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Who would’ve thought that the spice on your spice rack can treat your Diarrhea? Cinnamon for Diarrhea may not be very common, but it does an excellent job of treating your Diarrhea.
But before we proceed into the good chunks, let us first learn the basics of Diarrhea.
What is Diarrhea?
This is the condition where you experience an abnormally watery or loose stool for at least 3 times a day or more. This is one of the most common types of health conditions. Everyone is potentially at risk of Diarrhea from little kids, teens, adults, and even the elderly. Although its a common illness, only a few people are aware that Diarrhea shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Why?
There are different types of Diarrhea, which can range from mild to life-threatening. Most of the time, Diarrhea only lasts for one to two days. If it only lasts for a short period of time, then its called an Acute Diarrhea. However, if the Diarrhea lasts for more than two days, you should see your doctor as it may be life-threatening.
In most cases, Diarrhea is caused by a virus, bacteria, or parasites, but that’s not always the case. We’ll be digging deeper about this later in this blog.
What are the Symptoms of Diarrhea?
Although Diarrhea means that you’re going to have a watery and loose stool, it also comes with other symptoms, these are:
- Stomach pain
- Thirst
- Abdominal cramps
- Weight loss
- Bloating
- Fever
However, others also experience more serious symptoms for Diarrhea, these are:
- Dehydration
- Pus or blood in the stools
- Persistent vomiting
What Causes Diarrhea?
As mentioned earlier, the main cause of Diarrhea is a virus, bacteria, and parasitic organisms. If the cause of your Diarrhea are the aforementioned microbes, it means that these microbes have already targeted your gastrointestinal tract. But, microbes are not the only reason why we have Diarrhea. There are still other reasons why we have Diarrhea.
For some instances, it can also be caused by the medicines that we take, especially the ones that contain magnesium. Some of the medicines that contain magnesium are cancer drugs, antibiotics, and antacids.
Another reason that we may have Diarrhea is the food that we ate. We all have different food sensitivities and food intolerances. This means that if you take some foods, your stomach will have problems digesting the foods that you ate. One great example of this is those that have lactose intolerance.
However, that’s not all, diseases and problems with how your colon functions are also to be blamed. If your disease affects your small intestine, stomach, or colon, then you should be more prone to Diarrhea. If you have Chron’s disease or an Irritable Bowel Syndrome, then you are most likely going to be prone to having Diarrhea.
Why Cinnamon for Diarrhea Works
The very spice that we love to add to our dishes and baked goods contain a potent antiseptic. This antiseptic can be used to fight the virus and bacteria that cause Diarrhea. Back then, the Indians and Greek use Cinnamon to treat indigestion, gastrointestinal spasms, gas and bloating, and until today, people still use Cinnamon for Diarrhea as an alternative treatment.
1. Alleviates the Pain
As mentioned earlier, Cinnamon was used to treating stomach problems. One of the reasons for this is that Cinnamon can help you alleviate the pain that’s caused by Diarrhea. Cinnamon contains oils that can break down the fats within your intestinal tract. The essential oils within the Cinnamon will also act as a stimulant that will trigger the movement within your tract.
2. It Kills Bacteria & Virus
Cinnamon is antibacterial and antiviral, which makes it an ideal alternative treatment for Diarrhea. As mentioned earlier, Diarrhea can be caused by both viruses and bacteria. When this happens, you can use Cinnamon to kill the bacteria and virus that’s causing the illness. The great thing about this is that its fast-acting, which means you can get rid of your Diarrhea as quickly as possible.
This leaves us with the question, is cinnamon good for diarrhea? Technically, yes, but not all Cinnamon is good for your health. Some cinnamon can indeed treat diarrhea, but will kill your liver.
Choosing The Right Type of Cinnamon
Although Cinnamon can help you get rid of Diarrhea, you should be careful with the Cinnamon that you choose. There are two types of Cinnamon. One of which can kill your liver while the other can treat your Diarrhea without causing any problems.
You should be wary of Cassia Cinnamon as it contains coumarin, which can be lethal to your liver when taken in excess. The bad thing about this is that Cassia is the most common Cinnamon, and you can immediately find them at your local market. It has a reddish-brown color and a very strong spicy taste and scent.
Ceylon, on the other hand, only contains 0.001% of coumarin and will not put your liver in danger, even if you take them every day. It has the same healing properties as the Cassia but is much safer to consume. It has a tan-brown color and has a mildly sweet and spicy scent and taste.
Takeaways
Using Cinnamon for Diarrhea can be a bizarre thought because Cinnamon is mostly used for cooking and baking. However, it proves to be very effective when used as a treatment for Diarrhea.