- Acute — this is when the episode is sudden
- Chronic — this is when diarrhea is long term or severe
What does Diarrhea after Eating mean
When you have diarrhea immediately or soon after eating it means that your body did not properly process the nutrients that it needs. It could also mean that your body is rejecting some of the components of the foods you just ate because of some unhealthy chemical or toxin your body is not able to properly process. The foods could also have a lot of natural laxatives present like if you drank certain fruit juices or ate a lot of prunes. It could also be the result of food poisoning or from some medical condition such as irritable bowel syndrome.
General Causes of Diarrhea after Eating
- Gluten allergy — this is a protein that is found in wheat that many people have found themselves allergic to. If you are allergic to it can cause damage to your intestines and cause constant diarrhea.
- Lactose intolerance — this medical condition makes the digestion of lactose difficult. Lactose is a major type of sugar that is found in milk products, milk, and sugar. If you have this condition you will often experience bloating and diarrhea after you eat any foods that contain lactose.
- Irritable bowel syndrome — this is one of the major causes of experiencing diarrhea after eating. It is a disorder found in your large intestine and though it will not lead to any permanent damage it can be very uncomfortable. In addition to the diarrhea you may also experience bloating, abdominal pain, and cramping.
- Food poisoning — this can be caused by eating foods that are contaminated with toxins, bacteria like E. coli strains or salmonella, viruses, or parasites. It can also cause tiredness, abdominal pain, fever, stomach cramps, vomiting, loss of appetite along with diarrhea after eating.
- Contaminated water
- Crohn’s disease
Diarrhea after eating eggs
There are several reasons why you might experience diarrhea after eating eggs. People who want to increase their muscle mass like to include raw eggs in their diets but it is possible that your body does not have the ability to digest the raw egg proteins, resulting in diarrhea after eating them. Although this cause can take from twelve to seventy-two hours before the symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, and running a slight fever to show up it is possible that the eggs you ate were spoiled. It could also be from food poisoning due to the bacteria salmonella contaminating the eggs. These bacteria can get into the egg through a cracked or broken shell so if you see an egg with a shell that is not intact it is best to throw it away. They can also become contaminated through unsafe practices at the poultry farm. It can even happen inside the hen. Every year two in every one hundred people are infected with salmonellosis according to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention.
If your case of diarrhea after eating eggs is due to salmonella poisoning it is possible that it will clear up on its own without treatment in four to seven days but you may require hospitalization if it is a form of acute salmonella infection, which can also lead to death.
Eggs are made of many different proteins but there are four particular proteins that can cause a person to develop an egg allergy and cause problems. These four include:
- Ovalbumin
- Lysozyme
- Ovomucoid
- Ovotransferrin
They are mainly found in the egg whites and a little in the yolk. When you eat an egg your body thinks the proteins are a harmful invader so your immune system will create antibodies to fight off the invader. The release of these chemicals can affect your gastrointestinal tract leading to diarrhea after eating eggs. If you find you are allergic to eggs you will need to switch to egg-free products.
Diarrhea after eating red meat
If you experience diarrhea after eating red meat it could be an allergy or food poisoning. If it is not keep refrigerated at the proper temperature or cooked correctly the chances of having diarrhea increases. The most common cause of food poisoning from eating red meat is from it being infected with a bacterium called Escherichia coli. If you get diarrhea each time you eat red meat it could be that you are having an allergic reaction to it because your immune system thinks the red meat is a threat or foreign body. Your body reacts by producing histamines. It could also be hypersensitivity or intolerance to the red meat. This can happen when your body does not produce the substances that your body needs to digest certain food items, which in this case is red meat. You may experience diarrhea after eating red meat because you body is not able to digest the proteins that are found in the meat because of lack of enzymes in your body.
Diarrhea after eating greasy foods
Normally this is caused because your body is not able to digest certain fatty and oily foods causing diarrhea after eating them. Most people can tolerate a small amount of fatty, oil foods but if you have an excessive intake of the food it can lead to indigestion. It can also cause over-straining of your digestive system. It has also been noted that if you have gallbladder disease greasy food tends to cause them more bouts of diarrhea after eating these foods. Another medical condition that can cause this problem is chronic pancreatitis, which is where your body has difficulty absorbing fat, resulting in oily diarrhea. To help prevent diarrhea after eating greasy foods monitor your intake of them.
Diarrhea after eating salads
If you have a bout of diarrhea after eating salads the most likely culprits are:
- Salad preparation methods that are unhygienic — this can include using fruits and vegetables that are spoiled and unwashed or preservation techniques that are improper and contaminate the salad. Ingredients in salad such as fruits and vegetables can become contaminated with several parasites and bacteria when you compare it to other foods. This can also include any meats that are in the salads such as fish, chicken, etc that are not prepared correctly or are spoiled.
- Some type of food borne bacteria — this can cause food poisoning. In addition to food borne bacteria it can also include parasites. These parasites and bacteria can be on the fruits, vegetables, and even in the dressings and toppings that go on the salad.
Treatment
Once it has been diagnosed as to what is causing your episodes of diarrhea after eating your physician will suggest that you make a change in your diet. You should try to avoid the foods that cause your diarrhea and can cause gas. Your physician may suggest that you start taking a fiber supplement and/or eating a diet that is high in fiber. If the cause is lactose intolerance, your physician may give you lactose enzyme drops or tablets to take. If it caused by a gluten allergy you will need to avoid foods that contain gluten that includes rye, barley, semolina, wheat, gram flour, etc. To avoid dehydration you should make sure that you are drinking plenty of water every day.
If you are experiencing diarrhea after eating red meat your physician will need to do an examination to determine what the cause is. If it an infection in your digestive tract your physician will prescribe an antibiotic. If it is an allergic reaction it can be controlled with an allergy medication but it is best to avoid eating any red meat. Make sure that the meat is cooked to the right temperature, which is a minimum of one hundred sixty degrees F.
To help prevent diarrhea after eating salad make sure that you are washing your hands, the counter area where the salad is being prepared, the utensils, and of course the ingredients to be put into the salad to help prevent the transfer of food borne bacteria and parasites. If you still have diarrhea after eating salads avoid eating too much of the high fiber salad dressings. Make sure the meat used in the salads is cooked correctly.
Home remedies for diarrhea after eating
One suggestion, in addition to staying hydrated, is that if you are experiencing chronic diarrhea you should try the BRAT diet for a few days. This is where you would only eat bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast to help bulk up your intestines, giving slight constipation. This is good to follow if you have irritable bowel syndrome. Make sure that you are using brown rice and not white rice because the brown rice has more dietary fiber content. The toast should be whole wheat unless you have a gluten allergy. Do not add jelly or butter to the toast because it could cause the diarrhea to become worse.
