How Long Should You Wait to Eat After Diarrhea? (2024)

FAQs

How Long Should You Wait to Eat After Diarrhea? ›

So what can you eat, and when, after having diarrhea? During the first few days, your digestive system won't take well to foods you normally eat, like cooked meat, vegetables, fruits or dairy products. So it's best to wait at least 24-48 hours before trying to reintroduce these foods to your stomach.

The foods you eat can cause and help your body recover from diarrhea. When you have diarrhea, get lots of rest, drink plenty of water, and start introducing BRAT foods after a few hours. After a day or 2 of bland, soft foods, you can add in foods like lean ground chicken and scrambled eggs.

As you feel better, return to a normal, healthy diet. The BRAT diet doesn't provide all the nutrients of a healthy diet. You should be able to start eating a more regular diet, including fruits and vegetables, within about 24 to 48 hours after vomiting or having diarrhea.

Diarrhoea is passing looser, watery or more frequent poo (stools) than is normal for you. It affects most people from time to time and is usually nothing to worry about. It can be distressing and unpleasant. It normally clears up in a few days to a week.

One of the most familiar anti-diarrhea strategies is the BRAT diet (which stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast). But there are other foods that are just as useful, including soft-cooked eggs, low-fat yogurt, clear broths, plain pasta, and saline crackers.

Doctors recommend giving your stomach a rest for the first six hours after vomiting or diarrhea, Beal says. Drink small amounts of water frequently to avoid dehydration. Later that day, you can progress to clear liquids — anything you can see through and sip.

The BRAT diet—bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast—and other bland, low-fat foods may be ideal when you have diarrhea. As you start to feel better, you will want to add other foods back in slowly. The goal is to ensure you get enough nutrients, without further aggravating your digestive tract.

Summary. To treat diarrhea and feel better faster, try eating only bland foods temporarily, staying hydrated, and incorporating probiotic-rich foods or supplements. Over-the-counter medications can also help. Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider if your diarrhea doesn't go away within two days.

Most bugs need time to multiply to harmful levels and travel through the digestive system. If you experience diarrhoea in less than 4 hours from eating it is not likely to have been caused by the recent meal. Consider the previous meals or even food you ate the day before.

What simple trick empties your bowels immediately? ›

Your Colon Is Never Empty

Many people believe they have emptied out their colons after multiple episodes of diarrhea or that they can keep their colons empty by avoiding food. However, since stool is made up in large part of bacteria, fecal matter is continuously being formed. Stool is made up of: Bacteria.

The banana, rice, applesauce, and toast (BRAT) diet may help treat diarrhea, stomach flu, and other stomach complaints. However, many health professionals no longer recommend it due to the risk of nutrient and calorie deficiencies.

So what can you eat, and when, after having diarrhea? During the first few days, your digestive system won't take well to foods you normally eat, like cooked meat, vegetables, fruits or dairy products. So it's best to wait at least 24-48 hours before trying to reintroduce these foods to your stomach.

If you have diarrhea, consuming eggs may provide relief. You may consume scrambled or boiled eggs that may slow bowel movements and provide relief from frequent trips to the bathroom. However, if you have constipation, consuming eggs may worsen symptoms.

You may even have a fever, along with chills. If you've had diarrhea for a few days, you may feel lightheaded or weak. This comes from rapidly losing the minerals, sugar, and water that your body needs. Normally, diarrhea won't cause you to lose control of your bowels – if this happens, you should consult your doctor.

Research shows that following a restricted diet does not help treat diarrhea in most cases. Most experts do not recommend fasting or following a restricted diet when you have diarrhea.

What foods help diarrhea go away? Eating bland foods can help diarrhea clear quicker and prevent stomach upset and irritation. This can include bananas, plain white rice, applesauce, toast, boiled potatoes, unseasoned crackers, and oatmeal.

For some people, the combination of fasting and diarrhea can even lead to passing out. For these reasons, it's recommended to end your fast until symptoms improve, and then continue to fast once you're no longer experiencing diarrhea and its side effects.

Resting. Having diarrhoea for more than a couple of days can be exhausting. You are bound to feel very weak and tired if you have lost a lot of fluid. So it's very important to let your body rest when you can.