Diarrhoea

Why are you going around 8-10 stools a day.?

Ever wondered about the rollercoaster of a gut that denies us of having bare minimal bowels on certain days and then leaves us to the struggle of trying to contain the uncontrollable bowels on other days..?

Two toilet issues that are potential enough to take away the fun of an entire day from us. It is likely enough to ruin our mood and cause us to lose our appetite, vexing us. Are they not? So let's discuss the same.

We understand your battle with frequent bowels. Those consistent trips to the bathroom holding your tummy that's dying of spasms and fighting the trauma of losing it on the way as you barely make it to the toilet.! We get it.! It's hard to conclude which is worse, constipation or diarrhoea.!? But first things first. Diarrhoea demands immediate attention before the hydration levels of your body drop. So, let's learn more before you shoot in the dark!

What Is Diarrhoea?

For those of you who are trying to comprehend 'What is diarrhoea?' Let's say that it's a digestive system condition in response to external stressors and other gut-related causes.

You experience severe painful contractions starting from your stomach to your intestines during every bathroom session, which forces you to empty your gut till its very last content. Even the warm water you drink for relief might go out to the toilet, making you uncomfortable and unsure if you should eat or drink anything. Every toilet session leaves you feeling weaker and weaker as your entire lower abdomen burns during the process of passing the stools, almost like you are giving away fire through your anal opening. Loose motion isn't a joke.! And Diarrhoea is cut from the same cloth but on an advanced level.

Ayurvedic causes of Diarrhoea.

In the timeless science of Ayurveda, Diarrhoea is correlated to 'Atisara'. Atisara is caused by an impaired bio-fire, or Jatharagni, driven by what we call the triggers of our gut, such as bacteria, certain foods, etc. As a result of impaired Agni, indigestion and resultant endotoxin build-up occurs, known as 'Ama'. This endotoxin build-up aggravates Vata dosha (The air element in our body), and the excess fluid in the body's tissues is reduced and sent into the abdomen. Accounting for the frequent bowel movements caused by Pitta dosha (the fire element), the fluid contents combine with the stools to form loose faeces. This is loose motion or, in intense cases, Diarrhoea.

Imbalance of doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha).

Atisara, as per the acharyas, can be caused by tridoshic imbalances and depending on the dosha involved, the character of stools and diarrhoea symptoms also differs.

In a Vatika Atisara, the defecation will be associated with severe colic pain and with constant gurgling sounds. The stool will appear slimy, rough, liquid mixed with mucus and will float on water due to Vata predominance.

In Paittika, Atisara shows frequent bowels with yellow, greenish or black stools. Excessive thirst, burning sensation, colic pain, fainting and foul smell accompany the condition. Stools will mainly be mixed with bile and sometimes blood.

In Kaphaja Atisara, stool will be voided frequently but in small quantities, and patients will be in continuous pain. The stool will be mixed with phlegm and undigested food particles, white in colour, with foul smell, unctuous and slimy.

Poor digestion and weak Agni (digestive fire).

Agni is the kindled biofire in Ayurveda that is closely associated with excretory and digestive health. For the same reason, the digestive metabolism is hampered first when we go green around the gills. Any digestive problems, be they symptoms of indigestion, loose motion, or burning sensations, can all be linked to a compromised Agni, which ultimately results in metabolic errors and unhealthy bodily reactions.

A strong bio-fire keeps Tridoshas regular by nourishing the body's tissues. According to Ayurveda, a person's bowel habits, excretion mode, and nature vary depending on their Tridoshic predominance.

Diarrhoea Symptoms.

Diarrhoea symptoms differ according to the dosha involved in an Ayurvedic perspective. The general diarrhoea symptoms include:

• Cramps in the abdomen.
• Stomach pain.
• Bloating.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Frequent bowels.
• Loose stools.
• Bloody stool.
• Stool mixed with mucus and phlegm.
• Fever.
• Dehydration.

Diarrhoea Diagnosis.

Diarrhoea can be easily diagnosed from symptoms alone, but the reason needs to be thoroughly investigated.

• Fresh stool examination.
• Stool culture.
• Serum antibody test.
• Tests to look for the presence of parasites also need to be carried out.

Also, a blood count check, measurements of fluid and electrolytes, and kidney function tests can help detect the severity of diarrhoea.

Treatment and Ayurvedic Remedies for Diarrhoea.

Management of Mild Diarrhoea:

Dietary Changes:

A diet pacifying Pitta and Vata needs to be administered as the first step. The gut needs to be kept healthy by nourishing diet plans limiting caffeine, overly spicy/salty foods, and more liquid food items to help the patient stay hydrated.

Also, once the patient recovers after the disease takes its toll on their health, his digestive power needs to be gradually increased. So, ayurvedic protocol suggests thin gruel mixed with buttermilk as a light diet recommendation soon after the disease, and then shift to thick gruel, vegetable soups, and boiled rice mixed with meat soup to boost the Agni or digestive fire. This is the primary step of ayurvedic diarrhoea treatment. Focus on easily digestible foods like cooked rice, mild spices, and well-cooked vegetables.

