Photo Credit: New Line Cinema

Anyone been there?

Ah the joys of the digestive system. Diarrhea and Constipation. Many families joke about it. Many movies use its humor. We all just cannot escape it. And it normally ain’t funny in real life!

Of course, there are many reasons why the pipes are having some probs. The most common reasons for diarrhea are allergies, food sensitivities (sugar and milk are big triggers), bacteria overgrowth and virus or parasitic infections. There can also be underlying causes such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, IBS and diabetes to name a few.

Keeping it Real Y’all

Okay….brutally honest moment here. I have suffered from IBS since I was a kid. As an adult, I had a period of time where I had diarrhea for 3 1/2 years. Every. Single. Day! No doctor could figure it out and I went through test after test. It was horrifically brutal. I found that cleaning up my diet and transitioning to Paleo improved my digestion drastically. I also found that antibiotics use were a very huge culprit to my distress.

The Other Side Of The Coin

The opposite of diarrhea? Constipation! Ding ding ding! That comes with its own joys of not feeling like you are actually finished when you go, hard stools, straining, swollen and painful abdomen and even vomiting. The most common causes for constipation are related to our diet. Dairy products, food high in sugar, lack of high fiber foods (think veggies), alcohol, caffeine and a lack of water are the most common reasons. There are other factors that can cause constipation such as hypothyroidism, painkillers, some medications, depression and various inflammatory bowel diseases.

So, what can we do to relieve the misery?

The first thing is to see if there is an underlying issue at hand. If you have a chronic issue with either constipation or diarrhea and have run various tests for parasites, food allergies, bacteria or viruses and have come up empty, as you can tell from the above content, a lot of the triggers are food related sensitivities. My recommendation is to try eating a diet of protein (20%), veggies (80%) with the occasional fruit, nuts or seeds for at least 3 weeks to see if there is any relief in any of your symptoms. This may seem CRAZY and super strict but eliminating gluten, dairy, processed sugars, caffeine and alcohol can be enormously beneficial to not only your digestive health but to your overall well-being. It will not hurt to try this. It may seem overwhelming but it is total possible and YOU CAN DO IT!

My Favorite Food Cures For Diarrhea

Drinking Sauerkraut Juice: I didn’t just lose you, did I? Drinking some high quality sauerkraut juice has often stopped diarrhea dead in its tracks for me. It contains Vitamin U which has tremendous healing properties, especially in the digestive tract. It also contains great amounts of Vitamin C and glutamine. Glutamine hangs out in the intestines and has anti-inflammatory properties. It also has anti-microbial effects that inhibit the growth of e.coli, salmonella, listeria and more bad guys. If you suspect you have food poisoning reach for a jar of this stuff. My favorite brand of sauerkraut is Bubbies. I buy it at Ralph’s or you can buy it on Amazon in bulk.

Apple Cider Vinegar: If you haven’t heard, Apple Cider Vinegar is the cure for everything! By how great it is touted, I swear it cures world peace too. Hype aside, I’ve been using ACV for so many things for about 10 years with tremendous results. It is important to get the Apple Cider Vinegar with the mother in it. I use this with my daughter and husband when they have intestinal issues and it works wonders. I normally use a teaspoon in about 6 oz. for munchkin 2-3x/day and anywhere from 1-2 T. for us adults in 8 oz of water 3x/day. The vinegar is an effective agent that fights against bacteria that can lead to diarrhea. The high concentration of pectin helps soothe the lining of he colon. I use Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar. It is my fave by far.

Coconut Water: If you haven’t been able to keep anything down for a while and are afraid to eat and drink anything because of potential horrifying repercussions, reach for the coconut water. It contains natural sugars, vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, enzymes, amino acids, cytokine, and phyto-hormones. It is a great replenisher to the system. Please do not reach for Gatorade or some crazy vitamin water. Keep it simple and pure with coconut water. My advice is to keep coconut water refrigerated. It just tastes better that way.

My Favorite Food Cures For Constipation

Sauerkraut: Now we actually get to put the sauerkraut to use. Sauerkraut contains something called acetylcholine which promotes contraction and relaxation of the intestinal muscles. This can help get the train moving. I would recommend eating no more then 2 T. at a time and eat it along with a warm food item to help it go down easier. Sauerkraut also has great probiotic properties.

Photo credit: Designed to Nourish

Sweet Potatoes: The high fiber content of sweet potatoes is really the #1 reason I would recommend eating them for constipation. They are easily digestible so you can give them to babies right through to your grandma. They are a great source of Vitamin C, potassium, calcium and iron and will help the whole body move around easier.

Water: This is the most simple but most neglected cure. Get your drink on! Ladies drink at least 9 cups (2.2 liters) and men aim for 13 cups (3 liters). Chances are you are not drinking enough and don’t even know it. Keep that water train a goin’!

One Last Tip That Helps With Diarrhea & Constipation

Celery juice. Yep. Lots of it. Either juice it or put a little water and celery in a high speed blender and liquify. I use my Vitamix to do this. For it to be the most effective, drink it first thing in the morning. I would recommend starting with about 4-6 oz. then working up to 16oz. Wait about 15 minutes after consuming the juice before you eat solid foods. It’s affordable, has tremendous anti-inflammatory properties, and can really help with leaky gut, IBS, Crohn’s, Celiac’s, gluten intolerance and general overall health but is uber powerful in the areas of digestion.

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Do you have any food cures for diarrhea and constipation that have worked for you?

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