A lot of my patients get diarrhea, and it can be a huge problem for them. Many people associate diarrhea with parasites like Blastocystis and Dientamoeba fragilis. However, there are also food and drinks that can trigger very loose bowel movements. Some of the items in your diet and lifestyle that can cause diarrhea are:
1. Alcohol: For many people, alcohol can trigger diarrhea. If you’re a regular drinker and your bowel movements are becoming overly loose, you may want to back off a bit. Cut back on the wine, the beer, and the hard liquor. You might not have to stop entirely, but definitely cut back to see if there is a cause and effect.
2. Caffeinated beverages: Caffeine stimulates the bowel for some people. Other people can get constipated from caffeine. I’m not opposed to a cup of coffee in the morning, but I certainly wouldn’t recommend having three, four, five, or six cups a day. If you’re drinking excessive amounts of coffee or caffeinated tea, cut back an see if your diarrhea diminishes.
3. Smoking: Nicotine has been linked with diarrhea. If you’re vaping, smoking, or chewing tobacco, you may want to cut back for several reasons, not just gut health.
Further readings:
- Why Some People Are More Prone Autoimmune Disease?
- Treating Anxiety and Depression By Fixing Your Gut Flora
- The Management of Chronic Bloating Due To Candida
- Metabolites, Mycotoxins, and Acetaldehyde – What Are They?
- The Bowel Purge Protocol
4. Brassicas: If you have a really messed up gut, including low levels of beneficial bacteria and imbalanced flora, brassica vegetables can lead to gas and loose bowel movements. Brassicas include broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, and Brussel sprouts, to name a few.
5. Spicy foods: Chid, cane pepper, too much garlic, too much cumin, or far too much turmeric can all cause digestive problems including diarrhea.
6. Fatty foods: Fatty foods can cause loose bowels, particularly in people with pancreatic dysfunction. Be careful about eating anything deep-fried. The pancreas can get overloaded and diarrhea is the result. Even healthy people will get diarrhea if they eat too much fatty food. I used to love deep-fried foods, but I gave them up entirely a few years ago. Since I did that, I’ve had perfectly formed bowel movements.
7. High sugar foods: High sugar foods, even “healthy” foods like grapes and melons, can precipitate diarrhea.
So that’s a bit of a list of foods that can cause diarrhea. I hope it’s helpful.
Sources:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31973090
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29335277
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23295280