Hydration:

• To soothe the digestive system, drink plenty of fluids, including herbal teas like Chamomile, Holy basil, Licorice or Fennel.
• Whey and buttermilk are also considered effective remedies for diarrhoea. Whey is the liquid portion of curd, whereas buttermilk is obtained by churning the curd after the fats have been removed. Take them in small volumes at regular intervals.
• As an electrolyte-rich beverage, coconut water is a good choice for diarrhoea. It has been established that coconut water effectively treats dehydration from mild diarrhoea.
• Black tea or green tea can also help curb diarrhoea and improve hydration.

Ginger:

Incorporate ginger into your meals or consume it as a tea. Ginger is known for its digestive and anti-inflammatory properties. The active ingredients in ginger, namely gingerol and shogaol, are known to have anti-inflammatory properties that encourage the production of gastric juice, which is necessary for food digestion. Acute conditions of diarrhoea are relieved by ginger as it slows down bowel movements and permits waste to pass through the digestive system at a regular pace (loose stools). Ginger eases constipation and lessens food stagnation as well. It eliminates bacteria that cause severe diarrhoea, thus detoxifying and safeguarding the digestive tract.

So, you could easily incorporate ginger in your regular morning and evening tea to keep your routine gut health in check. Cut the ginger into thin pieces and add them as you boil water for your traditional tea. Strain and add sugar and tea leaves, and serve warm in glasses.

Other Herbal remedies: Consider Ayurvedic herbs like Kutaja (Holarrhena antidysenterica) or Bilva (Aegle marmelos) to help control diarrhoea. These herbs are traditionally used for their anti-diarrheal properties.

The classical text Ashtanga Hrudaya prescribes, advice decoction made from a paste of herbs like :

• Bilva
• Dhanika
• Musta
• Nagara, and
• Valaka.

Or the herbal decoction from,

• Bida
• Patha
• Vaca
• Pathya
• Krimijit and
• Nagara.

These are herbs that contain,

• Grahi (water absorbing),
• Dipana (carminative), and
• Pacana (digestive) properties.

Some common herbal home remedies:

Bael fruit or Bilwa: The pulp of this fruit can be consumed with warm water twice for relief.

Fenugreek seeds: Powdered fenugreek seeds can be consumed with buttermilk for quick relief.

Pomegranate- Pomegranate has been traditionally used in Ayurveda to treat diarrhoea. The fruit can be boiled in water, strained and served in diarrhoea. Alternatively, boil 50g of Pomegranate rind in 250 ml of milk or reduce it to one-third. This can be taken in 3 doses for maximum effectiveness.

Nutmeg seeds: Dried nuts can be crushed and administered with honey for prompt results.

Lemon and mint: 1 teaspoon of lemon juice can be mixed with one teaspoon of mint juice and administered with honey to relieve Diarrhoea.

Management of Moderate Diarrhoea:

Ayurvedic Formulations: Certain Ones may be recommended based on individual constitution and symptoms.

Some common formulations from Kerala Ayurveda:

Vilwadi lehyam:

Kerala Ayurveda's Vilwadi Lehyam is an authentic herbal jam rooted in the ancient Malayalam Ayurveda recipe book - Sahasrayogam. This potent Ayurvedic medicine is infused with gut-friendly herbs, which help alleviate stomach-related digestive issues such as nausea, diarrhoea and indigestion. Kerala Ayurveda's Vilwadi Lehyam, with the goodness of vilwa and other gut-healing herbs, effectively reduces symptoms caused by impaired Agni.

Kutajarishta:

Kutajarishta is very beneficial against all types of Diarrhoea and is used in loose motion treatment in Ayurveda. It also resolves stomach-related issues and intestinal parasites.

Mustharishta:

It is an excellent Ayurvedic formulation which relieves bloating and indigestion. By correcting the digestive metabolism, this can be effectively employed to combat diarrhoea.

Management of Severe Diarrhoea:

Medical Consultation: Seek immediate medical attention for severe cases to determine the underlying cause and appropriate treatment.

Diarrhoea treatments in Ayurveda are conditional. The Ashtanga Hrudaya advises that Diarrhoea destroys digestive fire; hence, Langhana (fasting) is the primary and ideal remedy. It is followed by emesis if the patient suffers from excess salivation, flatulence and abdominal pain. Acharya also advises that a patient having severe purgation shouldn't be given sthambhana or sangrahana (drugs that stop purgation) in the initial stages of treatment as the medicine wouldn't be digested to bring the effect.

To curb the doshas blocking the channels, it's advised to administer herbs like Haritaki, which will restore doshic balance. The patient will be made to abstain from heavy foods, and it is recommended to take with the decoction prepared from herbs like pippali, sunthi, bilva, musta, nagara, krimijit, hing, etc.

Avoid Self-Medication: In severe cases, it's crucial not to rely solely on Home remedies. Collaborate with your Ayurvedic physician or healthcare professionals for a comprehensive treatment plan.

Conclusion.

We should take good care of our digestive systems. Both adults and children, irrespective of age, report common metabolic errors. It involves conditions like constipation, nausea, acidity, burning sensations, loose motion and vomiting. In most people, it resolves independently because all our bodies can mend themselves. But you must dig into the details if your gut is under the weather more often, whether it's fixed by itself or not. It might not be a typical optimal reflex, especially in cases like diarrhoea and loose motion, which happens in response to minimal stressors. You will only find an answer once you discuss or inquire about it. We are here to assist you with herbal remedies. Let's have stronger 'guts' with Ayurveda.