Unlimited trips to the bathroom – this is just one of the many discomforts caused by a bowel infection. It is often triggered by a virus that develops in the gastrointestinal tract, causing infection and inflammation. The bowel infection usually lasts up to six days or more, depending on how severe the condition is.
People with bowel infections also experience bloody stools, muscle pain, diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, headaches, sudden chills, vomiting, and fever. It’s as if it drains out all of the energy you have in your body. Eating seems pointless since the food will be flushed out of your system anyway. Bowel infections, although contagious, can also disappear after several days (more serious cases take longer and require medication).
Since it’s too risky to go out of the house when you have a bowel infection, we listed some natural remedies that you can do to treat your condition without leaving your home:
Eat Liquid Food
Your stomach gets rid of everything that you eat during the first two days of the infection. That said, it’s best to avoid solid foods such as meat, bread, rice, etc. and switch to liquid food like oatmeal. Load up on vegetable juices, fresh fruit juices or smoothies, and water. This will help treat the inflammation in your stomach and the bowel infection.
Eat Foods That Are Rich in Fiber
When you notice improvements after taking only liquid foods for the first two days, you can now start eating semi-solid foods. Be sure to eat fiber rich foods such as whole grains, seeds, apples, raspberries, beans, broccoli, pears, nuts, and cereals. Fiber can be easily digested by your system and it can soften stools, making it easy for bowel to pass through. This helps cure the gastrointestinal inflammation caused by bowel infection.
Load Up on Water
It’s important to regularly drink water while you’re suffering from bowel infections to ease the pain caused by the inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Water softens stools, keeps your body hydrated, and helps flush out the virus that triggered the bowel infection. It is highly recommended that you drink a minimum of ten glasses of water each day to speed up your body’s recovery effectively.
Have a Slice of Ginger
Ginger contains both antiviral and antibacterial properties that are crucial in fighting all kinds of infections in your body. It improves bowel movement, helps treats the inflammation and other symptoms triggered by the bowel infection.
Get a slice of ginger and grind it until it forms a paste. Swallow the paste after. Do this three times a day for best results. You may also squeeze juice from a few slices of ginger. Add a cup of water and some honey to the mixture.
Sip Peppermint Tea
Sipping peppermint tea can help treat stomach cramps and acidity because of its antispasmodic properties. Drinking this tea while you’re suffering from bowel infection can help the ease the inflammation and the pain triggered by the bowel infection. Abdominal gas and bloating will also be reduced because of the peppermint’s carminative properties. For best results, sip a minimum of two glasses of peppermint tea daily.
Sip Saline Solution to cure the Infection
This solution helps stimulate bowel movement especially if you drink it first thing in the morning. Mix one glass of water and one tablespoon of sea salt. Let the mixture boil. After ten minutes, drink the saline solution and then lie down. Gently massage your stomach by guiding your hands from the stomach to the directionof the intestines. This will help eliminate bacteria, harmful toxins, parasites, accumulated waste, and other impurities in your stomach that may have caused the infection. Do this remedy everyday for best results.
Sip Fresh Lemon Juice
If you need to clean your colon and get rid of all the organisms and impurities that caused the bowl infection and blocked your intestines, then you should drink a glass of fresh lemon juice. Lemon has natural antioxidant properties that can improve your bowel movement and lessen the symptoms caused by the bowel infection. Mix fresh lemon juice, salt, and honey in a glass of warm water. Drink this fresh juice every morning before breakfast until you see some improvements.
Devour a Bowl of Fresh Fruit Yogurt
Fresh fruit yogurts (yogurt topped with fruits such as apples, bananas, etc.) are packed with good bacteria – these are your defenses against the bad bacteria in your stool, which will help speed up your recovery. It contains high levels of calcium that can treat the inflammation of your gastrointestinal tract. Enjoy a cup of fresh fruit yogurt three times a day. Try not to add sugar because that will only worsen the condition. However, you have the option to add yogurt to your snacks and salads.
Add Flax Seed to your Daily Meals
Add flax seed to the food that you regularly eat. This is will help clean your colon and improve your bowel movement. The antioxidant properties of flax seed can remove stomach impurities and flush out harmful toxins that are blocking your digestive tract. Flax seeds also contain high levels of fiber that can speed up the digestion process which will help stop the accumulation of food that may worsen existing stomach conditions or trigger bowel infections. It can fortify the cells located in your intestinal and digestive tracts because of the omega 3 fatty acids found in flax seeds. Get flax seeds and grind them until it forms a powder. Mix the powder in glass of water and drink this after breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Important: Do your research and consult your doctor before doing these home remedies. While it’s written that these remedies can help cure bowel infections, your body might react differently to some of the ingredients.
