Diarrhea
Definition:
Diarrhea is the abnormal frequency and liquidity of fecal discharges. [HHH p.63]
Symptoms:
A common symptom of gastrointestinal affliction, either from acute infection, inflammation of the mucous membrane, or psychogenic causes. It is characterized by frequent, morbid and profuse bowel evacuations. [SNH p.17]
Cause:
1. Diarrhea is the most severe form of constipation caused by a complete blockage in the lower intestine. Liquids only will come through while solids are retained. The body must be cleansed as quickly as possible or diarrhea will go into dysentery. [SNH p.17]
2. Diarrhea has a number of causes: too much fruit, digestive upset, stressful emotion. It may be the body ridding itself of toxins. It is the most severe form of constipation and should be dealt with immediately. [HHH p.63]
3. Caffeine intoxication, or caffeinism, has symptoms which include among others diarrhea. [NL 4-1]
Herbal Aids:
Rice Water: Rice water will check the diarrhea as will peach leaves, raspberry leaves, and sunflower leaves. [SNH p.9]
Peach Leaf Tea or Ripe Peaches: The use of peach leaf tea or ripe peaches themselves will often help stop common diarrhea. Sunflower leaf tea is one of the most potent but must be used in very small amounts. [SNH p.17]
Plantain: Use a strong tea (steep one ounce of the granulated herb for twenty to thirty minutes in one pint water), inject one tablespoonful three of four times daily (or more frequently in bad cases), and especially after each bowel movement. [SNH p.53]
See formula for diarrhea using plantain, silver week and knotgrass. [SNH p.54]
See formula for diarrhea using bayberry, African ginger and pinus. [SNH p.135]
See formula for diarrhea using white oak, raspberry and cinnamon. [SNH p.162]
Infant Syrup for Diarrhea: See formula using bistort, marshmallow, cloves, angelica and ginger. [SNH p.163]
Witch Hazel: Give a rectal injection of the fluid extract (distilled aqueous extract) or decoction; take internally. [SNH p.171]
Acute Diarrhea: Give the syrup of Turkey rhubarb according to the dosage specified. See formula for syrup of Turkey rhubarb using turkey rhubarb, sugar and glycerine. [SNH p.185]
Mucilage of Comfrey: Diarrhea, dysentery, and cough [delicate children]. Give the mucilage sweetened with honey in teaspoonful doses frequently (it helps strengthen, nourish, sooth and heal). See formula doe mucilage using comfrey root, water, honey and glycerine. [SNH p.310]
Mullein: for diarrhea, dysentery, and bleeding of the bowels. Boil 1 ounce of mullein in 1 pint of milk for a few minutes, strain and give in 1/2 cupful doses after each bowel evacuation (and if you don't have a scale or the time to calculate the equivalent measure, just grab some and go to work). [SNH p.317]
Wild and Domestic Sunflower Leaf: An excellent and easy-to-find herb for diarrhea is the common wild and domestic sunflower leaf. Make up a tea of this, and start giving a teaspoon of the tea at a time. Increase the amount gradually if needed, but not too fast, as it will cause constipation if too much is taken. This is children dosages. [HHH p.64]
Oak Bark Tea: A real life saver is a rectal injection of oak bark tea, also drinking this same type of tea. This works in the most severe cases. We must always go back to the cause, after relieving the effect, by checking the diet. [HHH p.64]
Serious Diarrhea in Children: Should the diarrhea be a more serious nature, keep the child on nothing but teas for six, twelve or twenty-four hours or more, depending on the age of the child. The following herbs are suitable for this purpose: red raspberry, yarrow, oak bark, bayberry bark, sage (garden), mullein, marshmallow, nettle, slippery elm, strawberry leaves, ginger, plantain. [HHH p.64]
Cleansing the Bowels: See the entire appendix in Herbal Home Health Care p.128. [HHH p.128]
Schizophrenia in Children is often characterized by diarrhea. See Dr. Christopher's answer to this in his newsletter. [NL 1-3]
