Try sources of soluble fibre to help firm up stool. Limit fried or fatty foods since these can worsen diarrhea. Some high fibre foods may contribute to diarrhea. Foods with lots of sugar may worsen diarrhea, such as regular pop, candy, large quantities of juice, and chocolate milk.
Food that firm stool also include: banana, white rice, peeled apple, apple sauce, cheese, white pasta, white bread, tapioca, smooth peanut butter, potato, pumpkin, yogurt, pretzels, and marshmallows. Insoluble Fibers speed up digestion and are useful for treating constipation.
One tried-and-true diet for diarrhea is the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. Low in fiber, bland, and starchy, these foods can help replace lost nutrients and firm up your stools.
Chronic and frequent diarrhea is an everyday experience for some people, but under normal circumstances, it shouldn't be. Your colon, where poop is formed, is reacting to something abnormal. Some people have chronic bowel diseases that cause chronic diarrhea.
Beans, Peas, and Other Legumes
The soluble fiber absorbs water and develops into a big sticky gel that can solidify your body's waste.
It increases the bulk in your stool, an effect that helps to cause movement of the intestines. It also works by increasing the amount of water in the stool, making the stool softer and easier to pass.
This action happens in your gut, which can make your stools bulkier and more formed. This means Metamucil can ease both constipation and diarrhea. This action can also relieve abdominal pain and discomfort in some people with IBS (2).
Mushy stool with fluffy pieces that have a pudding-shaped consistency is an early stage of diarrhea. This form of stool has passed through the colon quickly due to stress or a dramatic change in diet or activity level. When mushy stool occurs, it's hard to control the urge or timing of the bowel movement.
The key to bulking up your stool (and preventing endless wiping) is fiber. If you want to prevent the never-ending wipe, you need more fiber in your diet.
Loose stools are known for their loose consistency. They are mushy, can hold their shape, or do not hold their shape once they go into the toilet bowl. It can happen in regular intervals or occasionally. Diarrhea is a more frequent loose stool that occurs more than three to four times a day.
The well-known BRAT diet—bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast—fits the bill nicely. Other foods recommended on a diarrhea diet include soft-cooked eggs, low-fat yogurt, clear soups and broths, plain pasta, and soda crackers, like Saltines. Avoid foods that are high in fiber, acidic, or high in fat.
According to Dr. Lee, “For someone dealing with predominant diarrhea (the fast transit type where they have loose frequent bowel movements), eggs can be a friend and help bind up the bowel movements.”
Avoid fruits and vegetables that can cause gas, such as broccoli, peppers, beans, peas, berries, prunes, chickpeas, green leafy vegetables, and corn. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated drinks. Limit or cut out milk and other dairy products if they are making your diarrhea worse or causing gas and bloating.
This helps your stool to absorb and retain more water. This makes your stool larger and softer, making it easier to go. Metamucil doesn't work right away. It takes about 12 to 72 hours to see its effects.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking if you have had a sudden change in bowel habits in the past two weeks or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Do not give Metamucil to children younger than six years unless on a doctor's advice. Keep your Metamucil in a cool, dry, place, away from moisture and heat.
Any time of day is appropriate to take Metamucil as long as an adequate intake of fluids (at least 240 mL of water or liquid per serving) is consumed.
Eat foods that thicken the stool such as: rice, pasta, cheese, bananas, applesauce, smooth peanut butter, pretzels, yogurt, and marshmallows. Drink 2 or 3 glasses of fluid that will replace electrolytes like sports drinks, fruit or vegetable juice and broth but limit these items.
You should seek medical attention if you have loose or watery stools that last more than three or four weeks. You may need to be seen sooner than this if you have any of these "alarm symptoms": bloody diarrhea, fever, dehydration, weight loss or abdominal pain that interferes with your activities or prevents eating.
Most cases of acute diarrhea resolve without treatment. However, severe diarrhea (greater than 10 bowel movements a day or diarrhea where fluid losses are significantly greater than oral intake) can cause dehydration, which can be life-threatening if untreated.
The most common cause of diarrhea is the stomach flu (viral gastroenteritis). This mild viral infection most often goes away on its own within a few days.
Vitamin B12
A common repercussion of B12 deficiency is anemia, as a lack of red blood cells inhibits oxygen circulation. Lack of oxygen to the tissues of the GI tract, as seen in anemias, can cause diarrhea.