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Having a BBQ at the beach by meironke, on Flickr

Ah, summer. Picnics in the park, at the beach, in the mountains, barbeques in the backyard, and then the next day…diarrhea. I don’t know about your family, but it seems the season we are most afflicted with “the runs” has arrived.

Most tummy upsets are not caused by viruses, as once thought, but by food-borne bacteria like Escherichia coli and Salmonella. These bacteria thrive in warm weather and on hands that don’t get washed quite as often as maybe they should. Our family practices three lines of defense:

We all know these: Wash food before cutting; use different cutting boards for meats and produce; wash utensils in hot to boiling water; squirt surfaces with vinegar to kill bacteria; wash hands often; refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible after eating; don’t eat food that’s been at room temperature for two hours or more; cover exposed food to prevent germ transmission by insect. And while it can be difficult to wash hands before eating outdoors, and you certainly don’t want to use a hand sanitizer containing chemicals like Triclosan, a bottle of rubbing alcohol is easy to carry. Just pour a little on your hands and rub until it is all evaporated.

Yes, those wonderful chutneys, relishes and pickles, made at home through lacto-fermentation are strong medicine! The “good” bacteria they contain kill off the “bad” bacteria that causes illness, even as both go through our digestive tracts at the same time. And while dairy products are commonly discouraged for those with stomach or intestinal problems, I want to amend the rule: Absolutely abstain from grocery store dairy, but don’t disparage raw milk! Raw milk is also full of good probiotics that support stomach and intestinal health. Fermented dairy products like yogurt and kefir can also help. Do be cautious when purchasing yogurt and kefir products to avoid sugars and artifical sweeteners, colors and flavorings. These additives will not help your body normalize. Better to make your own where you can monitor the ingredients. Frequent servings of fermented foods can strengthen the digestive tract, making it stronger against invaders, too.

Sometimes, no matter how careful we are, we get hit by a bug. I don’t want to immediately go to the drugstore and buy a drug that will stop the diarrhea so I can go on with “life as usual.” When the body sends extra water into the intestines, it is trying to “flush” out the bugs that are irritating it. Preventing this flushing process allows the bugs to grow and can cause worse problems. Yeah, it’s a pain to have to stay home, by the bathroom for a couple days. But that’s what the body is saying should be done, so that’s what we do. We rest.

Obviously, we need to replace the increased fluid being expelled. Don’t be tempted to go for sugary sports drinks or Pedialyte with their artificial colors and flavors. A simple electrolyte formula can be made by adding a pinch of salt and a pinch of baking soda to a glass of water. It won’t taste great, but will help maintain the body’s electrolyte balance. There are other options, too. Coconut kefir is very hydrating, a probiotic drink, and mildly sweet and easy on the tummy.

One of our favorite remedies is “blueberry spoonful.” Pour a cup of filtered water over a tablespoonful of unsweetened, organic, dried blueberries. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for about 15 mintues. Let it cool and take a tablespoon every hour until symptoms cease. This remedy is particularly helpful against E. coli.

A very fast-acting herbal remedy is fenugreek seed. We fill some non-gelatin capsules with fenugreek seeds and take them with water three times a day. We have had great success with these, sometimes stopping an attack in as little as one day.

I’m not a doctor, and I can’t prescribe treatments for you or your family. These tips are just what has helped us. By all means, if your diarrhea doesn’t get better after a day or two, or you experience high fever, mental confusion or other symptoms, please seek medical care immediately.

This post is part of the Natural Cures Tuesday blog carnival, hosted by Hartkeisonline.