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2torial #0787:
Learn2 Cope with
Diarrhea (Continued)
 Avoid aggravating foods
- Watch the temperature: avoid
extremely hot or cold foods. Any extemes in
temperature will jar your intestines, which are
already in a sensitive state.
- Watch out for fats. Baked goods,
butter and margarine, mayonnaise and meats
contain fats that are difficult to digest, and
will hinder the healing progress. Greasy and
spicy foods, rich desserts, and foods with
refined sugar are also unhelpful.
- Be wary of dairy: Many people,
especially adults, suffer from diarrhea
due to lactose intolerance. They lack the
enzyme to digest lactose, the sugar naturally
occuring in milk. If you have a milk product
but your body doesn't have the enzyme for the
lactose, the bowel can't absorb the lactose, and
eliminates the milk product immediately. (You experience this as
diarrhea ). Remember that foods like ice cream,
puddings, cheese, butter, sour cream and cream
cheese are also milk products. (Yogurt is the
one exception to this rule--see Step 5
for more details.)
- Know your fiber. Beware of these
otherwise very healthy foods: bran cereals,
corn, whole grain breads, dried and unpeeled
fruits, raw vegetables and popcorn. They
contain insoluble fiber (fiber doesn't
absorb water), which means these foods will
shoot through your body without absorbing the
excess water in your bowels. See Step 7
for the lowdown on soluble fiber and
its helpful properties.
- Pit fruits (peaches, plums, and
cherries) may worsen the diarrhea and should be
avoided.
- Stay away from caffeine. Remember
that it's found in chocolate as well as in
coffee, tea (excepting herbal teas) and
soft-drinks. A stimulant like caffeine will
speed up the action of your intestines, and
that's the opposite of what you need. Your
intestines need to relax and slow down.
- Avoid alcohol and tobacco. These
contain chemicals that your body has to work
extra hard to process. Right now your body needs
to save its strength to deal with the diarrhea.
 Step
5
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