Last updated on July 22nd, 2022 at 04:00 pm

Cookouts with friends and family are American as apple pie. And maybe that’s on your 4^th of July menu, too! This time of year is filled with all kinds of festive food and sweet treats that are hard to turn down. But certain foods and overeating can cause problems after the party ends.

Juicy stone fruits and melons are refreshing summertime staples but can unfortunately bring about embarrassing issues like diarrhea when consumed in large quantities. “This is because fruit contains high levels of soluble fiber,” says Boiron Pharmacist Christophe Merville. “It traps the water in the intestine, which causes stools to become more liquid.”

Nature’s candy also hides another offender. Unripe fruits with green parts contain substances that act as a natural laxative. Dr. Merville explains that these substances stimulate and speed up digestion, thereby causing diarrhea.

For these issues, he recommends Podophylum peltatum 30C to relieve watery diarrhea with cramping pain that occurs in the morning and is often caused by excessive eating of fresh fruit.* Zingiber officinale 30C, the homeopathic preparation of ginger, may also be useful since it helps with diarrhea due to intolerance to watermelon and other melon fruits.* (This medicine is not available in stores or online, but can be special ordered through a health professional.)

For painless diarrhea accompanied by bloating in the abdomen and gas, Cinchona officinalis 6C is recommended.* The dosage for both Cinchona and Podophylum is 5 pellets after every bathroom trip. Use can be discontinued as symptoms resolve.

Dr. Merville has one other suggestion the next time you’re experiencing diarrhea, or if you’ll be spending time outdoors in the heat: “First and foremost, stay hydrated with water and more importantly, electrolytes.” He warns against just drinking plain water and says to opt for mineral or tonic water or even root beer and ginger ale, which will replenish important salts and minerals in your body. “Tea and coffee are diuretics that can make diarrhea symptoms worse,” adds Dr. Merville, so avoid them. For kids, parents can keep pediatric solutions for rehydration on hand.

For more options to address other common digestive issues, download the free Boiron Medicine Finder app today.

*Claims based on traditional homeopathic practice, not accepted medical evidence. Not FDA evaluated.