The New Year festival is a time of celebration, giving us the opportunity to attend parties where we eat and drink. However, when eating a variety of foods that we did not prepare ourselves, cleanliness must be considered. The simple principle is to choose cooked food and follow the rule of “Eat hot, use a shared spoon, wash hands frequently” to reduce the risk of various diseases, especially the popular party illness… “diarrhea”
What types of food can easily cause diarrhea?
Actually, any food, if contaminated or left for a long time after cooking, can easily cause diarrhea. However, some foods require special caution, such as:
- Seafood
- Grilled pork that is not cooked thoroughly
- Som tam (papaya salad), raw larb or koi (spicy minced meat salad)
- Various spicy salads such as shrimp dance salad, cockle salad
- Fried rice topped with crab meat
- Foods or desserts containing coconut milk or topped with fresh coconut milk
- Rice noodles
- Hainanese chicken rice
- Vegetable salad
- Ice
Don’t delay treating diarrhea – observe symptoms and know when to seek treatment
Allowing diarrhea to continue for several days without any action can cause dehydration and loss of essential electrolytes, leading to shock. Additionally, some infections can cause fever, fatigue, and even fainting. Therefore, we should understand the severity of bowel movement abnormalities—what counts as normal diarrhea, mild diarrhea, and severe diarrhea or serious infection—to decide when medical treatment is necessary.
Signs of “abnormal diarrhea” – what are the symptoms?
- Loose stools or watery diarrhea
- More than 3 bowel movements per day
- Severe abdominal cramps
- Feeling fatigued and having a mild fever
Normally, common diarrhea symptoms usually resolve within 1-2 days. However, anyone experiencing diarrhea for more than 3 days should see a doctor, as diarrhea may be caused by other diseases that require proper diagnosis and treatment. Otherwise, it could be dangerous.
Basic prevention and treatment of diarrhea
- Eat freshly cooked food
- Wash hands before eating and after all activities
- Avoid eating fermented foods if unsure about their quality and cleanliness, as they may be contaminated with bacteria
- If you have diarrhea, drink water or oral rehydration salts (ORS) to replace lost fluids and electrolytes
- Take anti-diarrheal medication (Diosmectite), which helps inhibit bacteria and relieve symptoms
- Eat easily digestible foods such as rice porridge or soup; avoid spicy, fermented, and high-fat foods
- If symptoms persist beyond 3 days, and you still feel weak, have dry lips, dizziness, blood in stool, or blood in vomit, see a doctor immediately. Do not wait for diarrhea to resolve on its own, as there may be complications such as inflammatory bowel disease, drug reactions, or rotavirus infection.
Dr. Jeerawat Silasuwan
Gastroenterologist
Gastrointestinal and Liver Center, Phyathai 2 Hospital
