Traveler's Diarrhea

Copywrite© Cheryl A. Kasdorf, NMD

With a little knowledge and experience with homeopathy,
you will be well-equipped in case of diarrhea from foods you are not accustomed to,
or foods contaminated with parasites.

Contents:
Be Prepared
Recognize Your Symptoms
Watch for Dehydration
Dosage of Remedies
Other Tips
Remedy List

Be Prepared

Before traveling, it is wise to read up on the CDC website, www.cdc.gov/travel about the conditions at your destination.

Being careful about what you eat and drink is the first step in prevention, and taking a probiotic daily helps prevent digestive upset from foreign foods.

With a little knowledge and experience with homeopathy, you will be well-equipped in case of diarrhea from foods you are not accustomed to, or foods contaminated with parasites.

When I have equipped my patients with these, they came back and reported that they did not have problems, but ended up administering to their traveling companions.

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Recognize Your Symptoms

As with all homeopathic medicines, it is important to distinguish symptoms in order to match the remedy and get an effective treatment.

Acute Diarrhea

Cause: usually infection from eating or drinking contaminated food or water

Food Poisoning

Symptoms: loss of appetite, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, vomiting, sweating, and fever are common

Amebic Dysentery

Cause: a parasitic infection, contacted by ingesting cysts in drinking water or food contaminated with stool, usually happening in a part of the world where sanitation is poor.

Symptoms: painful abdominal cramps, loose watery stools, and gas. There may be mucus and blood in the stools. Frequently there is liver swelling and tenderness.

Complications: since it can be confused with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, a diagnosis should be confirmed with “ova and parasite” stool lab tests, and qualified medical follow-up is necessary.

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Watch for Dehydration

There are possible complications of all varieties of diarrhea. Often there is a loss of fluids and electrolytes which must be replaced.

Homeopathic remedies can stop diarrhea, but rehydration is still important. Pinch the skin on the hand, and notice how long it takes to spring back. It the skin holds a “tent” shape, then, rehydration should start immediately.

Emergen-C packets are easy to carry while traveling, and make an electrolyte drink when added to water.

If you have access to the ingredients, mix the following and sip continuously until the skin on the hand no longer “tents” after pinching:

clear fruit juice diluted 50% with purified water
1/2 tsp. salt -- per quart
1/2 tsp. baking soda -- per quart

Dosage of Remedies

Give three pellets every hour or two to four hours, depending on the severity, until you see improvement.

If there is no improvement after three doses, give a different medicine.

After you first notice improvement, give another dose only if symptoms begin to return.

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Other tips

Charcoal taken in capsules can reduce gas and absorb toxins in the gut. Remember you will have a black stool!

If hungry, eat a bland diet including bananas, rice, applesauce, toast at first.

Some acidophilus can help replenish healthy flora.

Rest is important.

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Remedy List

Aloe socotrina

Keynote: Feeling of insecurity in the rectum, as though stool would come out.

Stools are lumpy, gelatinous, slimy, bloody, and watery, and may be bright yellow

Mucus and burning pain in the rectum after stool

Mind: Irritable, discontented, and angry, with abdominal pain or constipation, Doesn't want to be around people

Generalities: Feels like stool will come out while passing gas, and it does

Rumbling and gurgling in the bowels; sudden urging to pass a watery, gushing stool

Hemorrhoids protrude like a bunch of grapes and bleed

Beer and oysters cause diarrhea, Better cool, open air, cold bathing, cold applications

Worse heat, summer, hot, damp weather, Worse after eating and drinking

Arsenicum album

Keynote: Food poisoning

Nausea and vomiting after eating or drinking

Severe abdominal cramping

Burning pains in the stomach, esophagus and rectum

Excessive anxiety and restlessness

Chilly and thirsty for frequent sips of water

Mind: Nervous and anxious, Needy and demanding, Afraid of death, Afraid of being alone, Complains that he won't get well

Diarrhea or indigestion is worse after eating and drinking, especially sour foods, fruit, and cold food or drinks

Stools are frequent, dark, watery, and bad-smelling, with blood and mucus

Indigestion stomach pains are lessened by drinking milk

Stomach pain at 2:00 AM

Vomiting after drinking

Better heat, Better warm food and drinks

Worse midnight to 2:00 AM, Worse cold food or drinks

Desire for milk, sour food, and the fat on meat

Croton tiglium

Keynote: Diarrhea gushing like a fire hydrant combined with skin rash like poison ivy

Diarrhea immediately after eating or drinking

Diarrhea that shoots out explosively in one big gush

Amebic dysentery or food poisoning

Mind: Anxious, as though something bad will happen, during the diarrhea

Strong urge to have a bowel movement with lots of watery diarrhea

Gurgling in the intestines from drinking even a little liquid or from eating a small amount of food

Sensation of sloshing in the intestines as if there is only water in them

Emptiness in the stomach

Nausea with retching and vomiting

Skin eruption feels thick and stiff

Better after sleep, Better gentle rubbing

Worse drinking or eating the least amount, Worse washing

Podophyllum

Keynote: Traveler's diarrhea

Rumbling and gurgling before the stool

Abdominal cramping with diarrhea, leading to exhaustion

Diarrhea with sudden urgency

Stools shoot all over the toilet

Diarrhea drives her out of bed at 5:00 AM

Mind: Fidgety, restless, and whining; Imagines she will become very ill or die

Stools are frequent, profuse, and liquid

Stools shoot out forcibly with gas into the toilet

Stools smell bad

Diarrhea is often painless

Yellowish-green stools

Liver pain

Better rubbing the liver area, Better lying on the abdomen, Better bending forward

Worse early morning around 4:00 or 5:00 AM, Worse hot weather, Worse sour fruit, Worse eating or drinking,
Worse motion

Sulphur

Keynote: Sudden explosive diarrhea makes her get out of bed at 5:00 AM

Heartburn after overeating or eating the wrong foods

Worse at 11:00 AM in general

Mind: Opinionated and critical; Thinking all the time, philosophical; Lazy; Usually messy, but sometimes very neat

Anus is red, sore, raw, and burning, and itches a lot

Stool is loose and burning

Rash on skin

Very smelly diarrhea, gas, perspiration, and discharges

Diarrhea from beer

Burning pain in the stomach and esophagus

Belching with a bad taste in the mouth

Better open air

Worse warmth, warmth of bed (sticks feet out from covers), Worse bathing, Worse left side

Desire for alcohol, sweets, and spicy food

Aversion to eggs, fish, and squash

Veratrum album

Keynote: Violent vomiting and diarrhea

Icy cold with cold sweat

Mind: Very active and busy, Restless

Diarrhea profuse, painful, watery

Forceful diarrhea followed by exhaustion and cold sweat

Collapse with bluish color of the face

Stools like rice water (as in cholera)

Better warmth, Better hot drinks, Better covering up

Worse cold, Worse cold drinks, Worse menstrual period, Worse fruit

Strong craving for sour juicy fruits, lemons, salt, cold drinks, and ice

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