Diarrhoea or loose stools happen when the intestines cannot absorb nutrients. During this time, food moves through the body without proper digestion.

Loose motions or Diarrhoea is widespread among people of all ages, from babies to the elderly. Diarrhoea involves frequent passing of watery or loose stools at irregular intervals. Various factors can cause Diarrhoea such as allergies, food poisoning, infections, and stress. Usually, loose motions are not severe and can be managed at home.

Many people wonder how to stop loose motion. Fortunately, diarrhoea typically lasts only a day or two and often improves on its own. However, in severe cases, it can be a serious condition. If home remedies for loose motion do not help, it is essential to seek medical advice.

Most Effective Home Remedies for Loose Motions

Do you know that each year diarrhoea kills around 525 000 children under five? Loose motions can turn a dream vacation into a nightmare. However, don’t worry; here are some home remedies to help you: 

• Bananas, Clarified Butter, Nutmeg, and Cardamom: Peel and mash bananas into a paste. Then, add half a tablespoon of clarified butter to this paste. This mixture, along with a dash of nutmeg and cardamom powder, should be consumed twice a day.
• Rice with Yogurt and Clarified Butter: Mix some rice with warm yoghurt and clarified butter. This home remedy will help alleviate diarrhoea.
• Consume Yogurt with Ginger and Water: Mix an equal amount of yoghurt and water and add some grated ginger to it. Drink this home remedy twice a day to ease diarrhoea symptoms.
• Ginger, Sugar, and Warm Water for diarrhoea prevention: Take one tablespoon of grated ginger in a cup. Add warm water with sugar to it. Drink this mixture to treat diarrhoea and loose motion.
• Clarified Butter, Ginger, and Sugar are the perfect solution: Take a small amount of clarified butter in a bowl. Add some grated ginger, powdered nutmeg, and natural sugar to it. Mix well and have this mixture twice or thrice a day.
• Fennel and Ginger Powder: Fennel and ginger powder are highly effective. You can easily chew the powders once or twice a day to relieve diarrhoea.
• Drink Black Tea with Lemon Juice, and Cardamom or Nutmeg: A cup of strong black tea will help prevent diarrhoea. Add lemon juice and some freshly ground cardamom or nutmeg to it. Drink this mixture whenever you have loose motion.
• Apple, Nutmeg, Cardamom, and Clarified Butter: Apple has numerous health benefits. So take an apple and cook it in clarified butter. You can enhance its effectiveness by adding nutmeg and cardamom. Consume it to keep loose motion at bay.

Other Effective Home Remedies to Stop Loose Motion

Below, we’ve outlined simple homemade cures that can help you overcome your loose motions without seeing a doctor.

1. Yogurt

Yogurt is widely known for its effectiveness in containing probiotics. It contains abundant strains of probiotic-rich bacteria that help combat infective bacteria in your digestive tract, which can cause diarrhoea. If you experience loose motions, consuming yoghurt throughout the day is recommended. It does not induce gastric problems or acidity.

2. Buttermilk

Buttermilk contains live cultures of lactic acid bacteria known as lactobacillus, which help maintain a balance between harmful and useful gut bacteria. It supports the immune system and serves as an excellent probiotic. It is advised to have one tall glass or two small glasses of buttermilk per day for a healthy body. However, excessive consumption of buttermilk can exacerbate cold and fever, so moderation is key.

3. Kaffir Lime Leaves

Kaffir lime leaves, often used in Thai cuisine, offer numerous health benefits, including probiotic properties. These leaves contain antibacterial agents that effectively combat staphylococcus bacteria, a common culprit for food poisoning and loose motions. It's important not to over consume these substances, so ensure you consume them in moderation.

4. Kimchi (A Korean dish)

Kimchi, prepared by fermenting cabbage, is an excellent probiotic. Like yoghurt and buttermilk, fermented foods such as kimchi contain lactobacilli that promote the growth of good bacteria in your gut, aiding healthy digestion and preventing loose motions. It is recommended to have one serving of 100 grams of kimchi daily to derive maximum probiotic benefits. However, overeating may lead to side effects like bloating, gas, and nausea.

5. Bananas

Fruits and vegetables like bananas and potatoes are rich in potassium and pectin, a water-soluble fibre that helps absorb excess water in the intestines. Bananas also contain essential electrolytes that your body loses during loose motions, providing much-needed energy when you're dehydrated and fatigued.

For relief from loose motions, consume a ripe banana every two hours. Alternatively, you can mash a banana with rock salt for a savoury option, or have mashed potatoes with chives.

6. Potatoes

Potatoes are a potent source of potassium, with a large baked potato containing around 1600 mg of potassium. It's best to consume them unpeeled, as potassium is found in both the flesh and skin of the potato. Boiled potatoes are particularly good for loose motions as they are easily digestible and provide ample energy due to their high carbohydrate content.

7. Avocados

Avocados offer significant health benefits as they are rich in potassium, healthy fats, vitamin K, and folate. A 68-gram serving of avocado contains approximately 345 mg of potassium, contributing to about 7% of your daily value for potassium.

However, avocados also contain sorbitol or polyols, carbohydrates that may affect individuals with sensitive stomachs. Overeating avocados in one sitting can lead to bloating, diarrhoea, or intense pain.

Final Thoughts

Although there are several home remedies for loose motion, they aren't as effective for some people as they are for others. Therefore, you should consult an expert gastrointestinal specialist at a tertiary-care hospital and take medications if you don't know how to stop loose motion with home remedies.