Foods to eat when yOU have Diarrhoea
Posted Monday, February 3 2014 at 02:00
Diarrhoea is the passing out of three or more loose stools per day, which leads to dehydration and loss of nutrients from the body.
Teddy Nakyanzi, a nutritionist at Diet Clinic in Kamwokya, says when a person develops diarrhoea; they need to take a lot of fruit juice and soups from foods such as beans, meat fish, and vegetables. “These provide an easy source of protein, thus providing a safe way to get nutrients back into your body,” she notes. Eating mineral-rich foods such as bananas which contain potassium are also good sources to replace lost minerals. Besides, they also contain soluble fibre that helps to retain water in the body.
“To keep hydrated, one should drink at least eight glasses of water per day and eat soft meals such as Irish potatoes which have low-fibre content, and are easily digested by the body,” says Nakyanzi. “When someone has diarrhoea, they should drink plenty of water, rice soup and take oral rehydration salts. These salts contain sodium chloride, which helps to replace the lost minerals from the body,” says Dr Keze Tumwebaze from Rainbow City Hospital.
Dr Tumwebaze however advises against taking milk, which he says will instead accelerate the situation because of lactose (a form of sugar) in the milk.