Diarrhea
The small intestine is where food nutrients are absorbed, then pushed into the large intestine (where water is absorbed) and then to the rectum in preparation for evacuation. At this stage they are usually moist and firm and pass easily.
Acute diarrhea is the frequent passing of unformed, loose and watery feces.
The most common cause of this is “gastro” (gastroenteritis) - an infection or food poisoning. Viruses are the most common cause and they work by irritating the intestinal lining and causing inflammation which slows or even stops the absorption of water from the processing of food. It may also be caused by medications, over-consumption of alcohol, and even emotional stress.
Acute diarrhea usually lasts only a day or two, which for the victim seems like a lifetime.
Recently I saw an ad for an anti-diarrhea drug. It told us in firm words that diarrhea was not natural and should be stopped as soon as possible, if not before, by using their drug. They are selling a product after all! BUT what if the body is actually a smart piece of equipment that uses the mechanism of diarrhea as a cleansing and healing process, getting rid of body irritants/poisons. It really makes no sense to suppress the body’s defence mechanisms, does it? As the body does its best to heal, give it rest and plenty of water. The stuff to worry about is a chronic diarrhea! Imagine a diarrhea that lasts 4 weeks or more. This could indicate (one of) a range of diseases including inflammatory bowel disease/allergies/parasites etc. You will want to seek medical help should this occur. Also seek help if during the passage of these wet feces (or any feces actually) you see blood or pus.
You may wish to reconsider anti-diarrhea drugs. If your diarrhea is caused by infection or food poisoning, these drugs may keep the infection inside your body longer, i.e. keep you sicker longer. The phrase “better out than in” applies to this situation. And if it is a long term chronic situation, you may be lulled into a false sense of security, and not take the appropriate steps if you hide the symptoms.
Remember to drink plenty of fluids.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Related posts:
