Mentha piperita), sandalwood (Santalum album).
2. Herbology. Cranesbjfl (Geranium maculatum), bayberry (Myrica cerifera), oak bark (Quercus robur), meadow sweet (Filipendula ulmaria).
3. Homeopathie remedies. Chamomilici, China officinalis, Colocynt his, Podorphyllum.
4. Nutrition. Folic acid, niacin, vitamins A, B12, C and K, magnesium, potassium and zinc.

You’ll find the nutrients in these and other foods:

- Folic acid, beans, spinach and walnuts;

- Niacin almonds, chicken, fish and whole grains;

- Vitamin A,  milk, cheese and beef and chicken liver;

- Vitamin B12, brook trout, salmon, eggs and yogurt;

- Vitamin C, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, grapefruit and parsley;

- Vitaimn K,  broccoli, lettuce and turnip greens;

- Magnesium, carrots and Onions;

- Potassium, bananas, carrots, tomatoes and green leaf vegetables;

- Zinc, cinnamon and milk.

I explain to my patients that it is important to look for and treat the underlying cause of the problem. As for the diarrhea itself, you want to replace the fluids, sodium, potassium, magnesium and electrolytes lost with the watery bowel movements.

For acute diarrhea, I may recommend drinking a sugary water solution containing sodium chloride (salt), sodium bicarbonate, potassium and magnesium. Rest is helpful, as is avoiding milk and dairy products, junk foods, high fat foods, caffeine, alcohol and highly seasoned foods.

In many cases, bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto Bismol) takes care of the problem.

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If the digestive system is to function properly, it must work in coordination with other internal organs, the liver, which produces bile, the gallbladder, which stores bile, and the pancreas, which produces digestive enzymes.

Digestion transforms fats into fatty acids and glycerol, proteins into amino acids, and carbohydrates into simple sugar, all to be used by the body as energy or as chemical building blocks. If a person overeats, all of the nutrients not used as energy or for maintaining body structure and function can be converted into body fat.

Digestive enzymes, found mostly in the liver and the pancreas, are chemicals manufactures in the body that help break down food into its nutrient components.

The energy we get from food is measured in calories, a unit that refers to the amount of heat necessary to raise one gram of water one degree centigrade. Saying that a portion of food has 250 calories means that when the food is digested and absorbed, it provides 250 calories worth of energy that the body can use.

The number of calories an individual needs to maintain daily activity depends on the person’s size, level of physical activity, and health. When inflammation is present, heat is being generated and more calories are being used, calories are also being burned by fever. Hence fighting inflammatory bowel disease actually requires a higher intake than a healthy person needs.

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For most individuals with lactose intolerance, dietary control is a simple matter of trial and error eating increasing amounts of lactose until symptoms appear, than backing off a little. Start by going on a lactose free diet for a week or more. Avoid all known dairy products and read the ingredients of processed foods to make sure you aren’t ingesting hidden lactose. Within days, you should notice a dramatic reduction in symptoms at mealtime. They may even go away completely.

Once your system is sufficiently cleansed, gradually reintroduce lactose containing foods to your diet. Start with small amounts perhaps a single scoop of ice cream rather than a heaping bowl and monitor your symptoms. If none occur, increase the mount in small, measurable increments over a period of days until you notice the onset of symptoms. That is your breakthrough point, the amount of lactose that your intestines can no longer comfortably digest. By decreasing that amount, you will know exactly how much of a given product you can enjoy without having to worry about intestinal distress.

Dietary control of lactose intolerance can be time consuming, but most people with the condition find it worthwhile because it enables them to continue eating their favorite dairy products, through usually in smaller amounts. It is also more cost effective because they don’t have to buy commercial enzyme products designed to make the digestion of lactose easier.

Culinary boredom can be reduced by incorporating nondairy alternatives into your menu. Soy products, for example, can often be substituted foe cow’s milk in many recipes, and a wide variety of nondairy alternatives are available for people with lactose intolerance, such as Tofutti instead of ice cream.

Certain low lactose international cuisines cal also make dinner time more fun and enjoyable. Chinese, Japanese, and Thai food make a tasty change of pace, and are acceptable for people with lactose intolerance because most Asian dishes use little, if any, cow’s milk.

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