Diarrhea causes watery stools. Usually, in the case of acute diarrhea (lasting up to a week), the condition improves without any medical intervention. For chronic diarrhea (lasting more than a month), the treatment may involve treating the underlying cause.

Chronic diarrhea causes can include any number of bowel diseases, pancreatic injuries, medicine use and infections. Acute diarrhea commonly occurs due to viral and bacterial infections. For severe cases, always seek medical treatment.

However, some effective natural remedies can ease diarrheal symptoms during treatment as well as for mild cases without treatment.

• Drinking adequate plain water and food with a little bit of salt can prevent dehydration and ease diarrheal symptoms.
• Include bananas, white rice, steamed carrots, steamed lean meat, skinless mashed potatoes and yogurt in your diet. Avoid milk, sour cream, vegetables that can cause gas, beans, and nuts. Probiotics (good bacteria) in yogurt helps to restore gut health and aids in the treatment of diarrhea. Some chronic diarrhea symptoms can severely inflame the intestines. A regular consumption of plain yogurt can provide a lot of relief from pain and bloating.
• Avoid foods with high amounts of fats and spices. During diarrhea, it is best to stick to a diet of bland foods. You can eat steamed white rice with a serving of yogurt, bananas with oatmeal, white bread with applesauce, steamed or baked skinless potatoes without butter or salt. Also avoid artificial sweeteners, rehydration drinks in excess and caffeinated beverages. You can drink a glass or two of plain water mixed with both salt and sugar. This helps to restore lost salts in the body and ease up diarrheal symptoms.
• Adults with acute diarrhea can consume psyllium husk with water to bulk up stools.
• Chronic diarrhea causes like celiac disease, gluten intolerance, and other small bowel diseases can wreak havoc on your system. Avoid the food that triggers these causes and consult with a doctor for treatment. The same applies to other chronic diarrhea causes like intolerance of lactose, fructose, and sorbitol. Avoid drinks and foods that contain these sugars.

These home remedies can be very effective to manage diarrhea. In the case of severe symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.