11 Home Remedies To Treat Loose Motion – What To Eat?

Loose motion is a very common complaint among people of all age groups. It usually occurs after eating but can also occur at other times of the day. This condition can cause great discomfort and tiredness. In some cases, it can hamper your daily activities as it can cause dehydration and fatigue. In this post, we will discuss the causes of loose motion and some natural ways to manage its symptoms.

What Causes Loose Motion?

Loose motions are stools that are watery or mushy and may have a strong foul odor. When loose motions occur multiple times (three or more) during the day, the condition is known as diarrhea (1). The loss of fluids and minerals from your body can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances within the body.

Viral infections are one of the leading causes of loose motion in adults (2). Other causes include:

• Bacterial infections
• Intestinal diseases, such as colitis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Allergy to certain foods
• Malabsorption of food
• Certain medicines that can have a laxative effect
• Excessive consumption of alcohol

Infants usually produce loose stools, but they should be mostly soft. If the stool is watery and is accompanied by fever or congestion, it is diarrhea.

Note: Persistent loose bowel movements can have life-threatening consequences, and, therefore, must be treated immediately. You need medical back up if there is blood in the stool, you are so dehydrated that you are no longer urinating, or you have a fever.

Here are some remedies that you can try to get relief from loose motion.

Natural Ways To Treat Loose Motion

1. Coconut Water

Research shows that young coconut water can be used as an oral rehydration solution for children with mild diarrhea (3). However, it should not be used for patients who are severely dehydrated or have developed kidney issues.

You Will Need

1-2 glasses of coconut water

What You Have To Do

Consume a glass or two of coconut water.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this 1 to 2 times daily for a few days.

Note: Excessive consumption of coconut water can cause an increase in the level of sodium in your blood. Hence, you must stop consuming it once your symptoms have subsided. Also, as the coconut matures, the levels of potassium and sodium vary. Ensure you pick young coconuts.

2. Yogurt

Yogurt is a probiotic that can help regulate the gut bacteria (4). Along with this, it was also found to help in the treatment and prevention of diarrhea (5).

You Will Need

A cup of plain yogurt

What You Have To Do

Consume a cup of plain yogurt after your meals.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this 2 times daily for a week.

3. Cumin (Jeera) Water

Cumin (or jeera) can have a therapeutic effect on your gastric system. It may help regulate regular bowel movement, which, in turn, can help reduce indigestion and loose motion (6).

You Will Need

• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 1 glass of water 

What You Have To Do

• Add a teaspoon of cumin seeds to a glass of water.
• Bring this mixture to a boil in a saucepan.
• Allow it to cool a little before consuming it.

How Often You Should Do This

Consume this solution 3 to 4 times daily, preferably after every meal.

4. Chamomile Tea

Chamomile exhibits powerful antidiarrhoeal, antispasmodic, and antisecretory properties (7). This may help relieve loose motion by relaxing the muscles of the gut.

You Will Need

• 1-2 teaspoons of dry chamomile flowers
• 1 cup of water
• 1 teaspoon honey

What You Have To Do

1. Add one or two teaspoons of chamomile herb to a cup of water and bring it to a boil in a saucepan.
2. Simmer for 5 minutes and strain.
3. Allow it to cool for a while before adding honey to it.
4. Consume immediately. 

How Often You Should Do This

You can drink chamomile tea 2-3 times daily for a few days.

Note: If you are allergic to flowers from the Asteraceae family, you must avoid chamomile as it may cause an allergic reaction. In large doses, it may cause vomiting.

5. Apple Cider Vinegar

Research shows that apple cider vinegar exhibits antimicrobial properties (8), (9). This may help fight the microbes that cause infections and loose motion.

You Will Need

• 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
• 1 glass of warm water
• Honey to taste 

What You Have To Do

1. Add two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to a glass of warm water and mix well.
2. You can add a little honey for flavor and consume immediately. 

How Often You Should Do This

You can consume this solution 2 times daily for a couple of days.

Note: Consuming large amounts of undiluted ACV can cause digestive issues and increase potassium levels in your body. This will aggravate your condition.

6. Ginger

Certain bowel disorders, such as gastritis, may be caused by bacteria. Ginger is rich in bioactive compounds that possess anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties (10), (11). This may help soothe the gastric system and fight the infection causing loose motion.

You Will Need

• 1-2 teaspoons of freshly extracted ginger juice
• Honey to taste

What You Have To Do

1. Take two teaspoons of freshly extracted ginger juice and add some honey to it.
2. Consume this mixture directly.
3. If the flavor is too strong for you, you can mix the ginger extract with a cup of warm water before consuming it.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this at least 2 to 3 times daily until you notice an improvement in your condition.