Juices for Diarrhea: Carrot, cranberry. [NL 3-5]
Colitis: This is often accompanied by diarrhea. [NL 4-8]
Vegetables for Diarrhea: Apply cabbage leaves to the abdominal region during the day and a fresh application for overnight and drink a cabbage broth. [NL 4-12]
Vegetables for Diarrhea: Sweet potato [NL 4-12] , winter squash [NL 4-12] , and ginger [NL 4-12]
Brown Rice: We have seen serious cases of diarrhea respond most effectively to rice water made by boiling one ounce of rice to one quart of water for 20 minutes, strained and drunk. [NL 5-1]
Fruits for Diarrhea: Apricot, blackberry, blueberry and apple. [NL 5-1]
Testimonials:
Dr. Daniel B. Mowrey, a research psychologist from the NMC Behavior Research and Development Labs, has discovered a formula including Ginger which seems to work extremely well in the treatment of flu. Although he is hesitant to proclaim it as a cure-all, he presents the history of finding this remedy as very interesting. He was not too sure that herbs could break up quite a siege of flu, and spent a few days reading about herbs for the ailment and making up experimental mixtures. He never took any of them, recovering in bed instead. However, his wife caught the bug, and she reported that their herbal mixtures she took seemed to have little effect. The afternoon of the first day of the flu, though she reported a remarkable relief of the symptoms. She took more of the combination and felt even better. She got out of bed and stayed out, taking more of the herbs anytime she began to experience diarrhea and nausea. He was impressed, and tested his formula on sixteen flu-stricken subjects with 100% remission of symptoms. Still, Dr. Mowrey doesn't claim that this combination will work for everyone, but he is very excited about the possibilities. The combination includes Ginger, cayenne, golden seal, and licorice. [NL 7-3]
See Also:
Lower Bowel: Dr. Christopher's Lower Bowel (Colon) Formula
Constipation
Diarrhea is the abnormal frequency and liquidity of fecal discharges. [HHH p.63]
Symptoms:
A common symptom of gastrointestinal affliction, either from acute infection, inflammation of the mucous membrane, or psychogenic causes. It is characterized by frequent, morbid and profuse bowel evacuations. [SNH p.17]
Cause:
1. Diarrhea is the most severe form of constipation caused by a complete blockage in the lower intestine. Liquids only will come through while solids are retained. The body must be cleansed as quickly as possible or diarrhea will go into dysentery. [SNH p.17]
2. Diarrhea has a number of causes: too much fruit, digestive upset, stressful emotion. It may be the body ridding itself of toxins. It is the most severe form of constipation and should be dealt with immediately. [HHH p.63]
3. Caffeine intoxication, or caffeinism, has symptoms which include among others diarrhea. [NL 4-1]
Herbal Aids:
Rice Water: Rice water will check the diarrhea as will peach leaves, raspberry leaves, and sunflower leaves. [SNH p.9]
Peach Leaf Tea or Ripe Peaches: The use of peach leaf tea or ripe peaches themselves will often help stop common diarrhea. Sunflower leaf tea is one of the most potent but must be used in very small amounts. [SNH p.17]
Plantain: Use a strong tea (steep one ounce of the granulated herb for twenty to thirty minutes in one pint water), inject one tablespoonful three of four times daily (or more frequently in bad cases), and especially after each bowel movement. [SNH p.53]
See formula for diarrhea using plantain, silver week and knotgrass. [SNH p.54]
See formula for diarrhea using bayberry, African ginger and pinus. [SNH p.135]
See formula for diarrhea using white oak, raspberry and cinnamon. [SNH p.162]
Infant Syrup for Diarrhea: See formula using bistort, marshmallow, cloves, angelica and ginger. [SNH p.163]
Witch Hazel: Give a rectal injection of the fluid extract (distilled aqueous extract) or decoction; take internally. [SNH p.171]