7. Peppermint And Honey

Peppermint contains menthol, which exhibits antispasmodic properties (12). This may help soothe your stomach, thereby relieving symptoms of diarrhea.

You Will Need

• 1 teaspoon of peppermint
• 1 teaspoon of freshly extracted lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 cup of warm water

What You Have To Do

1. Mix a teaspoon each of fresh peppermint, lemon juice, and honey.
2. Add this mixture to a cup of warm water. Stir well.
3. Consume immediately.

How Often You Should Do This

You can do this 2 times daily.

8. Cinnamon And Honey

Cinnamon possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties (13).  This may help relax an upset tummy by eliminating any infection-causing loose motion and providing relief from discomfort.

You Will Need

• 1/2 teaspoon of powdered cinnamon
• Honey to taste
• 1 glass of warm water

What You Have To Do

1. Mix half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey with a glass of warm water.
2. Consume this solution while it is warm.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this 2 to 3 times a day for a few days.

Note: Consuming too much cinnamon can increase the risk of liver damage. Hence, use it only in prescribed quantities.

9. Oat Bran

In a study, unprocessed oat bran tablets were found to lessen the occurrence of diarrhea (14). Hence, oat bran can help reduce loose motion as well.

You Will Need

1 bowl of cooked oat bran

What You Have To Do

Consume a bowl of cooked oat bran.

How Often You Should Do This

Consume this 2 times daily.

10. Moringa (Drumstick) Leaves

Moringa leaves possess antioxidant and antimicrobial properties (15), (16).  These properties can help eliminate the infection that causes loose motion and provide relief from the discomfort.

You Will Need

• 1 teaspoon of moringa (drumstick) extract
• Honey to taste

What You Have To Do

1. Extract a teaspoon of fresh juice from moringa leaves.
2. Add some honey to it and consume immediately.
3. You can also consume dried moringa (drumstick) leaves by adding them to your daily diet.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this once daily for a couple of days.

Note: Do not consume more than the recommended quantity of drumstick leaves as this might worsen your condition. This is because, in high doses, they can have a laxative effect.

11. Black Tea With Lemon

Several studies show that black tea possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties (17), (18). These properties may help soothe inflammation in the digestive tract and fight off the pathogens causing loose motion.

You Will Need

• 1 teaspoon of tea powder
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1 cup of water
• Honey to taste

What You Have To Do

1. Add a teaspoon of tea leaves to a cup of water and bring it to a boil in a saucepan.
2. Simmer for 5 minutes and strain.
3. Wait for the tea to cool a bit before adding the honey and lemon juice.
4. Consume immediately.

How Often You Should Do This

You can sip on this tea 3 times a day.

Medical Treatment Options

If you are experiencing loose stools, you can also opt for the following over-the-counter antidiarrheal medicines:

• Loperamide is an easily available anti-diarrheal medicine that can help increase fluid absorption in the digestive tract by decreasing peristalsis or bowel movement (19).
• Bismuth subsalicylate (commonly sold as Pepto-Bismol) can have an antisecretory effect on the digestive system, thereby reducing frequent bowel movements (20).

In addition to over-the-counter medicines, it is helpful to know what foods can be included in your diet to accelerate your recovery.

What To Eat During Loose Motions And What To Avoid

• ORS

Oral Rehydration Solution is a mixture of sugar, electrolytes, and water. This is to be taken orally and is known to restore the fluid balance lost due to diarrhea or vomiting (21). This solution is made by mixing half a teaspoon of salt with six teaspoons of sugar in one liter of water.

• BRAT

The BRAT diet, also known as the low-residue diet, is helpful in soothing your digestive system. A bland diet is a lot easier to digest and thus helps your digestive system relax. It can also help decrease the frequency of bowel movements and firming your stool due to its bland nature (22). BRAT stands for ‘bananas, rice, apples, toast.’ In this diet, you will limit your food intake to these foods (23).

What To Avoid

Avoid the intake of milk and dairy products like cheese, fiber-rich foods with insoluble fibers, spicy food, alcohol, caffeinated beverages, aerated beverages, etc. (24).

Now that you are aware of the foods you must eat and avoid, ensure that you follow these tips to prevent the recurrence of loose motion.

Prevention Tips

• Stay hydrated by drinking enough water.
• Consume soluble fiber-rich foods like broccoli, peas, bananas, etc.
• Identify foods that you may be allergic to and stay away from them.
• Consume healthy and hygienic food. You may have to avoid fruit or fruit juices because an irritated GI tract may not be able to digest fructose.
• Avoid alcohol.

The remedies listed in this article are natural and may help reduce your discomfort. However, if your symptoms persist and your condition worsens, you must seek immediate medical help.

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