Acute Diarrhea: Give the syrup of Turkey rhubarb according to the dosage specified. See formula for syrup of Turkey rhubarb using turkey rhubarb, sugar and glycerine. [SNH p.185]
Mucilage of Comfrey: Diarrhea, dysentery, and cough [delicate children]. Give the mucilage sweetened with honey in teaspoonful doses frequently (it helps strengthen, nourish, sooth and heal). See formula doe mucilage using comfrey root, water, honey and glycerine. [SNH p.310]
Mullein: for diarrhea, dysentery, and bleeding of the bowels. Boil 1 ounce of mullein in 1 pint of milk for a few minutes, strain and give in 1/2 cupful doses after each bowel evacuation (and if you don't have a scale or the time to calculate the equivalent measure, just grab some and go to work). [SNH p.317]
Wild and Domestic Sunflower Leaf: An excellent and easy-to-find herb for diarrhea is the common wild and domestic sunflower leaf. Make up a tea of this, and start giving a teaspoon of the tea at a time. Increase the amount gradually if needed, but not too fast, as it will cause constipation if too much is taken. This is children dosages. [HHH p.64]
Oak Bark Tea: A real life saver is a rectal injection of oak bark tea, also drinking this same type of tea. This works in the most severe cases. We must always go back to the cause, after relieving the effect, by checking the diet. [HHH p.64]
Serious Diarrhea in Children: Should the diarrhea be a more serious nature, keep the child on nothing but teas for six, twelve or twenty-four hours or more, depending on the age of the child. The following herbs are suitable for this purpose: red raspberry, yarrow, oak bark, bayberry bark, sage (garden), mullein, marshmallow, nettle, slippery elm, strawberry leaves, ginger, plantain. [HHH p.64]
Cleansing the Bowels: See the entire appendix in Herbal Home Health Care p.128. [HHH p.128]
Schizophrenia in Children is often characterized by diarrhea. See Dr. Christopher's answer to this in his newsletter. [NL 1-3]
Juices for Diarrhea: Carrot, cranberry. [NL 3-5]
Colitis: This is often accompanied by diarrhea. [NL 4-8]
Vegetables for Diarrhea: Apply cabbage leaves to the abdominal region during the day and a fresh application for overnight and drink a cabbage broth. [NL 4-12]
Vegetables for Diarrhea: Sweet potato [NL 4-12] , winter squash [NL 4-12] , and ginger [NL 4-12]
Brown Rice: We have seen serious cases of diarrhea respond most effectively to rice water made by boiling one ounce of rice to one quart of water for 20 minutes, strained and drunk. [NL 5-1]
Fruits for Diarrhea: Apricot, blackberry, blueberry and apple. [NL 5-1]
Testimonials:
Dr. Daniel B. Mowrey, a research psychologist from the NMC Behavior Research and Development Labs, has discovered a formula including Ginger which seems to work extremely well in the treatment of flu. Although he is hesitant to proclaim it as a cure-all, he presents the history of finding this remedy as very interesting. He was not too sure that herbs could break up quite a siege of flu, and spent a few days reading about herbs for the ailment and making up experimental mixtures. He never took any of them, recovering in bed instead. However, his wife caught the bug, and she reported that their herbal mixtures she took seemed to have little effect. The afternoon of the first day of the flu, though she reported a remarkable relief of the symptoms. She took more of the combination and felt even better. She got out of bed and stayed out, taking more of the herbs anytime she began to experience diarrhea and nausea. He was impressed, and tested his formula on sixteen flu-stricken subjects with 100% remission of symptoms. Still, Dr. Mowrey doesn't claim that this combination will work for everyone, but he is very excited about the possibilities. The combination includes Ginger, cayenne, golden seal, and licorice. [NL 7-3]
See Also:
Lower Bowel: Dr. Christopher's Lower Bowel (Colon) Formula
Constipation
"Natural Healing with Herbs for a Healthier You"
